Many clients ask what exercise they should take as their first class back after having a baby. While we have many women take all different kinds of classes and participate in lots of different types of programs, I’ve found that there is a progression that most women enjoy.
Note that all the classes mentioned below are offered by Oh Baby! Fitness. If Oh Baby classes are not offered near you, look online for a similar type of class.
6-12 weeks postpartum: Focus on Ab Recovery in Mom and Baby Pilates and Mom and Baby Yoga. Starting with this class allows you to repair any abdominal distress that happened during pregnancy (ie., Diastasis Recti) or any pelvic floor trauma. This class is also great as it’s easy for moms to breastfeed during some of the exercises, or let their baby sleep on the mat next to them. For babies that are still sorting out their schedule, this class is very flexible in terms of baby involvement.
12-24 weeks postpartum: Focus on Strength Building and Weight Loss in Mom and Baby Fitness or Stroller Workout. These classes focus more on cardio work and losing pregnancy weight while building muscles needed for new moms. The baby is either in the Baby Bjorn or stroller and a little more emphasis is put on vigorous exercise for the mom.
24 weeks and beyond: Focus on Fun and New Goals in H2oh Baby and your own exercise. It can be great for new moms to involve dad in the fun with an H2oh Baby class. This class is often attended by both parents, and babies love it as well! This period is also a good time for mom to consider signing up for a race- a 5k or sprint triathlon or something similar. Training for an event is a great motivation to lose the last few pounds and also to be sure you can exercise regularly.
This is just a sample exercise program for a new mom. What did you find that worked for you? What classes do you wish were offered?
That’s precisely a helpful information especially for new moms! In my case, I had lighter exercises after my pregnancy and did Yoga, as the meditation processes helped me to get back from a stressful phase. And then I eventually went back to resistance workout after a couple of months. 🙂