Did you really wait 6 weeks postpartum to resume exercise?

[felicitys]

@eb231 Thanks

 

[creexpl]

@felicitys Yes. Even if you’re feeling great, don’t push it or you’ll find out the hard way. Do breathing and Diastasis recti stuff so when you’re actually healed you can return faster. You don’t have to sit around, but you’re healing even when you can’t see it happening

Edit for tense

 

[laterrainfot]

@felicitys Of course I waited. Instagram influences aren't doctors and it's scary people would take their advice for medical things. I did do short walks with my baby once I felt up for it.

 

[felicitys]

@laterrainfot I didn’t say I was taking their advice or following them as though they’re medical professionals. As I commented to someone else, the ones I came across were some deep breathing and very gentle stretches.

 

[laterrainfot]

@felicitys If you edit your post, you should indicate you did so.

 

[felicitys]

@laterrainfot My original post was clear in saying that
1. I’m adhering to guidance to rest
2. I’ve done a few very slow walks at short duration
3. I’ve done some light stretches that I saw on Instagram.

You assumed the rest.

 

[ronyrana]

@felicitys I waited. You can do more harm than good by starting early. At 4 weeks pp I started going on slow walks around the neighborhood and aimed to get 10k steps a day from walks and just household chores. I also saw my pelvic floor therapist at 4 weeks pp and she gave me some light core exercises to start doing. At 6 weeks, I started doing mommy & me yoga and some body weight exercises like squats. I didn’t resume actual cardio/HIIT until 12 weeks postpartum and even then took it very easy.

 

[stone00]

@ronyrana 10k steps is amazing! If I take more than 5k I feel such heaviness in my pelvic floor so I keep it around 4K max. Don’t want to overdo it, better slow and steady. Currently 4 weeks pp with also 2nd degree tear so yeah..

 

[ronyrana]

@stone00 Everyone’s body is different! I got at least 10k steps a day pre pregnancy and during pregnancy. So it didn’t bother me to get that many steps but like I said - that was spread out throughout the entire day and was only achieved through leisurely walks and around the house

 

[stone00]

@ronyrana I also put in 10k before, walking to work and I don’t have a sedentary job (doctor lol) and I did pelvic floor exercises up until 3 days before my delivery. But my delivery was quite hard, with an almost 10lbs baby vaginal delivery with extraction and tearing. So I think I must give myself some leeway lol. Can’t imagine how I would’ve felt now if I hadn’t put in the work before…

 

[ronyrana]

@stone00 Right! I can’t imagine how my delivery and pregnancy would’ve gone if I hadn’t been so active and in good shape. I had a 10 lb 2 oz baby and also a second degree tear! Though the doctor said it was “barely” a second degree tear since I didn’t tear any muscle.

ETA: spelling

 

[angelofmercy47]

@ronyrana Omg does that mean my 3rd degree tore muscle?! I guess I knew that, but it makes me dizzy to think about

 

[ronyrana]

@angelofmercy47 I thought 2nd degree, 3rd and 4th degree include muscle tears but I’m not a doctor so not 100% sure!

 

[pageturner]

@ronyrana My OB said 2nd is skin only but not muscle, 3rd is muscle, and 4th is totally all the way through to the rectum. But I’m also not a doctor!

 

[ronyrana]

@pageturner Good to know! My OB said second included muscle but then said I had a second degree tear and didn’t tear muscle so it didn’t really make sense!

 

[pageturner]

@ronyrana I think mainly rectal muscle is the concern? There may be perineal muscle. But I had 2nd too, hope you are healing well!

 

[janecruz]

@felicitys I can’t comment on the medical soundness of this, but I started doing the arms and light weight classes on the peloton app at about 2 weeks postpartum and I found it very helpful for my mental state to feel like I was moving again. (The classes are 10 minutes in duration and require 3-5 pound weights, nothing crazy.) Doing this did not impede my overall recovery.

 

[younghen]

@janecruz I did the peloton PP core starting week 2 PP and it was fine

 

[felicitys]

@janecruz Great to hear! I’m also on peloton and loved the prenatal content but haven’t dipped into the pp workouts yet. The other day I was thinking some light arm weights might feel nice- I’m already carrying around a 10lb newborn, 3-5 lb weights should be fine!

 

[lexiheigh]

@felicitys I did some gentle core, long walks and baby wearing, and light yoga before 6 weeks. At pelvic floor PT at 7 weeks, they cleared me to go back to spin, my work out of choice, but to hold off on HIIT or running. We did a return to running ramp up plan for an additional 6 weeks after that. I’ve heard horror stories of prolapses from box jumps or running too quickly after delivery. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably going stir crazy, but please be careful!