'Bouncing back is bullsh*t.' 5 things every new mum should know before returning to exercise.

Lining up my dumbbells and carefully laying out exercise mats, I prepared for another morning of teaching outdoor bootcamps overlooking the iconic Bondi Beach. 

As the girls signed into class, I recognised a face I hadn’t seen before. "Nice to meet you!" I exclaimed, "What’s your name?"

The lady introduced herself as Nicole* and I couldn’t help but notice her wrist was in a cast. 

While you're here, watch the horoscopes working out. Post continues after video.

"Oh no, what happened?" I asked. Nicole went on to explain that she had fractured her wrist after returning to exercise after the birth of her son. 

She had completed her six-week checkup with her GP who advised her that she had clearance to return to exercise. However, Nicole was used to doing high-intensity exercise classes up to five times a week so she assumed her six-week checkup meant she had the "all clear".

"What I didn’t know was that women can actually lose bone mass during breastfeeding so I wasn’t as strong as I thought I’d be," Nicole shared. "As a result, I ended up fracturing my wrist while doing pushups."

That same class, another woman (a mum of teenagers) explained to me that she couldn’t jump or do star jumps throughout the class. When I asked why, she jokingly said she might wet herself if she starts jumping up and down.

"Don’t worry," she said flippantly. "It’s normal once you’ve had a baby - you’ll understand when you have kids."

These were the first of what would become dozens of stories I would hear from mums who were scared of doing certain exercises out of fear of 'leaking', paired with the comment - "it’s totally normal".

Determined to uncover whether these stories were in fact 'normal', I completed a certification for personal trainers called Safe Return to Exercise which is aimed at educating trainers about how a woman’s body changes during pregnancy and how to help her safely exercise both before and after birth.

Thanks to this course, I not only discovered that pelvic floor muscles can be overactive (painful sex history, anyone?) as well as weak, but I learnt a hell of a lot more that they definitely don’t teach you in the birthing ward.

Here are the five things that every mum should know before returning to exercise post baby.

1. Your six-week checkup isn’t enough.

If you’re in Australia, you will most likely receive a six-week postpartum checkup with your GP, obstetrician or midwife. This is a great opportunity for new mums to raise any issues they may be facing, but because there are so many details that need to be checked off (like how your new tiny human is developing outside of the womb), there usually isn’t time to go into all the ins and outs of how your body might cope when you return to exercise. 

Plus, the Australian Journal of General Practice recommends waiting until 12 weeks postpartum to return to high-intensity exercise starting, "Tissue recovery can take four to six months postpartum, well beyond the traditional six-week postpartum review. Caution needs to be taken to ensure an individualised and gradual return-to-exercise program with consideration given to medical history, exercise history, and complications during pregnancy and birth."

Therefore, receiving 'medical clearance' at your six-week checkup seems a little too soon, doesn’t it?

2. Seeing a women’s health physio is a MUST.

We’ve all heard about gynaecologists, obstetricians and midwives as part of the pregnancy and birthing journey, but who knew there was a type of physiotherapist specifically trained in the pelvic health area? 

Often referred to as 'women’s health physios' or 'pelvic health physios' these allied health practitioners are often the missing link between giving birth and returning to exercise. When I think back to the mum of teenagers who told me she’d been experiencing leakage since her first child, I only wish she could have received support sooner.

3. Abdominal separation is just one measure.

While many women will experience some form of superficial abdominal separation after giving birth, the true impact of growing a living human inside you over the course of 40 weeks can be experienced in the innermost layers of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. The pressure on these muscles and the female body’s ability to adapt is incredible, but it’s important to know that it may take a while for your body to rebuild its strength - especially on the inside.

If your GP or trainer is only checking for abdominal separation, you could be missing out on extremely important information like whether you have experienced some form of pelvic organ prolapse. The solution? Get checked out by your local women’s health physio just to be sure.

4. Getting your 'pre baby body' back is bullsh*t.

Too many women feel pressured to 'bounce back' or 'lose the pregnancy kilos' when in reality this type of thinking can be detrimental to a mum’s emotional and physical health. Mums who are breastfeeding, sleep deprived and raising a tiny human need to feel supported throughout this process and the goal to 'get back to how they were before having a baby' needs to go straight in the bin.

Listen to Me After You. In this episode, you’ll be hearing from comedian Veronica Milsom who realised how confronting it can be when your body changes. Post continues below.

5. Movement should be tailored to YOU.

The problem with mass produced workout plans and commercial gyms is that the majority of training comes from a 'one size fits all' approach. Each mother’s birth story is unique to her and there is often some kind of birth trauma that comes along with it - pair that with a gym style HIIT class that is also catering to 30 other members is probably not the best option for new mums.

Finding a local trainer who has received a Safe Return to Exercise certification and understands the contraindications during pregnancy and is able to provide safe exercises and support for new mums. 

As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to ensure women are looked after as they navigate the world not only as a mum, but with a body that deserves the same care and attention as the tiny human she gave birth to.

Feature Image: Supplied.