One of the questions I’m asked most often during pregnancy is:
“When can I start exercising after birth?”
Usually it comes up towards the end of pregnancy, when women start thinking about life beyond the birth itself.
Do I need to wait six weeks?
What if I feel fine before then?
When can I get back to normal?
The answer isn’t always as straightforward as people would like.
The six-week check
Most women are advised to wait until their six-week postnatal check before returning to structured exercise.
At E14YogaCoach, I don’t take anyone into Mum & Baby Yoga before that check.
That’s not because I want women to avoid movement.
Quite the opposite.
Current NHS guidance encourages women to return to activity gradually after birth, building things up slowly and paying attention to how their body feels.
But a group exercise class is different from a gentle walk around the block.
The six-week check provides an opportunity to discuss your recovery, ask questions and identify anything that might need a little more attention before returning to structured exercise.
The first six weeks can feel like a lot
The reality is that many women aren’t thinking about exercise much at all during those first few weeks.
You’re recovering physically.
Your hormones are changing rapidly.
You may be dealing with sore breasts, interrupted sleep, night sweats, healing tissues and a baby who hasn’t yet worked out the difference between day and night.
Sometimes what women need most isn’t exercise.
Sometimes they simply want a reason to leave the house, a conversation with another adult, or an hour somewhere other than their living room.
That’s one of the reasons I offer Baby Massage classes as well as Mum & Baby Yoga.
Not everyone is ready for movement at six weeks.
And that’s completely fine.
“But I feel fine”
Sometimes women do feel fine.
The pelvic pain they experienced during pregnancy has gone.
They’re moving more comfortably.
Their energy is starting to return.
But feeling fine and being fully recovered are not necessarily the same thing.
Pregnancy places huge demands on the body.
Birth does too.
Even after a straightforward vaginal birth, recovery is still happening.
What I notice when women return to class
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that many new mums become used to discomfort.
Not because they’re ignoring it.
Because they’re busy.
The baby becomes the priority.
Feeding schedules, nappies, sleep, appointments and simply getting through the day take up most of the available space.
Their own aches and niggles often move quietly to the bottom of the list.
Sometimes it’s only when they arrive in class that they notice them.
Perhaps getting up and down from the floor feels harder than expected.
Perhaps one side feels weaker.
Perhaps they’ve been carrying tension somewhere for weeks without really noticing.
Occasionally a woman will tell me she feels absolutely fine, then realise during relaxation that her shoulders, neck or lower back have been aching for days.
It’s not that anything is wrong.
It’s simply that she hasn’t had a moment to pay attention to herself.
My own guidelines
Although I don’t take women into Mum & Baby Yoga before their six-week check, I also have a few additional guidelines of my own.
If you still have lochia, if anaemia isn’t yet under control, or if there is anything else affecting your recovery, I may suggest waiting a little longer or taking things more gently.
That’s not because I’m trying to keep women away from class.
It’s because recovery isn’t identical for everyone.
A few extra weeks can make a huge difference.
What happens in a Mum & Baby Yoga class?
A lot of women arrive expecting postnatal yoga to be about getting back to exercise.
It isn’t.
At least not in the way many people imagine.
Babies need feeding.
Babies need changing.
Sometimes they sleep peacefully for an hour.
Sometimes they have very different plans.
We work around all of that.
Some women practise most of the class.
Some spend part of it feeding or settling their baby.
Both are completely fine.
If your baby is having a difficult day, I’m very happy to help soothe them or hold them for a few minutes if they’re willing to be held.
And if you need to pop to the bathroom, grab a drink or simply take a moment, I’ll happily keep an eye on your baby.
No one expects you to manage everything on your own.
The aim isn’t to keep up.
The aim is to support your recovery and help you regain confidence in your body after birth.
There is no prize for rushing
One thing I would say to every new mum is this:
There is no prize for getting back to exercise first.
I would much rather someone join me at ten weeks feeling ready than at six weeks feeling like they should be there.
Recovery isn’t a race.
Your body has done something significant.
It deserves time.
Thinking about joining?
Mum & Baby Yoga at E14YogaCoach is suitable from six weeks after a straightforward vaginal birth.
If you’re unsure whether the class is right for you, feel free to call or text me before booking.
I understand how important it is to find the right teacher after having a baby, and how many questions women have about returning to movement after birth.
References
NHS. Your postnatal check
https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-6-week-postnatal-check/
NHS. Keeping active and healthy after birth
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/
NICE Guideline NG194. Postnatal Care
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng194
Pregnancy and postnatal yoga classes in E14, Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs and surrounding East London areas.
Shar – E14YogaCoach
