How to Safely Return to Exercise After Pregnancy: Tips for New Mums

Navigating postpartum life can be challenging but for some mums returning to exercise helps provide a sense of normality, supports your mental, social, and physical health, plus gives you dedicated time to focus on YOU!

However, returning to exercise requires a little bit of pre-planning and preparation. At the end of the day YOUR safety is OUR number 1 priority and future you will thank you dearly for the time you take to rebuild from the inside out. 

THE FIRST 40 DAYS

The first 40 days (6 weeks) postpartum is important for both mum and bub to recover from birth, increase vitality and adjust to life outside the womb. Remember to be kind to yourself during this time and focus on what your body can do. 

“Every mark on me now, every shape that has changed since I had kids, that’s evidence of the fact that I am a superhero.”

- Kristen Bell

AFTER 40 DAYS

1. Attend your 6-week check-up with your health care professional to gain clearance to exercise. 

2. We highly recommend seeing a Women's Health Physiotherapist if you can. Your pelvic floor and transversus abdominis (TA) matter and we need eyes on the inside to make sure you are engaging them properly. This is important no matter what type of delivery you had!

3. Contact the gym to let them know you are ready to return to exercise and fill out a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). 

4. Darksides Rebuild class is perfect for postpartum mums. Not only can you bring bub but you will be under the guidance of a qualified pre and postnatal trainer to ensure you are moving safely. You could also contact one of our pre and postnatal qualified trainers to discuss your return to exercise and any concerns your GP or women's health physio brought up. Both options will teach you pelvic floor and TA activation and ensure you are checked for abdominal separation. If you aren’t familiar with your pelvic floor and TA, that's okay, we have an amazing blog post on them here. 

5. Once you’re ready for class we will check in to ensure you are okay with each movement and provide you with the appropriate regressions and progressions that YOUR body needs. No two bodies and no two births are the same, everyone's transition back to exercise will be different. 

CURRENT GUIDELINES

The below guidelines have been suggested by AusActive and the Continence Foundation of Australia:

0-6 weeks PP

• Pelvic floor and transversus abdominis (TA) work. Light walking IF you feel up to it. 
  

6-12 weeks PP (vaginal delivery)

• Once cleared for exercise by your GP, take it slow and listen to your body.  

• You should be checked for abdominal separation

• See a Women’s Health Physio if you can
  

Common exercises may include

• Walking 

• Light weights, often bodyweight with no breath holding, bearing down or bracing. 

• TA and pelvic floor exercises. 

• Low impact and low intensity movements. AKA no jumping, running, etc. 

• Individual progression made on a case to case basis. 

** For c-section delivery, it is generally advised to wait until 12 weeks PP before returning to exercise. 

12-16 weeks PP

• Adaptation and progression depending on pelvic floor and TA strength. 
  

16+ weeks PP

• Often cleared for most activities provided your pelvic floor and TA are working efficiently. This would be a great time to check back with your GP or physio to ensure everything on the inside is working well. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Attend Mums Club group classes at Darkside. Expert postpartum care with knowledgeable trainers like ours is a must.

• Keep your trainer informed. A good rule of thumb is that if you are questioning whether an exercise feels okay or safe, It probably isn’t right of you just yet. Let your trainer know, variations and assistance are always provided at Darkside.

• Continue to build from the inside out. Work on your pelvic floor and TA. Your pelvic floor health is incredibly important. Incontinence and disorders are common and can be helped.
  

“1 in 3 women who have had a baby will experience incontinence”

and 

“25% of women have pelvic floor disorders”

• Wear supportive bras to protect your chest and your breasts if you are breastfeeding. 

Moving your body is a great way to focus on your physical, mental and social wellbeing and as a mum, it provides you with life-changing benefits when done properly. To take care of others we also need to remember to take care of ourselves. Take the time to invest in your health and treat yourself with the unconditional love and kindness that you deserve. At Darkside, we ensure your return to exercise is safe and rewarding. And remember mumma, you are a superwoman, you can do anything.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Information within this blog has been guided by training completed through MumSafe - Safe Return to Exercise Qualification. https://mumsafe.com.au/

FREE Safe return to exercise program for Mums. 

https://mumsafe.com.au/sre/new-mums/

Return to Exercise Guidelines

Continence Foundation of Australia. https://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/pages/returning-to-sport-or-exercise-after-birth.html?utm_source=website&utm_medium=survey&utm_campaign=Fitness-Professional

AusActive return to exercise guidelines. https://ausactive.org.au/policies-guidelines/pre-post-natal-exercise-guidelines

Statistics

Australian Government Department of Health. (2018). National Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/05/national-women-s-health-strategy-2020-2030.pdf

Mental health resources

PANDA. https://panda.org.au/

COPE. Centre of perinatal excellence. https://www.cope.org.au/

The Pink Elephants Support Network. https://www.pinkelephants.org.au

SANDS. Miscarrage, stillbirth and newborn death support. https://www.sands.org.au/

Womens Health Physios in Geelong and surroundings 

Physio Pod - https://physiopod.co/

Beyond Newtown or Ocean Grove - ​​https://www.movebeyond.com.au