After my first baby was born, I couldn’t imagine working out anytime soon.
As a first-time mom, I was completely overwhelmed by the newborn phase. And my physical recovery from that first pregnancy and birth experience was challenging. Not to mention the mental stress of operating on very little sleep.
Eventually, I got back in the gym. But it took a while. And that’s ok!
But every pregnancy is different, and every postpartum experience is different, too. After my second baby was born, I was eager to get back to working out. And with my toddler in daycare but my newborn at home with me, I found myself trying to figure out how to incorporate my new baby into my fitness routine.
Postpartum fitness is important for lots of reasons. It provides benefits for your physical health, as well as your mental health and emotional wellbeing. But it’s also actually a great way to bond with your newborn!
Read on to find out how you can take advantage of that newborn phase to ease into a postpartum fitness routine while bonding with your baby through simple, tailored workouts.
The physical changes your body goes through during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth are significant. And maintaining a fitness routine during your first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester of pregnancy can be a great way to prepare yourself for the challenges of labor and childbirth.
During your postpartum phase - or the “fourth trimester” - your body continues to change. After labor and delivery, you won’t just “bounce back” to your pre-pregnancy body and fitness levels. The postpartum phase typically includes weakened core muscles, significant hormonal changes, and fatigue.
This means that it's incredibly important to include fitness in your postpartum recovery, when and how you’re able to do so.
Postpartum fitness can help with your physical recovery as well as your mental recovery. As your body recovers physically, exercise can help you restore strength and energy, as well as help to reduce fatigue.
And for your mental recovery - because this is a big change you’ve just experienced! - physical activity can help to reduce stress and anxiety, and promote bonding with your baby. One study found that postpartum women who exercised 2.5 hours a week were at significantly less risk of developing Postpartum Depressive Symptoms, or PPDS.
All of this means that prioritizing exercise postpartum is really important. And if you can incorporate your baby into your postpartum fitness routine, too? Well that’s game-changing!
Before we talk about exercises you can do with your newborns, let’s talk about safety.
It’s critical that you talk with your doctor or healthcare provider about starting a postpartum exercise routine. Every pregnancy is different, and every labor and delivery experience is different, too. Your doctor will know what your labor and delivery experience was like, and will be able to help you understand what to expect from your individual recovery.
You probably won’t be able to do every possible postpartum exercise right away. That’s totally fine, and totally normal. Do the ones that are appropriate for your individual recovery, and always remember to listen to and respond to the signals your body is giving you.
Finally, even if you’re super eager to get into a fitness routine postpartum, don’t overexert yourself. Rest is actually a critical component of the postpartum phase. Prioritize recovery and rest to set yourself up for success long-term.
When you’re ready to start working out (with baby!) postpartum, here are some ideas for exercises you can actually do WITH your newborn.
Try babywearing exercises! While wearing your baby in a secure carrier, aim for repetitive exercises like squats and lunges, or gentle cardio, like walking.
As your baby gets bigger - and heavier! - you’ll be organically adding weight by continuing to wear your baby for these exercises. Just be sure you’re comfortable wearing your baby casually before trying to exercise while babywearing.
Another way to exercise with your newborn is through stroller workouts. While pushing your stroller in front of you, try walking or lightly jogging. You can also add in strength training intervals like push-ups or lunges, if you feel comfortable doing so. Keep in mind, some strollers are better suited for some types of stroller workouts than others (there are some strollers specifically designed as jogging strollers, for example).
You can also do at-home exercises with baby nearby or in a bouncer. Bodyweight exercises like planks, bridges, and stretching (like cat cow) can be done while you’re keeping an eye on your newborn, and are easily tailored to your postpartum fitness abilities (for example, maybe instead of doing a plank you do a knee plank).
There are also ways that you can actually incorporate newborn bonding time into your workouts if you are wearing your baby or have them nearby.
Eye contact, physical touch, and verbal interactions are all ways that you can strengthen that bond with your new baby. Depending on what exercises you’re doing, you can incorporate all of these into your fitness routine. For example, you could count reps aloud while you’re doing your babywearing squats, or sing a song to your baby during a plank.
Try to make it enjoyable for both you and your baby. Lots of the exercises suggested above can actually be quite soothing for your baby. Many babies will be so comfortable while you lightly jog with them in their stroller or walk while babywearing that they will fall asleep!
Even if the idea of incorporating your newborn into your fitness routine sounds like an appealing - and efficient! - idea, let’s be real: finding time to work out as a new mom is tough.
Maybe including your baby in your workout feels like it might actually make things more difficult for you, rather than easier. In that case, try to schedule your workouts when your baby is napping, or during other breaks in your routine.
Or ask for help from someone, maybe your partner, a friend, or a family member. They can watch your baby for 15-30 minutes while you get some time to yourself to focus on your physical and mental health.
But if incorporating your newborn into your workout does seem doable, and you’re struggling to figure out when to do that, try joining a mommy-and-me class, where other members of the class will also be there with their babies. Or join an online group for new moms getting back into fitness. These can be a great way to find community support and motivation.
It can also be helpful to set realistic goals and track your progress. Remember, you just went through a major life event that has significant physical and mental ramifications. It’s important to recognize that, while setting goals is good, they need to be realistic.
And tracking your progress using a journal, app, notes, or other tool, can help you see that even small goals can have a big impact.
Another way to figure out when and how to work out in this new phase of your life is by working with a personal trainer. Personal trainers can customize not only the exercises you’re doing, but also when you’re doing those exercises, based on your individual schedule as a new mom.
The postpartum period isn’t easy. But adding in fitness can actually provide some significant physical and mental support as your body recovers from pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
Postpartum workouts can help strengthen core muscles, reduce stress and anxiety, increase sleep, and even decrease your risk for PPDS.
One strategy that can help you add a workout routine back into your new schedule? Exercising with your baby! You can try babywearing exercises, or exercises you can do while your baby is in a stroller, or even just some at-home exercises you can do while your baby is near you in a bouncer.
You can actually use exercise as a way to bond with your baby, too. One of your baby’s favorite sounds is your voice, so even just counting your reps aloud can be part of bonding with your newborn. Or incorporate physical touch, like tapping your baby gently on the nose each time you do a plank reach.
Fitness can be a great way to take care of yourself, mentally and physically, while also nurturing that precious relationship with your new baby.
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of adding a workout into your already busy postpartum schedule? Unsure what exercises are appropriate for your postpartum body? Check out trainwell.
Trainwell provides consistent, personalized, flexible support with the ideal combination of real human trainers and advanced fitness technology. As your training needs change along with your body, energy levels, and schedule (and your baby’s schedule!), trainwell trainers can modify your workouts right along with you.
Check out this testimonial from a mom of two who has been working out with trainwell:
"Trainwell is the best kept “secret”! I’m 7.5 months postpartum and before having two young kiddos, going to fitness classes was my go-to. Between changes in schedule and health needs, and needing accountability (why I liked going to fitness classes), trainwell was a no brainer and I’m glad I matched with Coach Lauren! Not only does she help me by putting together customized workouts; she also helps me with goal setting/mindset, we go on weekly coaching calls where it’s like working out with a girlfriend. I appreciate Coach Lauren for her expertise, genuine concern for my success and her friendship - we talk about motherhood and relate on having young boys, faith, etc. Within a few months, I’ve been consistent with my goals, achieved my goal of being able to fit back into my pre-pregnancy clothes and regaining strength in my pelvic floor. I recommend trainwell to anyone especially to moms!"
Ready to get started? Great! Trainwell offers a free 14-day trial so you can see if this fitness experience provides everything you’re looking for. Explore trainwell’s 14-day free trial to find your next personal trainer: https://join.trainwell.net/
Written by Ella Browning.
