Getting fit after pregnancy- what you need to know

According to a recent study, 61% of mums thought that they would be back in their pre-pregnancy jeans by the time their baby was 1. However, 60% of mums with 1-2-year olds were still carrying those extra pounds. The (annoying) truth is, every body is different. The way your body recovers post-birth is down to a variety of factors; your exercise levels before baby, genetics, your birth, your diet. So what can we all do, to be able to feel more confident and accepting of our new bodies?

1. Don’t rush

Doctors advise waiting to do any exercise other than walking until you’ve been signed off by your GP at 6 weeks. Your body has been through a traumatic event. Don’t underestimate the power of walking though! Start with a goal of walking 5000 steps a day and slowly increase as you feel stronger and you’ll notice a difference in your physical and mental health.

2. Seek advice 

Once you’ve been signed off, you need to start slow and be prepared.  If you can’t afford a personal trainer (which I know most of us can’t) then do as much research as possible online. Make a list of exercises that you can do from home with no equipment that are safe for postpartum women. You can find great resources on YouTube and IGTV, just make sure that they make it clear that it’s safe postpartum.

3. Focus on the core

Your core needs to be your main focus. Pregnancy can cause a condition called ‘Diastasis recti’ where the Ab muscles split to make room for baby, and it weakens those muscles. For the first 4 weeks at least after being signed off, I would advise focusing on some light cardio like power walking and 3 core workouts a week. They only need to last 10-15 minutes and can be done at home but building up strength in your weakest area will help you avoid injury as you progress with your fitness comeback. Avoid crunches and planks and opt for more Pilates and Yoga style moves like bird dogs and boat pose.

4. Workout at home

To fit workouts into your new schedule, exercise at home. Order an exercise mat, some resistance bands and some small dumbbells off Amazon and you’re ready to go. Aim for full body workouts to optimise time. Create circuits made up of 1 lower body exercise, 1 upper body exercise, 1 core exercise and 1 Cardio move. Keep it simple, don’t overdo it and slowly increase your reps/weights as you begin to feel stronger.

You have a new priority now as a mum. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make time for your own needs. If you want to start exercising again, do it out of love for your body, not because of the pressure to look a certain way. At the end of the day, you made a baby! And you’re an amazing mum. That counts for so much more than what you look like. 

Follow @sophiehalecoaching on Instagram for more advice and motivation!