Going back to the gym after a baby
Exercise in and around your pregnancy and post-birth is not necessarily safe based on what you do, but more, how you do it.
I say this not to scare you but to encourage you. With the right technique you can do SO much more than what you think you can throughout your pregnancy and postnatally, working out in the right way will allow you to do SO much more than you think…in the long term.
In the short term, your postnatal fitness journey is a slow and steady race.
If your goal is to get back to CrossFit, we start with core rehab.
If your goal is to get back to running, we start with core rehab.
If your goal is to get back to horse riding, we start with core rehab.
…can you see the theme?
What did postnatal rehab look like for me?
I had my little boy Charlie via planned c-section (he was breech and only a tiny little poppet) in November 2022. After 2 weeks I got my first wave of enthusiasm to do some movement but I won’t lie, after about 3 sessions and a wave of sleepless nights, my motivation fell off the face of the earth. Fast forward to 3 months postpartum, I started our full Core Rehab programme. The programme was made up of 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks and did WONDERS in helping me feel strong enough to get back to full body workouts. From there I was into full body postnatal workouts, listening to my body and adapting core work where I needed to. The thing I’ve struggled with most is core-focused work with ankle weights but I’m slowly getting there!
Based on extensive pre and postnatal training with a women’s health specialist and combined with my own personal experience, I created our Early Postnatal Programme - a 6 week programme filled with 4 x 10-15 minute sessions that are all about helping you rebuild and reconnect with your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.
It’s the perfect programme to fit into newborn life and needs nothing more than a squishy floor surface and occassionally a Pilates ball.
Have a peek at the full programme here.
Once you’ve completed that we want to up the ante and start to challenge you and your core in different ways.
Enter, the Core Rehab Programme. This is a 4 week programme with 3 x 30 minute sessions to complete each week. This will be a game changer in helping you see how you get from your postnatal stage to being able to move your body through fully body workouts.
After you’ve completed those 2 programmes, we can start thinking about re-introducing other kinds of movement you know and love, i.e. CrossFit, running, swimming, spinning, HIIT, etc.
So here’s the postnatal fitness journey checklist we need to tick off before you head back to your other classes;
Have you completed all your core rehab workouts?
Have you had your Mummy MOT and are you aware of any ab separation or pelvic floor issues that might impact your ability to exercise? Note, you will not get this info from your 6-week GP check up so I’d highly recommend booking one of these sessions online. They are approx £90 but the information you’ll get out of it is invaluable.
Do you feel confident with your core engagement technique and feel like you can manage pressure well within your core?
If you’re a yes, yes, yes then you go girl, get yourself back to moving in all the ways that you make you feel fabulous.
If the pre and postnatal world feels like a sea of confusion then pop me an email and I’ll help you see the wood from the trees with any particular questions you have. Email me at gen@thebarrecoach.com.