Postnatal exercise: how soon can I start again after a baby?

1. What kind of exercise can be done after childbirth?

Postpartum mothers are in a state of postpartum recovery due to their weaker body, and should not engage in excessively intense exercise. However, due to the out-of-shape after giving birth, the overall core muscles of women are changed, and it may even be accompanied by backache, pelvic deformation, constipation, and urine leakage. So how to carry out reasonable exercise to help improve mothers’ postpartum problems?

•  Chest exercises

On the second day after delivery, start doing chest exercises. The parturient is lying on the bed with all limbs straightened and the whole body in a relaxed state. Slowly inhale to expand the chest, tighten the abdomen, and keep the back close to the bed for 5 seconds. , And then relax, do it 10 times a day, which can increase the elasticity of the abdominal muscles.

• Breast exercise

On the 3rd day after giving birth, you can start breast exercises. Stretch the two arms horizontally, and then slowly raise them until the two palms meet, keep the arms straight and not bend, and then return to the original shape. Repeat the procedure 10 times. This can increase lung capacity, increase breast elasticity, and prevent breast sagging.

• Leg movement

Leg exercises can be done on the 5th day after delivery. The parturient woman should lie flat on the bed, put her hands flat, and raise her legs as much as possible until 90 degrees. The toes should be straight and the knees should not be bent, and then slowly put down , Then switch to the other side, and finally bring your legs together and raise them, slowly lower them, and repeat 10 times, which can promote the contraction of the abdominal muscles and the uterus.

•  Buttocks exercise

Start doing hip exercises on the 8th day after delivery. You need to lie flat on the bed, raise one leg, put your foot close to your hips, then straighten your foot and put your foot down, then switch to the other side, do it 10 times at a time, and do it every day Twice, this will restore elasticity and curve to the thigh and buttocks muscles.

• Contraction of the genitals

On the 10th day after childbirth, start to contract the genitals. Lie flat on the bed, with your hands flat, your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, use the strength of your shoulders to stand up, keep your knees together and your feet apart, while contracting the hip muscles , Repeat 10 times, this can exercise the vaginal muscles, prevent the bladder and uterus from sagging, and make the vagina more compact.

• Hip bridge exercise

Lie flat on a yoga mat, place your hands on both sides of your body, bend your knees and hips, place the air cushion under your feet, step on both sides of the air column, sink your shoulders and extend your clavicle outwards, with your lower jaw slightly retracted to keep your body balanced.

Cooperate with breathing: abdominal breathing, activate the core, keep the trunk stable, and tighten the abdomen.

Exercise mode: prepare for inhalation. When exhaling, tilt the pelvis back, lift up the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae from the ground one by one, until the shoulder blades on both sides support the center of gravity, stop for one breath, and put down the thoracic and lumbar spine one by one when exhaling. On the ground, finally the pelvis is also lowered, and the pelvis leans forward to return to a neutral position. Repeat this exercise 6-8 times, do 3-4 sets, keep breathing evenly throughout the process, and have a stable posture.

Note: Before doing this exercise, make sure that the athlete does not have lumbar disc herniation, so as not to aggravate the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation, and keep as stable as possible during exercise.

2. What should I do if there is too much sweat after giving birth?

Sweating after childbirth is a problem that most women experience. Mothers often sweat more, and the symptoms are more obvious when they are a little active or sleep at night. When faced with this situation, many new mothers may be at a loss. What should be the correct way to deal with it?

• Home temperature

The home should be kept at a suitable temperature and well ventilated, but mothers should be prevented from blowing and catching cold.

• Clothing selection
  

Clothes should be warm and cool, and avoid “covering” sweating after childbirth to avoid “puerperal heatstroke”.

• Personal hygiene and cleaning

Keep your own hygiene and cleanliness. Try to use pure cotton as your personal clothing to keep it dry to avoid bacterial growth.

• Pay attention to your diet

The diet should be light, nutritious and easy to digest. It is not advisable to eat cold, spicy, fatty and fried foods.

• Supplement moisture

When you sweat too much, you should add water in time, eat more fruits or vegetables containing potassium ions such as apples, bananas, spinach, etc., to replenish the potassium ions lost in sweat.

• Combination of work and rest

Pay attention to the combination of work and rest to maintain a comfortable mood. After childbirth, the hormone levels in the body drop rapidly, and the mother is prone to emotional fluctuations. Excessive emotions can also lead to the occurrence of diseases. Exercise reasonably to strengthen physical fitness.

3. How long does it take for the pelvis to return to normal after delivery?

Postpartum pelvic repair can be performed about 42 days after delivery. The earlier the pelvic repair, the better the recovery effect, because the pubic symphysis will open when giving birth, which can easily cause hip sagging or appear Lower back pain, pelvic repair in the hospital after childbirth can alleviate these symptoms.

Pelvic repair is a relatively new treatment method in recent years. Therefore, after giving birth, women must choose a regular hospital for related pelvic treatment to help the body recover quickly. After giving birth, women's bodies are relatively weak. In addition to repairing the pelvic floor, they should also strengthen their diet and eat more foods rich in protein and vitamins.