February 24, 2022

It’s common for new moms to put physical activity on the backburner after bringing their new bundle of joy home, particularly if they had a C-section delivery. Here are some suggestions for when to safely begin postpartum fitness, as well as mom-friendly stretches and exercises.

Benefits of Postpartum Exercise

Exercise does a body good when recovering after childbirth. It strengthens and tones abdominal muscles, boosts energy, can help prevent postpartum depression, relieves stress, supports better sleep habits, and helps you lose the extra weight gained during pregnancy. Of course, starting an exercise routine post-delivery depends on your individual circumstances. Your OB/GYN or healthcare professional can help determine when and what exercise routine is best for you.

Low Impact Exercises After Pregnancy

Once you get the green light from your doctor to start your postpartum fitness routine, here are some low-risk exercises to try:

Walking
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get back into a fitness routine after giving birth. You can start with a gentle stroll and work your way up to a brisk power walk. It’s also something you can do with baby.

Yoga
Postpartum yoga offers new moms many benefits, including increased calmness, decreased anxiety and depression, reduced moodiness, increased energy, and lower blood pressure. Yoga also can help strengthen the pelvic floor, hips, and over-stretched abdominal muscles.

Light weight training
It’s recommended to ease back into a weight training routine by starting over as a beginner with lower weights, sets, and reps and working your way up each week.

Increase Postpartum Nutrients with Prenatal Vitamins

As your body assimilates to postpartum, you may not have enough nutrients stored in your body for your recovery. Many important nutrients were transferred to your baby through the umbilical cord during pregnancy. If you breastfeed, your baby receives these nutrients through breast milk. To help provide your body and your baby with the nutrients needed to get you both through the postpartum hump, consider adding a prenatal vitamin such as Prenate^®.

 

Prenate^® Vitamin Family
This post is brought to you by the Prenate^® Vitamin Family, a line of prescription prenatal supplements designed to enhance preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nutrition in women. Talk with your doctor about how taking a daily prescription prenatal or postnatal vitamin could help support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum wellness.