Labor and delivery (11)
- Signs of labor: Know what to expect
- Episiotomy: Can you deliver a baby without one?
- Inducing labor: When to wait, when to induce
- see all in Labor and delivery
Postpartum care (7)
- Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started
- Maternity leave: Tips for returning to work
- Weight loss after pregnancy: Reclaiming your body
- see all in Postpartum care
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Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started
Exercise after pregnancy can help you feel your best. Consider the benefits of exercise after pregnancy, plus ways to stay motivated.
By Mayo Clinic staffExercise may be the last thing on your mind after giving birth, but it's worthwhile. In fact, exercise after pregnancy may be one of the best things you can do for yourself. Follow these tips to keep exercise after pregnancy safe.
Benefits of exercise after pregnancy
Regular exercise after pregnancy can:
- Promote weight loss
- Improve your cardiovascular fitness
- Restore muscle strength
- Condition your abdominal muscles
- Boost your energy level
- Improve your mood
- Relieve stress
- Help prevent postpartum depression
Better yet, including physical activity in your daily routine helps you set a positive example for your child now and in the years to come.
Exercise and breast-feeding
Exercise isn't thought to have any adverse effects on breast milk volume or composition, nor is it thought to affect a nursing infant's growth. Some research, however, suggests that high-intensity physical activity can cause lactic acid to accumulate in breast milk and produce a sour taste a baby might not like. If you're breast-feeding, you can prevent this potential problem by sticking to moderate physical activity — or discarding milk produced in the half-hour following a high-intensity workout.
To stay comfortable while you're exercising, nurse your baby or express milk before your workout. It also helps to wear a supportive bra. To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids during and after your workout.
When to start
In the past, health care providers often instructed women to wait at least six weeks after giving birth to begin exercising. But the waiting game may be over. If you exercised during pregnancy and had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, it's generally safe to begin exercising within days of delivery — or as soon as you feel ready. If you had a C-section, extensive vaginal repair or a complicated birth, talk to your health care provider about when to start an exercise program.
Next page(1 of 2)
- 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- Factsheet: Postpartum disorders. Mental Health America. http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/postpartum. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2002;77:79.
- Ostbye T, et al. Active mothers postpartum: Rationale, design and baseline characteristics. Journal of Women's Health. 2008;17:1567.
- Groth SW, et al. New mothers' views of weight and exercise. The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 2008;33:364.
- Larson-Meyer DE. Effects of postpartum exercise on mothers and their offspring: A review of the literature. Obesity Research. 2002;10:841.
- Mottola M. Exercise in the postpartum period: Practical applications. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2002;1:362.
- Labor, delivery and postpartum care: Getting in shape after your baby is born. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp131.cfm. Accessed Dec. 18, 2008.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 7, 2009.
