08/09/2024
Exercise can be beneficial during and after pregnancy, but it's important to be careful and consult with a doctor or midwife, or and exercise professional with the relevant qualifactions such as GP exercise referrals or pre and post natal before starting any new exercise programme or regime.
When to start:
It's recommended to wait until after your six-week postnatal check before starting any high-impact exercise, such as running or aerobics. If you had a more complicated delivery or a caesarean, you may need to wait longer. How ever if you have being exercising prior to pregnancy your body will be conditioned, so will be safer for you to continue exercising under care of a qualified person or persons.
What to do:
During the first six weeks, low-impact exercise like walking is recommended. You can also do pelvic floor exercises, and lighter weighted exercises along with day to day movements under light/comfortable weight to help strengthen core and stabilising muscles.
Benefits:
Exercise can help with weight loss, improve metabolic function, and reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease. It can also help relieve stress, promote better sleep, and reduce symptoms of postpartum depression.
