Postpartum Exercise Check-In « Back to Group Discussions

[LuNaLu]

Is anyone back to working out yet?  I jogged my first postpartum mile today and it was fantastic!  It was wonderful not to have to deal with BH contractions or needing to pee while I was out there on the road.  I cut, like, 4 minutes off my pace just by giving birth!  ;)  I'm still a looong way from where I was before I got pregnant, but I at least feel like I'm on track to get back there... someday!

I've never been this active before/during/after a pregnancy before so I'd love to hear from others trying to get back to whatever sort of activity you enjoy, and would especially welcome advice from moms who have experience with running postpartum.

[MeredithA]

I am impressed Luna!! I walked 2 blocks w/baby in the moby & so far that has been my only exercise so far.  I still have a lot of weight to lose and really want to get going with exercise but I never have the energy! Plus it is hot here. I have been hanging out in the house with the kids for weeks. One of these days I'll get out there and work out! 

[shastalily]

That's awesome you are already jogging.  I have been on a couple walks around the neighborhood and that's it so far.  I haven't been up to pushing myself yet as I'm still bleeding off and on (at 4 weeks pp) and it's been a long recovery.  I probably won't do more than walking until after my 6 week check-up but then I really want to get into a good routine and drop these pounds.

[rozziemama]

Wow Luna I am impressed!!
At 3.5 weeks and still occasionally spotting I've not done much of anything yet but am really eager to!! Going to start walking every day (hence my baby carrier questions on other thread) and hope to pick up my power yoga classes again next week -- don't feel ready for jogging yet as I still have this weird feeling my insides are going to fall out of my vagina (eew). Think I need to strengthen the pelvic floor a bit first!!
I gained a whopping 52 pounds-- so obviously would love to get rid of it - soon!

[MeredithA]

Originally Posted by rozziemama 

Wow Luna I am impressed!!
At 3.5 weeks and still occasionally spotting I've not done much of anything yet but am really eager to!! Going to start walking every day (hence my baby carrier questions on other thread) and hope to pick up my power yoga classes again next week -- don't feel ready for jogging yet as I still have this weird feeling my insides are going to fall out of my vagina (eew). Think I need to strengthen the pelvic floor a bit first!!
I gained a whopping 52 pounds-- so obviously would love to get rid of it - soon!

YES! I have this same feeling! It was really bad at about 1 week pp and I was a little scared of prolapse or something. It has gotten better. But it still doesn't feel normal down there. 

I had gained 50lbs+ but then I lost a couple at the very end. I ended up with a 47lb gain and I am only 5'4 so that is a LOT of weight on my frame. I look huge and flabby and I can't wait to get rid of it also!

[Sky]

Yes! I had to wait until 6 weeks PP unlike my first two they were reg V births.  They make you wait for 6 weeks with a c-section.  I went back to doing zumba, DH is out of town for two week so I will have to do home workouts until he is back. UGH!!!! I already miss my zumba at the gym gym it's my1.5hrs of my relaxing time since I always leave the kids with him... tonight i'm doing zumba dvd and stretch bands.... its funny because the kids try and do it with me :-)

[LuNaLu]

I was definitely afraid I'd have a feeling of "bottoming out" down there but so far so good!  

I also gained about 50lbs but I doubt I'll really lose any of it soon.  My cravings are HORRIBLE while BFing so I've never been successful with weight loss until much later in the game, after baby has started solids and my body isn't in total cow mode ;)

Sky, 2 weeks straight?  Ugh!  You're a trooper!  My DH travels but thankfully is always home on weekends.  Last night and tonight have been out first nights without him and I was afraid it'd be awful but so far it hasn't been much different than when there were just 2 of them (thank goodness the baby sleeps well!).

[Just1More]

I am totally impressed.

I feel like a slug, and would like to do more, but I'm just not ready.  Baby is not sleeping well, and life is so crazy right now...I think I would be foolish to even try.  It's a good day if I do laundry and dishes, cook, and play with my other kids.  And, at 3 weeks tomorrow, I'm still bleeding quite a bit.  I overdid it on Saturday, and really paid for it for a few days. 

I think in a few weeks, I'm going to try some gentle yoga and slowly build up from there.  It's funny because I've always been basically anti-yoga, but I need something the kids can do, and that we can all do in the house.  I was thinking of a walking dvd, too, but those are SO boring to me.  I dunno.  I think I just need to sleep first, lol.

[callieollie]

I am so ready to get back into exercise. I was exercising up until the birth so it's weird doing nothing. My midwife said I could start walking but not to do too much. So I went out this evening for the first time and started walking but I feel like walking isn't "real" exercise so I would jog for a block or two and then walk and then jog again, etc.  I am still bleeding (at 4 1/2 weeks pp) and don't feel like I've been doing too much so I'm trying the opposite approach of trying to exercise the bleeding out of me!  lol!  I'd love to go to the gym, but haven't found time.  Today was sort of a spur of the moment thing. I've frustrated I haven't lost weight yet. I still have half the weight to go and can't fit into any clothes yes. The weight fell off quickly with my first two so I'm not sure why I'm not losing this time around. I've never had to try to lose weight so I'm not liking this!  

[thedenverduo]

I'm in a little bit of a different boat... I have been overweight/obese my entire life and around the time ds1 was a year old I started to make a lot of lifestyle changes and started working out.  I lost 40 pounds in the year between that and getting pregnant this time around.  I continued my new healthier lifestyle through my pregnancy, so I was losing weight while gaining baby weight.  If that makes sense.  I gained a total of 8 pounds by the end.

So I weigh less now than I did when I delivered.  HOWEVER, I still have around 100 pounds to lose so the pp exercise thing has been on my mind a lot.  (:  I am 6 weeks pp tomorrow.  Last weekend I started walking again, just a mile or a mile and a half a day.  (I was doing 4 or 5 a day through most of my pregnancy).  And yesterday I started the 30 day shred DVD.  I needed something I could do while the boys were sleeping (:  I'm not a huge fan of workout dvd's but I just put it on mute and listen to my favorite upbeat music and that helps a lot!

Hope it's okay for me to jump in here, I feel pretty self conscious about my weight loss journey so far, and I know I'm in a different place than you ladies working on getting back to your pre-preg size!

[Sky]

Originally Posted by LuNaLu 

I was definitely afraid I'd have a feeling of "bottoming out" down there but so far so good!  

I also gained about 50lbs but I doubt I'll really lose any of it soon.  My cravings are HORRIBLE while BFing so I've never been successful with weight loss until much later in the game, after baby has started solids and my body isn't in total cow mode ;)

Sky, 2 weeks straight?  Ugh!  You're a trooper!  My DH travels but thankfully is always home on weekends.  Last night and tonight have been out first nights without him and I was afraid it'd be awful but so far it hasn't been much different than when there were just 2 of them (thank goodness the baby sleeps well!).

yes 2 weeks strait since june 3rd ...but now he wont be back until june 21 "band head" he is on business and then going to our house in ct to check on renovations oye!!! so onward with the home workouts....

[forestmushroom]

I am almost 4 weeks pp and thinking a lot about this!  I am going to rejoin the gym down the street... it has a sauna and a steam room... and a water massage table... oh, and I will exercise there, too!  LOL

That is my sanctuary when it is dark and gray and rainy here from November until ... July?!

BUt I usually take the summer months off from the gym... because it is gorgeous and lovely and light until 9pm... but it would be nice to get away and if I have the membership I force myself to go and workout because I am paying for it...

I've taken some long walks and hikes with the family... but would like to start jogging again.  I am still bleeding a tad, so probably in 2 more weeks...

I can totally fit in my jeans from before baby, and am losing weight... but eating a lot... but not really eating enough. Or I am having blood sugar issues, like low blood sugar....   or eating  not regularly enough

... I still have a belly, but my core muscles feel better then they did after my last baby... so I am just doing little core exercises and walking a lot....
 

[Astraia]

I have never jogged in my life - unless you count the mad dash to save the kid falling off the playstructure once every 6 months or so. So LuNa, I am super impressed as well :)

Denver- weight loss journey is a weight loss journey, as far as I'm concerned - and long range is always more difficult then losing a few extra lbs after baby (IMO, at least!)

I am back into walking as much as I can be, so I take the dog out once a day (if I can), and we go at a pretty good pace. Other than that- nope.

I would LIKE to be exercising, but I haven't found anything I like. I don't want to go to the gym, I don't like sports, running is boring, etc etc. I'm full of excuses, right? I know when I HAVE exercised in the past I felt so good about my self after the first few weeks, and it was a huge mood booster. I am thinking when baby is older about joining a hooping class. My SIL goes to one, and she also makes hoops as a business (i've ordered one already). That might be fun enough that I'd stay motivated, and a class helps a lot- especially a class with people I know already!

I'm also in the same boat with the post-partum cravings. I think I might lose weight because i just don't have time to cook decent food these days, so I give the kids the good stuff and scrounge whatever I can find. DH is home from work, and is "helping", but his lunches/dinners are worse than mine, sooo.....

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by Astraia 

I have never jogged in my life - unless you count the mad dash to save the kid falling off the playstructure once every 6 months or so. So LuNa, I am super impressed as well :)

Denver- weight loss journey is a weight loss journey, as far as I'm concerned - and long range is always more difficult then losing a few extra lbs after baby (IMO, at least!)

I am back into walking as much as I can be, so I take the dog out once a day (if I can), and we go at a pretty good pace. Other than that- nope.

I would LIKE to be exercising, but I haven't found anything I like. I don't want to go to the gym, I don't like sports, running is boring, etc etc. I'm full of excuses, right? I know when I HAVE exercised in the past I felt so good about my self after the first few weeks, and it was a huge mood booster. I am thinking when baby is older about joining a hooping class. My SIL goes to one, and she also makes hoops as a business (i've ordered one already). That might be fun enough that I'd stay motivated, and a class helps a lot- especially a class with people I know already!

I'm also in the same boat with the post-partum cravings. I think I might lose weight because i just don't have time to cook decent food these days, so I give the kids the good stuff and scrounge whatever I can find. DH is home from work, and is "helping", but his lunches/dinners are worse than mine, sooo.....

You sound like me!  The last time I ran was probably in High School when we were forced to run the mile.  I think I "ran" it in like 15 minutes.  lol  I really hate running.  And most other exercise. 

A few years ago we lived in a city with a fabulous community center.  It was brand new with a really nice gym facility.  And cheap membership ($30 a month with no contract)!  I worked out several times a week then.  Mostly the eliptical or stationary bike.  Nothing hard core, but I felt so good back then.  And I looked good too.  There's a picture of me from those days, and every time I see it I'm amazed by how good I look.  Not just thin, but my skin looks awesome too.  You'd think that would be motivation enough to get back to working out.  Especially since now we have access to a FREE gym.  I've never even set foot in it.  :\  I suck.

[Just1More]

Oh! A free gym!!! I totally forgot that where we are moving has a community center with a workout room! Hmmm. Dh could watch the kids while I ran down there, and if baby dd freaked out, I would only be a few minutes away. That's a really exciting idea!

[rozziemama]

Sounds like an awesome plan!

Originally Posted by Just1More 

Oh! A free gym!!! I totally forgot that where we are moving has a community center with a workout room! Hmmm. Dh could watch the kids while I ran down there, and if baby dd freaked out, I would only be a few minutes away. That's a really exciting idea!

[BeFitMom]

Because of postpartum ligament laxity, jogging, and other high-impact activities are considered high-risk until about 6 months after delivery. While some athletic women can resume these types of activities safely, most new moms should start back in with lower impact activities like fitness walking, elliptical trainer, biking, swimming, etc. If you do choose to jog, keep off concrete and run on a track if possible, avoid jogging on uneven ground, and do not run downhill (this places far too much stress on the anterior cruciate ligament of the knees.)

Helene Byrne, BeFit-Mom
 

[Just1More]

Originally Posted by BeFitMom 

Because of postpartum ligament laxity, jogging, and other high-impact activities are considered high-risk until about 6 months after delivery. While some athletic women can resume these types of activities safely, most new moms should start back in with lower impact activities like fitness walking, elliptical trainer, biking, swimming, etc. If you do choose to jog, keep off concrete and run on a track if possible, avoid jogging on uneven ground, and do not run downhill (this places far too much stress on the anterior cruciate ligament of the knees.)

Helene Byrne, BeFit-Mom
 

Thanks for the PSA. :)

And, for the only time I've found validation that it takes 6 months for the relaxin to ease.  People (doctors) looked at me funny when I said I still felt all loose after my fourth baby.  It was right around  6 months when things finally got better. 

[cristeen]

I managed to walk about 4 blocks today and I'm not in pain, so that's an improvement.  I have no idea how you're jogging already, Luna.  My body hurt just standing up until just a few days ago.  On Tuesday I climbed the stairs (86 of them) down to our polling place and back up with the baby in the carrier.  That was okay, but the next day my calves were killing me. 

DH is encouraging me to climb the stairs daily to start some sort of exercise.  And as soon as I'm feeling capable we're going to start taking walks with DS' therapists to work on safety issues (like not running into the street, holding hands, etc.). 

I'm with Just1 though, I seem to recall having a fair bit of instability for MONTHS after DS was born.  And I'm also at the point where any increase of activity = an increase of bleeding, so I'm just trying to listen to my body and ease into things.  But I definitely want to find something I can do because I feel so much better (mentally/emotionally) when I'm getting exercise regularly. 

[rozziemama]

I have done some low key yoga poses (it feels great being able to step forward into warrior without bumping a huge belly and bend forward without acid reflux! Yahoo!) and walked the short but steep loop in the arboretum near our house for the past few days. About 1 mile. It feels so good to be out in the sun and nature - and moving of course - but I have to get a sturdier carrier for longer walks. I have Kai in the K'Tan and he sleeps the whole time but I need hip support.

I bought my first scale - ever. I was astounded to step on yesterday at 3.5 weeks pp and see i have dropped 36 of the 52 pounds already?! And no prepregnancy jeans fit. So, the last 16 are going to be hard I guess... ? And I guess the Dr was right that it was almost all water. I have been sweating SO MUCH at night. Must be the water weight leaving my body (good riddance!!) - and my wedding ring fits again (the one that was stuck and painful the week before baby came)... But how weird, right, to drop 36 lbs in 3.5 weeks (and still not fit into your clothing, and still look pregnant!)??