As part of the process
of helping a new mother to feel better about herself
after the birth of her baby, post natal exercise is
recommended and can be started as early as 2 to 3 days
after the birth.
Such exercises should be quite mild to start with
and can even be done while you are performing other
tasks either sitting or standing. Here are some suggestions:
• Walk your baby in the pram rather than use
the car for short trips.
• Rest in a horizontal position (15 to 30 minutes
at least twice a day) or as much as possible on your
tummy or your back.
• Support the perineum while having a bowel
movement.
• Do not lift anything heavier than your baby.
• While sitting, press knees and inner thighs
together hard. Contract the vaginal muscles as tightly
as possible. Hold for 6 counts. Repeat 3 times. This
will tone the inner thigh and tighten the vaginal
passage.
• Kegel exercises, which help regain control
in urinating by strengthening the pelvic floor area,
can be done when you are sitting , standing or even
walking. Squeeze the muscles of the pelvic floor as
if you are holding back urination. Hold this for 20
counts Repeat 20 times during the day.
• Another exercise can be done whilst you are
waiting for something. In a standing position, flex
both knees very slightly, placing the hands on the
buttocks. With one sudden sharp movement, contract
the buttocks hard (as if trying to squeeze them together).
Hold for 4 slow counts while continuing to tighten
and grip harder. Relax and straighten the knees. Repeat
4 times. Once you have got the feel of the sharp hard
contraction, you need not place the hands on the buttocks.
• To exercise the abdominal muscles, lie on
your back with your knees bent. (a) Tighten your tummy
muscles by pulling your tummy button in and upwards
towards your spine. Hold for 5 counts. Try to breathe
normally. Rest and then repeat 5 times. (b) Tighten
tummy muscles as above, then flatten lower back, tucking
bottom under and tilting pelvis towards ribs. Repeat
5 times holding for 3 counts while breathing normally.
Gradually increase the number of exercises to 10 times
holding for 10 counts.
Do not attempt to do sit ups before your 6 weeks
checkup. After 12 weeks have elapsed, you can check
your pelvic floor strength by these tests:
• Stop the flow of urine mid stream
• Coughing with a full bladder
• Prior to commencing strenuous exercise, check
your pelvic floor strength by jumping with a full
bladder.
