The Postpartum Comeback: Rebuild Strength, Confidence and Fitness Having a baby is a life-changing event on so many levels.

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You may be having your first child or have gone through this before. In either case, your routine changes, and one of the challenges you may face is resuming exercise or realizing you need to start. We have some suggestions on how to begin, precautions to take, and how exercise will improve every aspect of your life. Your Fitness Journey May Change Pregnancy and childbirth change your body in ways that can last long after your “recovery.” Carrying a child and giving birth either vaginally or by C-section can stress muscles, ligaments, and nerves responsible for bladder and bowel control and sexual function. CrossFit, individual coaching, and physical therapy can be excellent ways to rebuild strength, endurance, and confidence, but a return to exercise should be gradual. Rather than focusing on getting your pre-pregnancy body back, your goal may be to rebuild a strong, capable body for this new stage of life. And you might get your pre-pregnancy body back in the meantime! When Can You Start Exercising After Giving Birth? When you begin exercising after giving birth depends on several factors, and you should coordinate with your OB/GYN or a Women’s Health Physical Therapist. The goal isn't to rush back to where you were. It's to build toward where you want to go next. Your timeline is individual to you and is influenced by:

Vaginal vs. cesarean birth

Any complications

Pelvic floor symptoms

Individual recovery time What Pregnancy and Childbirth Can Change

Obviously, there is a difference in recovery time between a C-section and a vaginal birth. A C-section is the same as abdominal surgery and should be treated as such. But even a vaginal birth has physical consequences. Abdominal wall and core changes Pelvic floor changes Reduced strength and conditioning after time away from training Changes in balance, mobility, and joint stability

Hormonal changes and sleep deprivation, which can result in depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Benefits of Exercise After Pregnancy,Regular exercise after pregnancy can:

Promote weight loss Improve your cardiovascular fitness

Strengthen and tone abdominal muscles

Boost your energy level

Reduce symptoms of postpartum depression

Rebuild weak core and pelvic floor muscles Improve sleep

Relieve stress

How to Get Started Discuss resuming or starting exercise with your Health Care Team

Motivation to exercise can be a huge challenge after childbirth. Group classes, with individual coaching, can be a great way to start when you are ready. Other considerations: Take time to warm up and cool down. Begin slowly and increase your pace gradually-listen to your body. Drink plenty of fluids. Stop exercising if you feel pain or unusual discomfort .

Benefits of CrossFit During the Postpartum Period

You may think CrossFit isn't a good fit to start with if you haven’t done it before. At PureFitness,we have coaches who: Ask about postpartum status and limitations. Offer modifications without judgment and an understanding of your postpartum limitations. Focus on technique and movement quality before intensity. Avoid pressure to return to previous weights or prior level workouts too quickly. Offer the option of starting with private physical therapy to address any specific postpartum issues. Start with low-impact aerobic activity. Focus on breathing and core work. Progress slowly towards improving strength and endurance.

Listen to Your Body: Postpartum Warning Signs As you gain confidence and get stronger, watch for warning signs that may indicate it is time to pull back.

Talk with your Health Care Team if you have any of these symptoms. Pelvic heaviness or pressure Urinary or fecal leakage Pelvic or abdominal pain Increased bleeding after exercise. Abdominal doming/coning that persists Incision pain or unusual pain following a C-section. A feeling that something is "not right"

How to Stay Motivated, Motivation can fade when you are tired and short on time, which can sabotage your efforts. We have some suggestions for managing your time and staying on track towards your goals.

Start with walks using a baby carrier. After working with a PT, do pelvic floor exercises at home. Find time to meet with one of our coaches to start a safe home exercise program that includes lunges, squats, and yoga. When you are cleared to work out at the gym, you can start with low to moderate exercises and graduate to more intensive exercises. Remember, even 30 minutes at the gym, with community support, can be motivating and empowering.

Pelvic Physical Therapy At Pure Performance Rehab, we have your postpartum physical therapy needs covered with specialist Dr. Jessica Lord.

Jessica offers and treats: Labor and delivery prep Postpartum rehab. Return-to-activity planning. Pelvic dysfunction and pain Incontinence and constipation. Sexual pain and dysfunction. Hip and low back pain. Pelvic organ prolapse.

Postpartum Goals

Build Back Stronger Postpartum fitness won’t be easy! There will be setbacks and challenges. Here are some suggestions to keep you motivated and on track: Shift the mindset from losing weight to regaining strength, mobility, confidence, and fitness. Progress won't necessarily be linear. Don’t let setbacks define your journey. Sleep, feeding schedules, fatigue, or recovery may limit some days. That's ok, but don’t let those days derail your overall goals. Celebrate milestones, such as completing a workout or returning to a favorite activity. At Pure Fitness, we are here to support you, encourage you, and, above all, provide a safe place to reach your goals!