I think most first-time moms have certain expectations of what postpartum recovery will look like. You talk to your friends, read the books, and Google the heck out of every scenario, but until you go through it, you just can’t fully understand how a newborn will turn your world upside down (in the best way possible)! What I did know, and kept trying to remind myself of, is that I wanted to let my body lead the way. To really listen to my intuition and not jump back into workouts, drinking or social events until I felt ready.
I have so much to share about labor, breastfeeding, the fourth trimester, and now one whole year as a mom, but what I’d like to talk about in this post is my re-introduction to exercise over the past year, and leaning into my postpartum body.
First of all, I don’t believe in the “getting back to pre-baby body” approach. Rather than trying to “go back” to something that is unattainable and working in a mindset of the past, why not reframe the journey as embracing and working towards a new goal, and a body that will thrive and serve you and baby as you settle into a new season of life together? This doesn’t mean I don’t think you can get in the best shape of your life post-baby, but I grew, carried and birthed a precious little boy into this world, and my body is forever changed because of it. These changes continue to be beautiful reminders of how strong and capable my body is. I have stretch marks on my thighs and boobs, I still have discoloration from melasma, I lost a lot of muscle and my belly button is no longer an innie.
At the same time, I’ve never felt more in-tune with my body’s needs, or empowered to listen to my intuition. It’s certainly been an adjustment, and not all days are easy, but listening to my body is the single most important thing I’ve done while reintroducing exercise into my life.
Let's rewind for a moment...
To back track a bit, and so you can understand where I started, Haiden came into our lives February 26, 2019 - a whole 11 days past his due date. In that final week and a half my skin and belly were stretched just about as far as they would go. I can share more details at a future date, but overall I had a very positive birth experience.
Two things happened during birth - I got a third degree tear (for reference, the worst is fourth degree, so third is pretty significant). I also lost a lot of blood in the after-birth process. So much so, that I fainted twice about two hours after Haiden was born. I had no injuries and was caught both times, but it did leave me feeling extremely depleted. I stayed in the hospital for two nights because the doctors thought I might need a blood transfusion, but thankfully didn’t.
It took me a full month to regain my normal blood supply, and I don’t think I fully appreciated at the time how much that affected my initial recovery (on top of the rest of the newborn haze of sleeplessness and breastfeeding). I had very little color in my lips and face, and felt out of breath just standing for more than 10 minutes. Needless to say, I was in no shape to be doing any type of movement, including walking, for a solid 6 weeks. I slowly regained strength by taking iron supplements, sleeping as much as I could and eating a lot of grounding and warming whole foods like soups, stews and casseroles filled with vegetables and nutrients. It’s also important to acknowledge that I had incredible support from my husband, Chris, and my mom during this time.
At my 6-week check-up I was cleared for exercise and told my tear healed well, but asked my OB for a referral to a women’s health PT because a friend of mine recommended it. I didn’t end up seeing the PT right away, but at 5 months PP I was still having pain during intercourse and my core continued to feel extremely weak.
I wish I hadn’t waited so long to make an appointment, because this was one of the most important things I did for my recovery, and I really believe every single woman would benefit from seeking this type of postpartum support (PSA: this was all covered by insurance, for my American friends).
My Experience with a Phyiscal Therapist
My PT was incredible, and to help with the pain, she basically massaged the area where I tore to break up the scar tissue. She also gave me exercises to help heal my diastis recti, which is abdominal separation commonly caused by pregnancy. I found out I had six fingers width of separation (pre-pregnancy I had none). I was told some of this would eventually heal on its own, but I did exercises to strengthen those muscles and pull my abs back together. I went to five appointments over the course of three months, and by keeping up with the program I was given, I was able to get my abs separation down to one finger width, and eliminate any pain during intercourse. The exercises also helped re-strengthening my pelvic floor, which was important to prevent incontinence and to support any future pregnancies. Ladies, if you’re experiencing incontinence please see a PT, it is not something you have to live with and can be remedied. Another benefit from the therapy was that I wasn’t having to run to the bathroom as often, because the pelvic floor work also helped to better support my bladder (like it used to be supported before those muscles were weakened due to pregnancy).
I bring up the physical therapy, because it was such an important part of my recovery process, and my healed diastis recti allowed me to incorporate more core workouts into my routine, and increased my overall stabilization which helped prevent injuries as I eased back into a fitness routine.
6 Weeks Postpartum
Back to my 6-week appointment, as a former HITT fanatic who wanted to do the hardest, sweatiest workouts possible, I felt discouraged when my doctor cleared me to begin exercise, because I had zero energy or drive to even begin moving my body. I felt like I was barely surviving, with little energy to get out of bed, let alone exercise. Instead of forcing myself into a workout program that I wasn’t ready for, I consciously decided to be patient (not always easy for me), and let my body lead the way. I didn’t want exercise to turn into something that I would dread, and I didn’t want to injure myself. The weather was starting to warm up in Chicago, and I was getting some serious cabin fever, so at 8 weeks I started going on walks with Haiden. In the beginning it was literally 3 blocks at a snail’s pace. I slowly increased the distance as I felt up to it, and started meeting up with some friends who also had babies. Side note, these truly turned into therapy sessions, and any mom who is looking to get some fresh air and ease back into exercise, I highly recommend finding another mom friend or stroller walking group.
I also started some at-home free weights around 8 weeks PP, no more than 5 or 10 lbs, and discovered Melissa Wood Health workout videos, which are 20-30 minute pilates-inspired online workouts with small, targeted movements. At this point (and until he was about 10 months old) I was still up 2-4 times a night with Haiden, so it was important for me to do workouts that would leave me feeling energized rather than depleted. I was shocked that I was seeing results from these very short, low impact videos where I rarely broke a sweat. This very gentle re-introduction to exercise turned out to be effective, which motivated me to keep up with the workouts 4-5 times a week.
Weeks 8 to 11 Postpartum
From 8 weeks through 11 months, I almost exclusively went on walks (which gradually turned into 2-5 miles on some days), did 20-30 minute Melissa Wood Health videos and 5-10 lbs dumbbell series at home, with a handful of runs and spin classes sprinkled in. Also, doing at-home workouts removed the barrier of accessibility and time restraints, because I could always fit in 20 minutes while Haiden napped. These pilates-inspired workouts have completely changed my outlook on exercise, and have been such a positive way for me to regain my strength.
Equally as important to my physical recovery has been consistent attention to my mental health. I was fortunate that I didn’t encounter postpartum depression, but I definitely experienced some anxiety as I settled into this new chapter of my life. I have been more consistent than ever before with my meditation practice, and am benefiting in so many ways. I’m more present with Haiden, I’m less reactive and more intentional in my responses when things don’t go as planned, and I’ve found comfort, rather than fear, in the unknown. Five minutes a day is all it takes, and allowing myself this mental space is what helped me tap into my intuition and my body’s needs more clearly this past year.
Lessons Learned
Had I not listened to my intuition I would have jumped back into HITT workouts, cut into sleep to exercise before Haiden woke up, and eaten more salads when what I really needed were nourishing comfort foods. I would have convinced myself that walking, or a 20-minute flow, wasn’t “real” exercise. That I didn’t need physical therapy because I could figure it out on my own. I would have compared my postpartum fitness journey to my friends, or other moms on social media. I would have added unnecessary stress to my body and new role as mom, all because of silly expectations set by myself or society.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that my body knows best, and I didn’t have to rush back to my old ways to feel good.
If nothing else, I hope this gives new moms, or moms-to-be, the courage to allow themselves space to heal, to step back from what they think they “should do” and tap into what their body knows they need. Everyone’s journey is unique, and so often a mom’s road to recovery is completely sidelined by all of the other demands of motherhood. Be kind to yourself, and allow your body to heal however it needs to heal, and when you’re ready, be gentle with your re-introduction to exercise.
*This is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
