Having a baby is obviously transformational but it doesn’t mean you can’t do any of the things you used to enjoy doing. After having my daughter Elsie by elective caesarean section in December 2020, I was determined to find a way to get myself fit and moving again. Exercise is my top self-care activity and I knew I had to make sure it factored in my life. I also want my daughter to grow up loving movement as much as me.
It’s obviously super important to get signed off by the GP before commencing any exercise programme after having a baby. I’d also strongly advise seeing a physio (see my previous post on how to get moving after a c-section for more details).
There are lots of ways you can factor exercise into your life as a baby, especially when they are very small and don’t move around much! Here are some ideas:
1. Pelvic floor exercises
It’s super important for postpartum women to start strengthening the pelvic floor muscles as soon as possible again after birth whether you had a natural birth or not. Pregnancy and birth puts so much pressure on this area and repairing it will help with a whole factor of health issues later on. No one wants to be leaking wee everytime they laugh.
How to do pelvic floor exercises
Lots of women don’t know how to do pelvic floor exercises properly which is not totally surprising as it’s such a hidden set of muscles. I think the best way to describe how to work these muscles is to squeeze the muscles around your vagina as if you are holding in a wee (don’t actually do this when you need a wee). Imagine there’s a blueberry down there and you are squeezing it and then releasing. If you feel your bum muscles tensing you aren’t doing them correctly. It’s a very small movement but a very important one! Do short quick pulses (up to 20) two times a day and squeeze for longer (up to 10 seconds) and release 10 x twice a day. It’s a good idea to attach this habit to an existing one – see my previous blog post on this for more details.
2. Deep abdominal breathing:
This can be done really early on and can help to rebuild and strengthen the transverse abdominals and also helps reduce the c section bulge and the belly. Doing these exercises reguarly can also really help to flatten the stomach. I do my deep breathing every time I have a shower and just before I go to bed each evening.
How to do deep abdominal breathing
Put your hands on your lower tummy and take a deep breath in. Feel your tummy expanding and pushing out against your hands as you breath in. As you breathe out feel your tummy muscles contracting and pull your belly button in towards your spine. Hold the muscles in for a count of 5 keeping all of the muscles tense. Keep breathing out slowly through your mouth. Do 5 to 10 rounds of these breathing twice a day to feel the benefits. You can do these exercises whilst you are sitting, standing or lying down.
3. Walking
Get out for a walk every day with your baby. Fresh air is great to get them napping and also get yourself moving. Aim for 10,000 steps a day. Get power walking up those hills! You can even add extra weight into your pram basket to make your workout walks harder. When you are walking you can also pull in and tighten your abdominal muscles to workout the core (see above for how to do deep abdominal breathing).
4. Workout with your baby
Here are a few ideas:
Your baby is a great resistance weight! I’m sure you’ll be doing lots of squatting and bouncing up and down with your baby to sooth them so why not build this into a workout. Having your baby in a carrier can be a great way to squat and lunge safely.
Pram workouts: you can do lots of exercises whilst rocking your baby to sleep in their pram – push the pram forward and squat as you bring the pram back towards you. Lunges can also be done in this way.
Baby press ups: lie your baby on your exercise mat and press up down to give him/her a kiss – it’s a great way to keep them entertained and get yourself a good full workout at the same time.
Shoulder presses: Babies love to be lifted up above your head and this is essentially a shoulder press workout for your arms. Lift your baby ten times like this and you’ll soon feel it in your upper arms!
Yoga with the baby: babies will love lying on a yoga mat underneath you, or next to you, as you do your yoga moves. My baby loves it when I do a downward facing dog with her lying below me.
5. fitness classes for parents and babies:
Look out for lots of local fitness classes where you can bring your baby. There are some great ones near me for example: The Body People. I’ve started up my own park fitness class for parents in my local park so if you are local to E17 give me a shout for how to join!
6. A weaning workout:
Once your baby starts to sit in their highchair to eat you can optimise this time by doing a mini workout around their meals. 5 squats, a few shoulder presses and press ups on your kitchen counter – done every day can make a massive difference to how you feel, your body shape and your fitness!
7. Tag team a workout:
Team up with another Mum or Dad and take it in turns to do your favourite activity with the other looking after your baby. I’m so lucky to have my sister on maternity leave with me and we take our babies to the local lido and open water swimming. One of us swims whilst the other looks after the two little ones. My partner Steve and I also take Elsie to the local track to do interval training. She sits in her pram as one of us does a lap of the track with the other one feeding her her breakfast and then we swap over. It’s ideal resting time!
