Walk, Don’t Run: The Challenges of Postpartum Exercise
It’s hard getting back to exercise after having a baby. There’s so much pressure on women to “bounce back”, and many new mums are swamped with social media images of “perfect” mothers, effortlessly juggling a newborn with working out five times a week and back in their pre-pregnancy gear as soon as their uterus has contracted.
This is not most mums' experience. It’s almost certainly not the authentic experience of the social media influencers, either. And it’s not a healthy approach to postpartum fitness. Bounce-back culture heaps pressure on women during the vulnerable postpartum period, creating an unrealistic idea of what normal, healthy recovery looks like and pressurising women to focus on short-term gains like rapid weight loss and vigorous exercise over long-term health, strength and wellbeing.
Overexercising postpartum can do more harm than good
Your body is completely different postpartum, and I don’t mean aesthetically. Relaxin — the hormone responsible for loosening your ligaments during pregnancy — stays high for up to 12 months postpartum, leaving you vulnerable to injury. It declines incrementally, meaning slowly rebuilding your strength is essential for protecting your joints and mobility, as well as promoting recovery from common postpartum issues like back and hip pain.
Pregnancy and birth also put incredible pressure on your core and pelvic floor. Diastasis recti (ab separation) is extremely common postpartum, and, while gentle, sustained specialised exercises will close the gap over time, overexercising or putting too much pressure on an unhealed core makes diastasis recti worse, and can even cause new diastasis recti in women who were lucky enough to escape without it! The same is true for postpartum pelvic floor problems. Returning to your pre-pregnancy exercise regime too fast risks a whole host of health problems.
Healing is progress. And it takes time.
If you can overcome the pressure to “bounce back”, and take the time to rebuild your core and pelvic floor while progressively (but carefully) adding in appropriate exercises as you get stronger, I promise you will feel a lot stronger, healthier and more energetic in the long-term than your mate who started lifting heavy or running her socks off at 8 weeks postpartum. You’ll probably get back to your pre-pregnancy fitness quicker as well, because you’re less likely to get injured, reopen or worsen your diastasis recti or have to take time out of training due to debilitating back pain or pelvic floor issues. Slow and steady really does win the race.
Introducing new, shorter online postpartum personal training packages
With all the above said, it can be extremely difficult to find the time (or confidence) to exercise postpartum. You may not know what’s safe, your body feels different and you’ve lost confidence in your exercise form, you’re unsure when to progress and when you’re moving too quickly (or too slowly), and you’re trying to fit exercise into a lifestyle that has radically changed. With this in mind, I’ve designed my new, shorter online postpartum personal training packages to specifically meet the needs of new mothers who are returning to exercise after their 6-8 week doctor’s check.
These 20-minute online postpartum personal training sessions offer a gentle, progressive exercise regime that takes your specific birth and postpartum challenges into account, focusing on core and pelvic floor rehab while safely reintroducing functional exercises to leave you a little stronger, healthier and more flexible after every session. They’re online-only, so it’s easier for you to find the time, and shorter, to suit your body’s need for lighter, less intense exercise sessions at this point in your recovery.
We will:
Monitor your diastasis recti at every session via a simple check you can perform yourself
Focus on core, lower back and pelvic floor rehab, getting you ready to return to more vigorous exercise
Practise performing key bodyweight exercises safely, while engaging the core and pelvic floor
Adapt all exercises to your specific needs, addressing any birthing challenges or injuries
Integrate more exercises as you heal, building strength and confidence
Perform feel-good stretches to relieve pain and improve mobility
Set short, manageable homework, so that you can keep getting stronger between sessions
Get 10x 20-minute personal training sessions for £200, or 20 for £375. Get in touch to find out more, or book using the button below.
My qualifications as a postpartum personal trainer in Walthamstow
I hold a Level 3 Diploma in Perinatal exercise, so I’m fully qualified to provide specialist personal training through pregnancy and postpartum. This intense, specialist course covers the science of pregnancy and the postpartum period, the physiological changes that take place over the antennal period and how to design safe and effective exercise programmes for clients who are pregnant or postpartum.
I also hold a Level 4 Diploma in Lower Back Pain, which is a common ailment during pregnancy and postpartum that I can also help with! And I’ve worked with dozens of women through pregnancy and postpartum, including working with my wife to help her drop 60lb and return to full strength following the delivery of our 9 lb 9 baby boy.
Looking for postpartum personal training online, but a bit further along in your journey?
This new package is designed specifically to meet the needs of mothers who just starting or restarting exercise postpartum, but I work with women at all stages of their postpartum journey. I always design personal training sessions around the unique needs of my clients, and start with a phone call to understand your needs, goals and relevant medical history. Book a 30-minute online personal training session or an in-person personal training session in Walthamstow at the link below, or see pricing here.