Just wondering how soon after childbirth can you start exercising , more specifically i want to start doing sit ups for my tummy because I've always had a flabby one and now its ten times worse after the baby. I gave birth just over a week ago and I ended up with some " damaged " genitals and quite a few stitches. Do you think if I do a few sit ups a day I will bleed more or do any damage ??
Not sure if this is the same for everyone, but my sister was told not to do any vigourous exercise for 6 weeks after she had DS last year. I think she was still able to go for walks though.
Sit ups wouldn't be good to do for a few weeks yet.
From memory the physio I saw said to do gentle pelvic tilts and knee rolls (laying on your back and keeping your knees together and rolling them from side to side) as well as some gentle pelvic floor squeezes.
Also in crawling position gently arch your back like a cat.
Remember your ligaments are still very soft and doing sit ups can do damage to your pelvic joints and back, not just to your stiched up bits.
I wouldn't attempt to do anythong like a traditional sit up or weight bearing excercise till after your 6 week check up.
I agree 100% with Sam and Michelle. Just take it easy at this stage, and definately don't attempt any sit ups as yet... your tummy muscles still need to recover from the pregnancy and labour, and as Sam said, your ligaments would still be very soft.
My mother attempted sit ups a few days after the birth of my sister and she tore a muscle in her stomach so badly that she had to be hospitalised!!
I would wait 6weeks and then maybe start something light. I was told by my Physio that sit ups are very bad for the pelvic floor muscles so maybe avoid them for a little while ..or a long while if your pelvic floor muscles were very damaged like mine were!
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how soon can you exercise ?
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