Know how exercises can be beneficial to new mothers.
Written by Tavishi Dogra|Updated : December 9, 2022 1:18 AM IST
One of the best experiences in most women's lives is being a mother. The journey from conception to birth is quite emotionally and physically challenging. We put most of our efforts into having a healthy and fit pregnancy throughout pregnancy and after delivery to take care of the baby. But it's not just sufficient. Executive Physiotherapist Karishma More at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Kalyani Nagar, Pune, shares that the post-delivery phase is divided into 2:
The immediate post-partum phase starts from the baby's delivery till six weeks.
Later, the post-partum phase starts from six weeks to one year.
So a newly delivered mother must start with her physical activities from her immediate post-partum delivery phase as many women after their delivery does not get proper education about which activities to start, when to start with exercises, and how to maintain the optimal posture, which leads to lack of activities in them and delays their recovery.
How Can Exercises Be Beneficial To New Mothers?
Starting with immediate activities will help the mother in the following ways:
If you have delivered vaginally or undergone a cesarean section, you can start doing exercises post-delivery as soon as possible. Once you begin feeling stable, you can start doing the activities around the 2nd or 3rd day of your delivery. After two weeks, you should consult a Women's health expert Physiotherapist.
You will have to check for abdominal muscle separation and strength of pelvic floor muscles. Throughout pregnancy, the baby keeps growing inside the mother's belly, causing stretching of abdominal muscles, and it gets separated from each other, which is called diastasis recti. These muscles give stability to your spine due to separation, and spinal stability gets compromised.
As a result, you may experience looseness around the abdomen and difficulties in daily activities due to a lack of support around the abdominal and lower back area. Pelvic floor muscles are those around your waist or pelvic area, which helps to have optimal urine function, and motion function and is essential for sexual health also. However, to hold the baby in its position, these muscles undergo much strain, so after delivery, you may experience urine leak with strenuous activities and difficulties in controlling urine or motion once you get urges.
You may experience upper or middle back pain due to prolonged sitting or being in the wrong posture for breastfeeding. It would help if you visited a physiotherapist to have an overall assessment. Based on that, they will teach you exercises focusing on core activation, pelvic floor strengthening and strengthening of back extensor muscles, and stretching and strengthening muscles in and around your upper back.
Along with the exercises, it is essential to be aware of your body posture. Maintaining optimal posture while breastfeeding will help prevent aches and pains in your upper and lower back. In addition, combining deep breathing exercises, stretching and strengthening exercises, and postural correction will help the newly delivered mother have optimal physical health, which in turn helps fast and healthy recovery.
What Types Of Exercises Can You Do?
According to ACOG, you can exercise five times a week for 30 minutes or 10 minutes of activities daily. In addition, you can do weight training twice or three times a week. But before starting with any exercise, you should have a consultation with the physiotherapist.
To start with moderate-intensity exercises or any weight lifting or jogging type of aerobic activity, you must wait six weeks for vaginal delivery and 12 weeks for cesarean section. And that will be again based on a check-up of your separation of abdominal muscles, strength and endurance of your pelvic floor muscles and strength of back muscles.
When To Discontinue Exercises?
If you experience sudden pain or discomfort around your abdominal or chest area or if you experience any symptoms during or after doing exercises that are not usual, then you should contact a physiotherapist. Doing appropriate activities, having a nutritious and balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and staying active will help you recover well and will help you to return to the pre-pregnancy phase of life.
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