Tips for starting to exercise after pregnancy 

Many women want to exercise after giving birth to help increase their energy levels, strengthen their abdominal muscles, lose any weight gained during their pregnancy or to give them a confidence boost post-birth. 

That doesn’t mean new mothers should just rush back into exercising. Even if you exercised heavily before, you’re much better off taking a slow and safe approach. 

Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be complicated.  

There are lots of tips for exercising post-birth, but it’s also worth knowing a few things ahead of time to make sure you take an informed and safe approach. 

Exercising and breastfeeding 

Does exercising affect the ability to breastfeed? Thankfully, limited exercise doesn’t have to affect your ability to breastfeed. 

Exercising ultimately dehydrates you, which can then impact your breastmilk. To help avoid dehydration, make sure to keep hydrated during the day bit especially when you’re exercising too, even in limited amounts. The more water you get before, during, and after your workout, the better as it makes sure you can still produce breast milk when your baby needs it. 

There are also claims that high-intensity workouts can create lactic acid, which can then accumulate in your break milk. Some research backs this up, but instances of this are rare and shouldn’t cause any worry. 

Breastfeeding your newborn before exercising can be recommended as it makes sure your newborn is properly fed. Scheduling your workouts around when your child needs to eat makes this relatively easy. You can also store your breast milk easily if you want to make sure there’s always some on-hand for when your child needs it. Make sure to sterilise the bottles and breastfeeding equipment first with Milton’s sterilising range. 

Exercise tips for women post-pregnancy 

Exercising post-pregnancy is safe but it doesn’t mean you should go all-in with it. It’s recommended taking a safe and slow approach to the process.  

Pick the right time to start 

It’s always worth knowing when you should start exercising after pregnancy. This can vary from woman to woman, especially considering how the birth itself went. Some exercises, like the kegel, can be done in as little as 24 hours after giving birth. Other exercises could take longer before it’s safe to do them. Start when you feel comfortable starting and talking to your medical professional also helps figure this out for your specific case. 

Know how much to exercise 

Don’t overdo it when you start exercising post-pregnancy. Experts recommend up to 150 minutes of exercise a week for new mothers, though it can often be worth limiting this even more. The 150 minute recommendation adds up to a little over 20 minutes a day if you exercise every day. 30 minutes a day Monday to Friday can also be recommended, but this depends on your specific case. 

Use the right exercises 

Some exercises are recommended post-pregnancy more than others as they offer more benefits. They also avoid you overdoing it when you’re first getting back into exercising. The best recommended exercises include the kegel exercise, pelvic tilt, and happy baby yoga pose. Jogging and walking can also be recommended.  

Overcoming barriers 

When you first try to start exercising after giving birth, it’s natural to have a few barriers. You might not feel like you have the time or even the energy to exercise but these barriers aren’t as large as you’d think and they will get smaller over time. Your energy comes back in time, and exercising after pregnancy shouldn’t take too much time every week at the start.  

Exercising post-birth can be a priority for many women, especially given the impact it can have. By keeping these tips in mind, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about but for more reassurance, make sure to ask your doctor for advice specific to you and your case. Milton are always here to support you through parenthood with our hygiene and sterilising products, as well as our parent advice section full of expert tips and guidance.