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Deciding when your body is ready to work out postpartum isn’t just up to your doctor or the 6-week timeline. Many other factors determine whether your body is ready to start working out postpartum, especially if you are breastfeeding. In my program, I offer a workout plan based on being 6-weeks postpartum and a safe workout routine for re-establishing core and pelvic floor muscles, so you will be rehabilitated for working out again.

Here are 5 questions to ask when deciding to start your postpartum workout routine:

Did Your Doctor Approve?

I have to say this one because it is essential as a medical professional on anything concerning postpartum healing and working out after a baby. I am not a health professional, but I do know you can ask your doctor about working out before the 6-week mark. My doctor knew me very well, and after having three babies delivered by him, and completely healthy and fit pregnancies, he approved of my workout routine pre-6 weeks. All you need is their approval if you have any concerns or questions. I was sent home with a list of exercises to work on after delivery, so I knew there was an amount of working out encouraged for healing right after birth. If you didn’t have any complications, excessive tearing, bone breaking or issues during pregnancy, you are most likely free to begin low-impact, Pilates-style workouts as soon as you feel ready.

Is The Pain Gone?

After most births, whether c-section or vaginal, there is some lingering pain. I personally recovered the quickest after my third baby because I had the fittest pregnancy of all three and no tearing. This helped me feel ready to work out sooner than my other two. I knew which moves I could do and should wait on because of the pain. I felt pain in my pubic bone for a long time, and I still do with certain moves, so I don’t do them. If you are bleeding a lot, feeling super sore, on pain medication or struggling to walk comfortably around the house, definitely wait.

Did You Have A Fit Pregnancy?

The more active you are during pregnancy, the quicker your body will recover and be ready to work out again. Many mamas lose strength and fitness during pregnancy because it is so difficult to work out with a huge belly and the exhaustion that sets in. If you could stay fit, walk a lot, do body-weight workouts etc., your body will be ready to jump back into activity sooner, than if you hadn’t. If you stopped workout all together during pregnancy, take things super slow. I have some great, easy workouts you can even do with your baby to prepare you for a workout routine. Here’s a great Pilates and cardio workout you can try if you think you are ready!

Is Your Breast Milk Supply Established?

Establishing your milk supply should be the first priority if you are breastfeeding. Taking in quality nutrients and eating a breastfeeding-specific diet will help you do this and still lose weight without working out. Nutrition is the key to losing weight, which is why I have my complete breastfeeding-focused diet plan; while workout out is going to maintain strength, tone your body, and help burn a few calories. Honestly, starting out, you won’t be able to burn many calories, so focusing on your milk supply and nutrition will get you a lot farther.

Do You Have A Plan?

Having a postpartum workout plan is super important. Don’t just jump around and find any good video on Youtube. You want to plan for rehabilitating your core and pelvic floor first. Checking for signs of Diastasis Recti is a good idea, but it is difficult to tell early on in postpartum recovery because your muscles are slowly returning to normal. By healing your core right away, you can help your muscles go back to close to normal, skipping and Diastasis Recti all together. You also want to re-engage and practice contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. Without a plan for this, you can lose weight, still having a pooch and constantly peeing your pants. Not a fun place to be! Here are some workouts I have in the program:

Hopefully, you are healing fast and ultimately getting used to life postpartum. It is exciting to work out again, but I will never forget the feeling I had when I ran again after my first baby. Things can shock you postpartum, so take everything slow, enjoy your baby, and know that you can achieve a lot of health, wellness and healing through the proper diet and nutrition program. 

If you haven’t yet, check out all our courses, programs, challenges, & recipe book!