Did you really wait 6 weeks postpartum to resume exercise?

[j3nnward86]

@felicitys I tried to get about 10k steps a day 2 or 3 weeks in. I started with smaller walks. Didn’t do anything else until the 6 week appointment. Like others have said, it was probably one of the longest breaks I’ve had.

 

[pauleric]

@felicitys Yes I did. I was walking on the treadmill and going out for long walks but I didn’t start running or lifting until around 7 weeks. My pelvic floor was trash after my first baby and I’ve had zero issues this time around so far. Not worth the risk imo, even though I know it’s torture to not jump straight back in to it. I’m 9 weeks PP and still not lifting super heavy. I’m focusing on endurance (higher rep ranges) rather than full force strength training.

 

[highway2heaven]

@felicitys Absolutely. Aside from walking and gentle symmetrical stretches, I waited until 6 weeks to increase intensity and add asymmetrical stretches (lunges, half splits, lizard, etc).

 

[madamimadaminchrist]

@felicitys I’ve done walking and some gentle core work (5 weeks tomorrow) but am not going to do anything else until I’m cleared, and then I’ll slowly get back into lifting, focusing on endurance with lighter weight, with hopes of being able to begin to get back into heavier stuff after 12 weeks. I think I jumped back into everything around 8 weeks PP with my first, but I hadn’t lifted my whole pregnancy with her (I lifted up to the day I was induced this time) so my starting point wasn’t super heavy even if I had wanted it to be.

 

[abbyzowabby]

@felicitys My doctor actually told me I could work out 3 weeks postpartum. I did not feel good about it so I followed some light postpartum workouts from the fit body app. Mostly breathing exercises lying down. I couldn’t even walk very long at that point so I knew I needed to wait longer to actually get back into it.

 

[askedandreceived]

@felicitys Yeah. There’s no rush. Get better first then go full Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

[smalltothisworld]

@felicitys Yes absolutely. I also didn’t start running until months later because of fear of prolapse.

 

[mikesb]

@felicitys With my first (c section) i started walking earlier, but waited a little over 3 mo to resume my workouts. I did do abdominal pt and stretching though. This time I hope to set myself up for success to begin core breathwork and gentle things a bit sooner than that

 

[radennis0]

@felicitys I'm a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach. Professionally, I would only recommend pelvic floor exercises, diaphragmatic breathing, and gentle, shorter walks or rowing in the 6wk PP period.

Personally, I just did stroller walks (slowly increasing duration over a couple of weeks.) I tried running a half mile at 5w postpartum after my first, and it was mostly okay, except my bleeding/lochia increased again after the run. I took that as a sign that my body wasn't quite ready yet so I waited a few more weeks to try again. Was much better after a few more weeks.

I did enjoy hopping on the rower for 5-15min/day within that 6w PP timeframe after my second... that felt just fine and made me feel more normal. Wasn't pushing it... just got the blood flowing a little bit while my pelvic floor was still fully supported by the seat.

 

[nickcoptil]

@felicitys I waited even longer. It's worth it to wait. Now I'm even more fit than I was before pregnancy.

 

[onwings]

@felicitys I started golfing about 6 weeks after my c section but everyone is different. I was riding in cart so i would call it very light exercise. Don’t rush the recovery

 

[reformed1133]

@felicitys I walked and did some light upper body weights, mostly to help with my tension headaches. I did my first ”run" yesterday at 6 weeks and had to stop way before I thought I would because I could feel the weakness in my pelvic floor. Don't push yourself and listen to your body if you are doing activity!

 

[javier_is_life]

@felicitys For anything more than walking, breathing exercises, and lifting my baby? Absolutely.

I know too many people who didn't originally have prolapses who developed them by pushing themselves too soon.

 

[mikelore]

@felicitys I’m three weeks postpartum and have been working out like crazy for two weeks. I feel like a fool after reading these comments.

 

[irishfarmer]

@felicitys Definitely. I walked though

 

[iancase]

@felicitys I also had a second degree lac… I went on leisurely walks, but I waited way longer than 6 weeks to resume anything rigorous. Just a friendly reminder, a second degree tear involves a muscle that helps hold your insides in. If you ripped your hamstring, would you be chomping at the bit to do legs again 6 weeks later? I’d say no. Point being, let your body heal!

 

[katrina2017]

@felicitys Yes. I didn't have any tear on delivery, no pain and I still waited to get check before coming back to lifting.

 

[2intime]

@felicitys I did walking at 1 week due to blood clot in the leg and then 2/3 weeks starting elliptical… now 8-10 weeks 20 mins on elliptical and some light weightlifting

 

[rad0x]

@felicitys Not at all. I started walking half a mile to and from a local playground with my toddler in the stroller and baby in a carrier at 4 days post C-section.
I then started doing breathing exercises and super gentle yoga and mobility around 1 week. That’s pretty much all I do along with walking for the first 3ish weeks. Then body weight exercises. I don’t start lifting weights again or doing anything of higher intensity until 6-8 weeks.

 

[glennagail]

@felicitys Just curious : how much can you walk postpartum? For how long?