Exercise

[hot tea]

I have had an incredibly fast recovery. I have hardly any bleeding, my belly is gone (other than it isn't firm yet), my parts have not hurt since the second day PP, no tearing... Basically I feel AWESOME. I am not tired, physically I feel like I could run a marathon.

So my question is, MUST I wait until six weeks to start exercising?

 

[sun]

I'm the same - I have been lucky and healed very quickly! I have been doing lots of walking since my son still has his schedule I need to keep, but I am holding off of doing formal exercise (like weights or higher impact) until 4 weeks. With my son I shovelled the driveway at 3 weeks PP and ended up with some pretty bad bleeding out of the blue so I am making sure I have a doc's ok this time. I'm pretty sure I'll be ok to do most exercise by 4 weeks PP though as long as the bleeding has pretty much stopped. xx

I would just get your docs or MWs opinion on it!

 

[Maman]

ok so different because ive had a section, but 12 days pp and i feel the same... (well maybe not the marathon part as have slight weakness in one leg) but i do feel like i could do a bit of exercise. im also wondering if 6 weeks is really necesary, maybe i could do some small exercises?

 

[ttcnewbie123]

I would have said lots of walking would be ok but definately check with your midwife or doc before doing anything else, there have been lots of women on here who thought they were ok, done too much and then ended up with bleeding all over again x

 

[MonstHer]

Hey, I'm the same as you and I've been doing calisthenics and slow jog/walks.
I told my doc when I went for a check up and he said, meh, just no heavy lifting.
Haven't dared situps yet though lol.

 

[sun]

Hey, I'm the same as you and I've been doing calisthenics and slow jog/walks.
I told my doc when I went for a check up and he said, meh, just no heavy lifting.
Haven't dared situps yet though lol.

Yes watch the sit-ups especially if your ab muscles have separated more than 2 finger widths. Ab workouts could cause issues with them coming back together! xx

 

[MonstHer]

Hey, I'm the same as you and I've been doing calisthenics and slow jog/walks.
I told my doc when I went for a check up and he said, meh, just no heavy lifting.
Haven't dared situps yet though lol.

Yes watch the sit-ups especially if your ab muscles have separated more than 2 finger widths. Ab workouts could cause issues with them coming back together! xx

How can you tell if they've separated?

 

[sun]

Hey, I'm the same as you and I've been doing calisthenics and slow jog/walks.
I told my doc when I went for a check up and he said, meh, just no heavy lifting.
Haven't dared situps yet though lol.

Yes watch the sit-ups especially if your ab muscles have separated more than 2 finger widths. Ab workouts could cause issues with them coming back together! xx

How can you tell if they've separated?

You can do a partial sit-up then feel along the centreline of your ab muscles. You should be able to tell where they join together. If you can fit more than 2 finger widths side-by-side between the muscles then they have. They can go back together pretty quickly though, so you might be fine! x

 

[patch2006uk]

Isn't it because your ligaments are still more flexible than normal, and you're more likely to injure yourself if you try anything too strenuous too soon after having LO?

Congratulations, I hadn't realised you were due so soon!

 

[AmyR]

I am 2 weeks PP and I really wanna start working out but I hear if you start too soon you can cause hemmoraging! I plan to walk and do light toning excercise till Jan 1st then start up (around 5 weeks PP)

 

[MyTurnYet]

ok so different because ive had a section, but 12 days pp and i feel the same... (well maybe not the marathon part as have slight weakness in one leg) but i do feel like i could do a bit of exercise. im also wondering if 6 weeks is really necesary, maybe i could do some small exercises?

Had a csection too. They told me at my 2 week appt to start walking and work up to 1/2 mile per day but not to lift anything heavier than the baby.

 

[Leopard]

I have had an incredibly fast recovery. I have hardly any bleeding, my belly is gone (other than it isn't firm yet), my parts have not hurt since the second day PP, no tearing... Basically I feel AWESOME. I am not tired, physically I feel like I could run a marathon.

So my question is, MUST I wait until six weeks to start exercising?

Yes and no. i'm very similar to you, I have no bleeding now, and haven't since just before DF and I DTD. I did tear but it hasn't effected me in any way, it wasn't stitched. My parts never hurt and as for belly, well it really didn't exist to begin with
I spoke to my MW and health nurse regarding exercise and I was told that if I felt comfortable enough to begin proper exercise I was welcome to, but that they wanted me to avoid excessive jogging/running and weight training for a few more weeks. They said a lot of walking can be great and is actually recommended once you are up for it. They don't recommend doing sit ups for another week or so, but like anything you know your own body and it is what you feel comfy doing.

 

[Sherileigh]

I'm using my elliptical, midwife encouraged it!

 

[aley28]

I was wondering if I would have to wait the full six weeks until my postpartum doctor appointment too... I feel really good right now, but I do think I'm going to wait to do much more than walking. I don't want to push it... plus walking is my favorite form of exercise anyway, so its unlikely that I'll be too eager to do much more than that for probably another year from now anyway.