HOW SOON CAN YOU EXERCISE AFTER GIVING BIRTH

what should you know before playing sport after giving birth?

pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences in a woman's life and this is due to several changes that affect women.

Hormonal and physical changes such as weight gain, anxiety, and stress.

This is why women are advised to do some exercises to help themself regain their fitness and body form, but when and how?.

When and how you start playing sport after giving birth?

1- If the birth was normal:

Doctors of St.louis university see that if the birth was normal, the mother can play sport directly on the day after childbirth.

playing sport after childbirth helps regulate sleep hours, increase body activity, and reduce stress and anxiety.

as well as strengthening the abdominal muscles that weaken due to pregnancy and childbirth.

It also should be noted that women who suffer from anemia, high blood pressure, heart, and kidney disease, or diabetes are advised to delay starting to play sport until getting the approval of the doctor.

2-If it was a cesarean delivery:

In this case, the mother may have to wait a longer period before engaging in sport exercise.

also should avoid heavy lifting but she can start walking sport as soon as possible.

Doctors advise that the waiting period must be 8 to 10 weeks before doing any intense exercise.

Cesarean delivery causes back pain, and the pregnancy hormones affect the joints and ligaments for up to 6 months after giving birth.

Childbirth also causes the weakening of the pelvic floor.

 therefore it is advised to start sport gradually after 10 weeks of relaxation, and be careful of the intense exercises and carrying weights.

Avoid running and cycling:

-Women who have had a cesarean delivery need from 4 to 6 weeks to heal the wound.

for that they must avoid running, cycling entirely and standing, sitting for a long time.

-doctor must be consulted before starting exercises.

walking sport:

Because it is the easiest and useful sport, the experts advise walking 30 min per day or walk for short period and rest and repeat that several times.

Running sport:

if you want to run, you have to do a jumping test after the relaxing period of course, and it is as follow:

-jump with feet spacing about 20 times.

if you don't feel any pelvic heaviness or urine leakage or abdominal flatulence, then you are ready for running.

breathing during sport: 

the correct way to breathe is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

experts recommend practice breathing with straight legs and pulled toes towards the body for 30 s, and repeat that a few times.

Symptoms require physical therapy:

Susan Clinton physiotherapist in Pennsylvania says:

1-If there are urine leaks every time you sneeze, this is a sign of pelvic floor imbalance.

this matter should not be neglected, as it becomes more dangerous with age.

physical therapy can be useful to restore the balance of the pelvic floor.

2-Feeling of heaviness in the pelvic is a sign of pelvic prolapse due to the weakness of the supporting tissues during childbirth.

this problem can disappear without intervention, but it is better to go to physical therapy.

general advises:

1- sport does not affect breast milk.

2- playing sport must be stopped when some symptoms appear such as fever, severe pain, blurry vision, shortness of breath, vomiting, severe bleeding...

3- you can play sport at home, so home fitness exercises and easy movements are good options if you can't go to the gym.