Here it is ladies, the honest reality of exercise after pregnancy. Remember, this is just my experience thus far. It is important to consult with your doctor before resuming regular exercise.
I've come to realize these main things when it comes to exercise after pregnancy:
1. "2 steps forward, 1 step back." When cleared by the doctor to resume my regular activities at 6 weeks post delivery, I was oh so excited to jump on the treadmill and resume group fitness. I quickly realized that getting back into shape was going to be slower process than I wanted it to be. The doctor advised me to rest if bleeding resumed, and it did. I felt that for every step I took toward getting in shape, I took 1 step back by having to rest more often than I wanted to. I started working out 1 time per week and slowly added/subtracted according to how my body was doing. It was tough, everything was sore, and I felt frustrated that I couldn't do more. I had to remind myself often that I had to start somewhere and to look how far I had come; from only being able to do housework and short walks to being able to jog a minute or two at a time and taking a strength class every week. My abdominals and ribs still get sore when running (everything is trying to stich back together) but it's getting better every week.
2. Support your lady parts. I have never been well endowed in the chest area, so actually having boobs due to nursing created a new challenge while exercising. Bouncing with milk laden breasts is not exactly comfortable. How the Bay Watch babes could handle that bouncy run in the sand, I have no idea. My first step was to go out and get a good sports bra. I chose a bra that was adjustable in the back and straps for ultimate comfort and one with pads in case I started to leak (got milk?) The TaTa Tamer from lululemon has been my boobies saving grace :)
The other area that needs support are your lady bits,; your "downstairs" area if you will. This has to be done internally. We're talking kegels and keeping your abdominals tight. I quickly found out just how important these were when I started jogging. See #3 below.
3. "I peed my pants!" You have to be comfortable enough to laugh at yourself ladies, because at some point you will probably leak urine. Sneezing, jumping, laughing hard, and jogging can cause some leakage. My first attempt at jogging at 6 weeks post baby knocked the pee out of me, literally. I came to the realization that kegels needed to be a part of my daily routine (I try to do them every time I nurse). Kegels, they sound dirty, but they are oh so important. The other additions to my routine include going to the bathroom right before working out, and sometimes a pantyliner, just in case. Now, after exercising regularly for the past 8 weeks, I rarely leak urine unless I try running too fast or increasing my mileage too quickly. As Billy Madison would say, "You ain't cool unless you pee your pants."
So there you have it. Post-natal exercise can be frustrating at first, but it gets better! Just keep going:)
