You can’t out train the post-partum period.

Racing back into smashing yourself at the gym or hitting the pavement weeks after giving birth are not the most sensible ways to return to exercise, ‘get your pre-baby body back’  or lose a few kilos you’ve put on since being pregnant. Your body has changed. Recognise, acknowledge and accept that and your journey back into exercise will be a much easier one.

There is far too much pressure on women to “lose the baby flab” or get back into the clothes they were wearing before falling pregnant without even taking into account the physiological and physical changes the body has gone through in what is a tremendously huge and amazing process – growing and delivering a baby. It has also taken nine whole months!!!

Regardless of your delivery (vaginal or C-section) the pelvic floor muscles have had to bear the load of your growing baby as well as the extra blood and fluids circulating in your body.  A vaginal delivery may have been your choice of delivery but for whatever reason, you may have required an emergency C-section, hours after pushing through contractions.  Pushing for several hours, a vaginal delivery and/or assistance during the baby’s delivery such as forceps can also damage and weaken your pelvic floor muscles.

Take the time to heal your body from giving birth. Give your pelvic floor time to heal and re-build your connection to your pelvic floor. This should be your starting blocks in returning to exercise post partum and beyond. Make your progressions small and spend time mastering them before moving on to more advanced options or training loads. Daily movement is fantastic but remember your body has gone through an enormous and stressful physical event. Don’t race back to do the things you were doing before you were pregnant without taking the baby steps to get back there. Just like a baby learns to walk through baby steps to build strength in their legs before they walk, we need to learn to connect to our core and pelvic floor to build a strong foundation to lift, run and be active again.

Remember: Slow and steady wins the race.

For more information or if you are interested in personal training with fit4bub, go to www.fit4bub.com.au and click on ‘get started’ today.