I get asked a lot by pregnant moms when they should start up their fitness routine after they give birth. To be honest, it will vary from mom to mom based on their past fitness routine, how much they worked out during pregnancy as well as their doctor's recommendations.
Speaking for myself, I started walking with my daughter strapped to me around 2.5 weeks postpartum. If it felt weird, I stopped. If anything was causing me pain, I stopped. I had worked out about 4-5 days all the way up til I gave birth, so doing easy walks with a 7lb baby tied to me felt okay for me and my body.
Around 5 weeks, I went to the gym and did my first "back at the gym" type workout. Now, that was not a full on workout AT ALL! I basically did a few upper body weight lifting exercises along with some light cardio. I was still a little hesitate to do full on weight bearing squats. As I healed more and more each week I started to add more weight and reps. The most important thing when you are getting back into a routine is to listen to your body. You most likely won't be able to pop back into the exact routine you were doing pre-pregnancy right away.
You need to give your body time to heal. Also, let's face it, you are TIRED! A new baby can drain a lot out of you. So, yes, try to get your exercise in but just slowly and comfortably get back into your routine. For me, in those first few months it was just easier to workout at home because I couldn't always get to the gym with nursing, nap times, etc. I had bought some adjustable dumbbells, an exercise ball and started doing my own routines at home when there were breaks in my day.
Slowly, my body started to take shape and I was able to start building back some of the muscle I had lost during pregnancy. By month 4 I was pretty much back to all the exercises I was doing pre-pregnancy, it's just the weights were lighter and the intensity still had a ways to go. Around 7 months postpartum I felt like myself again. Doing full on burpees, heavier weights and HIIT cardio.
This may not look like your postpartum journey. You may have been able to get back to your routine quicker or it may have taken you longer based on your pregnancy as well as if delivered vaginally or via c-section. The point is all postpartum journeys WILL be different as we all have different bodies and birth stories.
When creating the Post Baby Program I kept this in mind. This 12 week fitness and nutrition program is customized to you! Your macros are calculated based on your own height, weight and age (includes breastfeeding calculations too!) The program has 3 different stages you go through, all with modifications. The best part is, it's all home based too! This is a program I wrote that I felt could be adapted to any moms life. With dedication, preparation and motivation we all can get back into the groove of eating better and fitting movement into our daily lives (along with our new bundle of joy!)
If you'd like to check out the full program and how to order CLICK HERE!
Check out this mom that just recently finished the program!
