Today’s Motherhood

Post-pregnancy exercises to help your body prepare for sex again:
While you might be eager to regain your figure and resume life, it is important that you be gentle on yourself and take it very slow. Your body is still recovering. Many women wait until after their six week postpartum check-up to start exercising again. Be sure to talk it over with your health care provider before embarking on any exercise routine.

Congratulations on your bundle of joy!

However if you feel up to it, here are a few easy post pregnancy exercises to get you started:

Pelvic Floor Strengthener
The pelvic muscles become weakened during natural childbirth, as a result of increased pressure on the area during pregnancy and may also be affected by caesarean section.

Kegel exercises can strengthen and tone the vaginal walls. They are the “first line” of a management program to treat stress or urge urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence is when a person “leaks” urine during laughing, sneezing or coughing. Urge incontinence is when a person feels a sudden urge to “go” and cannot quite make it to the bathroom. These conditions are common in women after pregnancy, childbirth or C-section.

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Tighten the muscles of your vagina as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine when going to the bathroom.
3. Hold for a minimum count of three, then release. Try to progressively build to a count of ten.

You can vary this exercise by varying the speed or assuming different physical positions such as standing up or walking.

Head and Shoulder Raises

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and hands behind your head.
2. Flatten the small of your back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles. Breathe in and as you exhale, slowly raise your head and shoulders off the ground.
3. Lower yourself slowly and repeat the sequence eight to ten times.

Be sure not to strain your neck with your hands, and to keep the small of your back pressed against the ground the whole time.

Pelvic Tilt

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Inhale and allow your abdomen to expand.
3. As you exhale, lift your tailbone toward your navel, while keeping your hips on the floor.
4. At the top of the tilt, tighten and release your buttocks. Repeat these steps eight to ten times.

These gentle exercises will help get you started for sex after baby. In addition, you may want to include some light cardiovascular exercise, like walking, swimming, or light weight training.

This article was first published in Today’s Motherhood Magazine Oct 2009 issue Page 24

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