We spoke to Elise about your post baby body, here is what she had to tell us…
Elise explores how your body changes after childbirth, and how getting back into shape is not as hard as you might think.
Key advice
• Regular exercise is key to getting back in shape.
• Build up the intensity of any exercise you do over time.
• If you get any pain in your back, pelvic or vaginal areas... stop
Making the push back into fitness
It is very positive to get back in shape following childbirth, and keeping in shape has important health benefits. I am not going to go into any detail about all of the bodily changes arising from childbirth but will focus instead on those changes that you can hopefully resolve through exercise.
Incontinence
Although postpartum incontinence does not happen to every new mother, it is both perfectly normal and, thankfully, usually temporary. However, if you have experienced it, you will know how inconvenient postpartum incontinence can be. It occurs because, during labour, the nerves on the walls of the vagina can experience temporary numbness, so when you want to go to the toilet, the nerves do not always send the right signals.
The muscles that help with continence do not always get the signal that you need to go and fail to hold the urine in. If the nerves do not regenerate quickly, you should consult your doctor who may recommend pelvic strengthening exercises to help stop leaking.
Stomach paunch
For many new mothers, the prospect of getting that pre-pregnancy tummy back is something that has to be put on hold, temporarily. You should be aware that it could take nine months, or even a year or more, for your stomach to start to look what you would regard as “normal” again.
Exercises to help tone your muscles and to burn calories can certainly help, but what I would say is that no matter how bad you start to feel about your belly, the fact that you have given birth is an amazing event that should be celebrated in and of itself.
Getting back in shape
In terms of the conditions outlined above, pelvic floor exercises are a great way of strengthening the pelvic floor and combating incontinence. If it is stomach paunch that you are worried about, toning exercises targeting the abdominal area are great.
In general, regular exercise can help reduce instances of back pain and leg cramps, as well as swelling and constipation. Because exercise also helps improve your mood, it can help you cope with the many challenges posed by motherhood. As time passes, you can start to increase the intensity of the exercise you undertake, having started with regimes such as walking and low-impact aerobics.
The important thing is that you should not feel any pain from post-pregnancy exercise, especially in the back, pelvic or vaginal areas.
With a little patience and some extra work, you can have your pre-baby body back!