The first rule of postpartum fit club is you do not go too hard in postpartum fit club. “Some women feel psychologically defeated when they’re unable to do all that they hope after giving birth,” says Erica Romano, a NASM-certified personal trainer with postnatal specialization. “Care should be taken when entering back into a movement routine. It’s essential that respect is given to what the body has been through.” See four tips to gently waddle your way back onto the mat.
For the love of God, do not feel compelled to immediately jump on the treadmill. Even if you get the all-clear from your OB at the six-week postpartum visit, remember that she’s checking for your uterus to heal, not if you have other underlying issues a physical therapist (PT) can rule out like urinary incontinence. “Most women at six weeks don't quite feel themselves yet. They have not slept properly and also have gone through massive hormone fluctuations. Doing high intensity exercise is NOT something to jump right into,” says my personal pelvic floor PT guru Kristin Sapienza PT, DPT, and founder of FemFirstHealth in NYC. “At the six-week mark, I would avoid any type of high-impact activity that involves jumping or running more than 3.5 mph. I would also avoid crunches if you haven’t had a formal evaluation for Diastasis Recti.” Better yet, check with a pelvic floor PT first in case there’s any postpartum exercises that would help you get back to your fitness self. Which brings me to…
Since I became pregnant, I’ve become a proselytizer for pelvic floor PT, which can solve everything from frequent UTIs to chronic constipation. If you have a vagina, I will tell you about it (even if we just met). Everyone should see a pelvic floor PT, even if you’ve never been pregnant but especially if you’ve just given birth. They are magicians with insurance forms. And unlike your OB, they are really the ones to help you get back into exercise the most healthy way. “We’ll do an internal pelvic floor and core strength assessment to give you exercises specific to your needs so that you can return cautiously to the exercise you want to do most,” adds Sapienza.
From the relaxin still coursing through your Gumby limbs to the breastfeeding hormones messing with your estrogen, your post-baby body is a wonderland in the sense that it’s a wonder it’s still working. In the first few months postpartum, I developed more issues than I had in my entire 33-year-old life combined. (And I’m basically held together with silly string, so…). Handling a baby will mess you up in areas that have nothing to do with having a baby: your arms, your back, your shoulders just like that (that song takes on new meaning as a mom, ok?). There are even conditions called “mommy thumb” because of all the repetitive motions you’re now doing to keep a baby alive. “When women attempt too much too quickly like running, they are more susceptible to leaking or possibly a prolapse,” says Sapienza.
Instead of going straight to CrossFit, start out with postpartum-specific studios catered to labor recovery. Plus, they offer mommy-and-me classes and won’t bat an eyelash when your little bombs the Zoom (or bombs her diaper). Best part? Many postpartum classes will also feature a mom support group which is so necessary during the lonely first months. My faves were Montclair Baby and Portland-based Ready Set Grow.
Yelena Shuster
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