Many women do not know where to begin when they return to exercise post-pregnancy. It is recommended to wait until six weeks post natural birth or 10 weeks post caesarian to begin exercise and to have clearance from your obstetrician or women's health physiotherapist. Your health provider will assess if you can correctly contract and relax your pelvic floor as well as assess your degree of abdominal separation to determine your readiness for certain activities such as abdominal strengthening, running or jumping. Swimming and walking are a great way to start getting your cardiovascular fitness back, but it is important to start with shorter bouts of exercise (eg 20 minutes) and increase as you feel able.
These four exercises are a safe way to start once you have clearance.
They focus on reconnecting into your abdominals while connecting to your breathing to avoid downward pressure on your pelvic floor.
1. Arm openers - 8/side
Lie on your side with your arms out in front and knees bent up. Breathe in to lift your top arm up to the roof, exhale to rotate your chest and reach to the wall behind you. Do not let your top knee slide backwards.
2. Cat/cow - 10 reps
Start in 4 point kneeling on hands and knees. Hands should be under your shoulders, knees under your hips. Start by arching your back so your tummy drops, your bottom pokes out and your head lifts. In this position feel your sit bones widening (pelvic floor relaxing). Next, arch the opposite way by tucking your chin towards your chest, rounding your back and tucking your tailbone under. In this position imagine you are lifting your pelvic floor muscles and that they are drawing the sit bones towards each other.
3. Bridges - 12 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat and a cushion or ball between your knees. As you squeeze the ball with your knees, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor. Tip your hips back so your lower back presses into the ground. Start to push through your feet to lift your hips up. Roll back down through the spine one vertebrae at a time.
4. Ball squeeze with curl - 15 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat and ball between your knees. As you squeeze the ball with your knees, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor. Hold this squeeze as you do a chest lift, drawing your ribs down towards your hips. Ensure you do not let your stomach dome. If this does happen try not coming as high into the lift.
