If you want to do high effort activities, wait until at least 12 weeks after giving birth.
High effort activities include:
- running and jogging
- abdominal crunches
- fitness training - such as circuit training or weightlifting
Before starting intense exercise
Having a baby changes your body. This can affect how soon you can do high-intensity and high-impact activities.
Pelvic floor muscles
Avoid high-intensity and high-impact activity until your pelvic muscles are stronger.
If you do high effort exercise with a weak pelvic floor, you could cause damage you cannot reverse.
How to do pelvic floor exercises
Pregnancy weight
Start with low-impact activity if you are a higher weight for your height (BMI) after pregnancy.
Low-impact activity includes:
- fast walking
- swimming
These exercises put less strain on your joints and pelvic supports.
Calculate your BMI - safefood.net
Diastasis recti (DRAM)
During pregnancy your tummy muscles stretch. This can create a gap through the middle of your tummy. This gap is known as diastasis recti (DRAM). In most women, this gap is normal and causes no issues.
Check for diastasis recti (DRAM)
Running and other high effort activities
High effort activities, such as running, can put your body under strain. Wait at least 12 weeks after giving birth and start gradually.
Signs you are doing too much too soon include:
- lower back, pelvic or joint pain
- leaking urine (pee) when running
- a feeling of pressure or a heavy sensation in your vagina
This strain can:
- affect your ability to recover between runs
- cause joints and muscles to ache after runs
- put you at a higher risk of bone stress fractures
Read more about Exercise after pregnancy
