Exercising for new mums video

Ready to start exercising again? Find out what a 'rec check' is, or when to begin your pelvic floor exercises with our video and advice from our trained intructor, midwife and real mums too
Postnatal exercise instructor Liz Stuart and midwife Claire Bonavero talk you through the best methods for exercising after giving birth.

How soon after giving birth can I start exercising?

Liz: 'First of all, just make sure it is either 6 weeks post vaginal birth or 10 weeks post Caesarian section, but in either case make sure you have had the go ahead from your GP.'

Claire: 'You may have to delay it further than 6 weeks if you had a difficult pregnancy. For example if you had synthesis, pubic pain or any other muscular problem you'll want to wait for that to resolve before you started any kind of exercise regime.'

Getting started

Liz: 'I'd recommend going out with your pram at least three times a week for a good brisk walk and that solves two problems as well. It helps you get some exercise and 9 times out of 10 the baby will fall asleep in the pram.'

Claire: 'Walking is great from the word go, while swimming is fantastic as it's gentle and it's low impact, but very good from an aerobic point of view.'

Pelvic floor exercises

Claire: 'You can do pelvic floor exercises right away and the sooner you do those the better.

Liz: 'I've had 2 children and I would definitely advise doing the pelvic floor exercises. If you're going to do anything, do those exercises. When you're pregnant, the weight of the uterus really pushes down on those muscles and it can stretch them and therefore weaken them.'

Claire: 'By doing the pelvic floor exercises you can restore pelvic muscles back to pre-pregnancy strength again. And you'll find that you'll be able to cough, laugh and jump without any embarrassing problems.'

What is the rec check?

Claire: 'A rec check is checking that the walls of your abdominal muscles have got back together. If you start exercising before they come back together you can do more harm then good.'

Liz: 'Put index finger and middle finger just in front of the belly button, the backs of the fingers up towards the top part of your body, then push down and tighten up your stomach. Breathe in and out bringing your head and shoulders up and then relax. What you check for is if your stomach walls are more than two fingers apart.'

Postnatal exercise

Liz: 'Join an exercise class that specializes in postnatal exercise. You'll feel a lot better for it and you'll feel like you're starting to get back to your old self as well. They not only physically benefiticial for you, exercising has fantastic mental benefits as well.'

Signs that you are doing too much

Liz: 'Take it really easy at first. Prior to having a baby you can really push yourself in a exercise class and then collapse over for the rest of the day. When you have a baby you can't do that. You can tell if you're doing too much too soon by overwhelming fatigue and also aching joints such as knees, ankles, wrists, elbows - all those kinds of areas. It could be a sign you are doing too much because you've got the hormone relaxant still going through your body as well which loosens up your joints.'

Claire: 'If you overdo it with the exercise too soon then your body will let you know as your bleeding can start up again.  And if there are any concerns then you should go and see your GP.'

Exercising while breastfeeding

Liz: 'If you are taking part in exercise, you don't really want to be doing it with a breast full of milk, it just wouldn't be comfortable. So ideal times to workout would be after a baby's feed. You also need to wear a sports bra; sometimes sports bras compress your breasts, so only wear them for the duration of your work out.'

Claire: 'Breastfeeding is absolutely fantastic for getting back into shape, as it seems like the weight you have put on is designed for the breast-feeding purposes.'

Losing the baby weight

Claire: 'If you eat and exercise sensibly then eventually you will loose the weight. Always bear in mind it took 9 months to get to were you are now, it's going to take a good nine months to get back to your pre-pregnancy figure. A good sensible amount to aim to loose is about 2 kilos a month. Don't give up; don't feel like it's an impossible task.

'Sensible exercise, sensible eating and a sensible timeframe - before you know it you'll be back in your old jeans again.'

Where To Next 

How the celebs lost their baby weight 

Lose weight your way

New mums' workout