Which sport to practice when you are a young mother?

You're a young mother who wants to stay in shape but you don't know what sport to do. Then check out our tips.

You have just given birth and welcomed a little being into your life... it can’t get more beautiful than this!

Do you now want to start exercising again and have some questions?

Here, we are going to provide you with the best advice to resume physical activity in a serene way that is good for your health.

When to resume, what type of exercise and how often?

It's only natural to ask yourself all these questions and here you will find all the answers to start your new life as an active mum... come on, let's go!

How to exercise after a pregnancy ?

The keyword is caution! Your body has gone through many changes for you to give birth to your beautiful baby, so follow our advice for getting back smoothly to being active.

When to start working out again after childbirth?

If you have had a natural birth, you have to wait between a month and a month and a half before resuming a sporting activity.

If you had an epidural, you will have to wait for two months.

Your body has had a lot of work to do, it needs rest in order to fully recover, so do wait for the time necessary so as not to put yourself in danger!

How do you prepare before getting back to it?

The first and most important thing to do is to begin with taking advice from your gynaecologist. Anyhow, you will have a postnatal visit scheduled about a month or two after giving birth, so wait for this appointment and ask your health professional before resuming physical activity.
Remember to stay well hydrated! You should drink between 1 litre and a half and 2 litres (3 - 3½ pints) of water a day.
Remember to re-educate your perineum if necessary before any sports session, it is very important if you want to avoid urinary leakage or even more serious, organ descent.

What type of sport for your life as a young mother?

After you have your appointment and your gynaecologist gives you the green light and you have re-trained your perineum if necessary, you can resume your sports training.

Of course, you need to start slowly!

Always give yourself a break day between each workout and favour short 20 minutes sessions.

Re-sculpt your figure while your little one is napping

You can regain your pre-delivery silhouette by practicing muscle strengthening, but don't pressure yourself!

The goal is to feel good about your body and to make it work gently to get back in shape, so don't focus on the result, but enjoy training.

Here are a few muscle strengthening exercises:

If you want your abs back, practice your core strength: get down on all fours with a straight back and then inhale gently contracting your stomach then exhale contracting your perineum. Repeat this exercise ten times!
To get top level bum and legs back, nothing’s better than squats: stand up with your legs apart parallel to your shoulders. Your arms should be stretched forward. Then, gently bend your legs while moving your bum back. Make sure you don't push your knees forward. Then return to your original position and repeat the movement. Keep your back straight and repeat the exercise 10 times.
Relieve your back, it has worked a lot for 9 months so here is an exercise to stretch it and strengthen your deep muscles. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Then slide your hands into the hollow of your lower back. Push your pelvis towards the ground as if you wanted to crush your hands with your back. Hold for 5 seconds, keeping well into position. Repeat this exercise 10 times!

Get back to cardio while enjoying nature

You will love the benefits of cardio! First of all, it allows you to burn calories, therefore fat. But there’s more! It also improves the quality of your sleep, reduces the risk of heart problems, bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Cardio also increases your lung capacity, which is really great for your health. And above all, it considerably reduces stress, which is not negligible when you are a young mother! Here are some cardio sessions to practice:

Walking: it seems obvious but it is above all important, walking is the best activity there is. Try to do it outdoors to optimise the benefits of this gentle sport that you can also do with your baby!
Running: a little more sporty, its benefits, such as joint strengthening and blood stimulation, will do you a world of good!
Cycling: this cardio sport also ensures better balance and, with a well-adapted baby seat, you will have a great family outing!

Let gentle sports into your life

So-called "gentle" activities can help you strengthen your abdominal and pelvic muscles, which are often weakened after birth. It also helps reduce back pain. By practicing these activities regularly, you will also increase your blood circulation and breathing, which is crucial for staying in good health. And don't forget that gentle exercising also allows you to relax and take care of yourself, which is important for your mental well-being. So why shouldn’t you try?

Pilates: this sport allows you to tone the muscles that are the most stressed during pregnancy and childbirth, in particular the perineum and the abdomen. In addition you can relieve your back pains and improve your posture. Pilates offers an effective method while being gentle on the body, which is perfect after giving birth.
Yoga : this sport will offer you the same benefits as Pilates and will also help you digest well.

These gentle sports are a perfect way to get back in shape while having time for yourself.

In short, resuming regular physical activity after giving birth is good for your health, but you must follow all these precautions to avoid brutalising your body. On top of exercising, don’t forget a healthy diet and, most of all, taking care of your mental health because postpartum is by no means insignificant!

So welcome back to sports, young mother! And if you want even more advice and support, try out Featness, our sports coaching application, 7 days free!

Publié le 03/04/2023