Post-partum exercises and the safest way to regain your shape after childbirth.
Renée Knowles, a physiotherapist specialising in women’s health and clinical Pilates, says it is important to wait for at least six weeks after delivery before doing exercises that require you to be on your hands and knees. Victor Besa for The National
Post-partum exercises and the safest way to regain your shape after childbirth
When you consider it takes up to 40 weeks or more to create a tiny human, you would think mothers would relax and give their bodies time to restore. Instead, according to a 2014 survey of 1,500 women in the United Kingdom, 40 per cent of new mums feel pressured into losing weight quickly. A 2015 study by the American journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that 75 per cent of women don’t achieve their pre-baby weight one year post-birth, while UK-based research revealed it takes an average of 19 months to get close to pre-pregnancy weight.
"In my practice I see a huge number of women who have returned to exercise too soon, and too intensively, and have aches and strains on their pelvic floor function," says Renée Knowles, a physiotherapist specialising in women’s health and clinical Pilates at Up and Running sports medical centre in Dubai. "You must remember that you have just performed one of the most incredible things – developing and giving birth to a tiny human. Time and patience are vital."
Respect for the healing process is key. If you had an uncomplicated, natural delivery, you might feel tender for five weeks or more, and it is advisable to wait until your six-week, post-partum check-up before returning to gentle exercise. A caesarean section can require six to 12 weeks’ recovery, depending on your body, and you should always wait for the green light from your doctor before starting any physical activity. Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life/well-being/post-partum-exercises-and-the-safest-way-to-regain-your-shape-after-childbirth
