In the month of Mother’s Day, we’re starting a series of five articles on the MOVE blog that explores the training journey of our two amazing members, Annika and Ketter, during and after pregnancy. Through stories of their experience, we provide tips and tricks on how to exercise during pregnancy, resume training after giving birth, and how and when to find training opportunities with your baby.

Former athlete and teacher Annika is supported by MyFitness personal trainer Monika Kahro, who has many years of experience as a personal trainer and nutritionist. Monika’s daughter is just over a year old; trainer managed to remain active and athletic during pregnancy, and to this day.

Musician Ketter is supported by MyFitness personal trainer Ethel Igatt. a mother of 4 with 24 years of coaching and 10 years of nutritional experience. Ethel has successfully supported many women who have sought to regain their former physical form after pregnancy and childbirth.

PART II: “Permitted exercises and risks associated with training”

Ketter, how did you personally recover after giving birth?

My delivery ended in an emergency c-section; the recovery from it was physically more difficult than expected and the recovery period was longer. I received recommendations for movement upon leaving the hospital from a physiotherapist, a doctor and a midwife. I also tried to follow these recommendations at home. In addition, I was given a postpartum recovery booklet that also included workout information. This was all I knew about postpartum training.

The first important piece of information was that you should not exercise vigorously before the postpartum check-up (usually after 6-8 weeks). It is recommended to return to training as soon as the c-section scar heals. The phrase “you must not exercise vigorously” resonated with me and I was completely off the training wave for almost 8 weeks. In retrospect, I definitely could have started training the pelvic muscles and back muscles earlier.

What was the most difficult thing about it?

Remembering yourself is the most difficult thing, especially with the first child. Inevitably, the focus and thoughts are transferred to the child, and your own mental and physical well-being takes a back seat. For me, the seemingly easy activity of getting up from lying on my side both from the bed and from the couch turned out to be very difficult. Actually, you can practice a lot in advance already in the last weeks of pregnancy, when it is difficult to get up due to the big belly. After giving birth, I often forgot that getting up with a child in your arms is particularly difficult. Inevitably, I would get up, straining my abdominal muscles and occasionally hurting the wound. That always reminded me to take care of myself; it is the best for the abdominal muscles and self-healing.

What training and when did you start?

I started tightening my pelvic muscles after the first weeks. At some point, I started going for walks, at first for 10 minutes at a time. Gradually, I began to increase the time of the walk every day. I dared to do my first home workout from a 20-minute video. I only did this when the doctor gave permission. I still remember that first workout because even those 20 minutes seemed endless to me. During the training, my body did not bend and there was a general feeling of stiffness. By the eighth week, I felt constant pain in my back and lower abdomen. But as I moved more each day, I felt better and better.

Looking back, could you have done anything differently?

Looking back, I definitely commend myself for being able to do so much. I learned a lot from my first pregnancy. The pregnancy was exhausting for me, and in the second trimester I could only exercise a little. After that, it was just a walk for exercise. I understand that next pregnancies may be very different, either easier or physically more difficult. Expecting the next child, I would definitely like to be in the better shape. I would also ask for trainer’s help during this time to ease the pregnancy and to better prepare for the birth.

How have you developed as a result of working with a personal trainer?

I turned to a trainer with the goal of increasing muscle mass and regaining my old energy. My motivation was to increase my ability to care for my child. For me, this is the first experience of working with a trainer for such a long period. I have always considered myself an active person and liked strength training more. The trainer made me look at strength training in a completely different way. Many exercises can be done with your own body weight to tone your body.

The trainer gave me a lot of confidence and courage for the first training sessions after giving birth.

When the body was vulnerable, knew that it was safer to listen to a professional. I like that the trainer comes from my personal needs and abilities. I have improved much faster and I can already see changes in my body. If I had trained on my own, it would probably have taken much longer. Every mother knows how hard it is to find a time for yourself when you have a small child. After a month of training, I feel that my back and stomach pains have disappeared. I look forward to each training session!

Ethel, when do you start exercising after giving birth? Is there any specific period?

The postpartum period is a period when it is recommended to take time to recover. Your body deserves a rest after giving birth. The recovery period is individual for everyone. It depends on how much you exercised before you got pregnant and how the pregnancy went. Some may recover quickly, but for others it may take six months. You should definitely listen to your own body and feel free to ask for advice when you have questions.

It is recommended to start training no earlier than after six weeks. Before this, it is necessary to visit a doctor for a post-natal check-up. At first, caring for a child and walking is sufficient physical activity. Running should definitely be avoided in the first three months. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, which is a sign that the body has not recovered enough. It is better to strengthen the body with exercises, and only then return to running.

What exercises are most important for a mother after childbirth?

A few days after giving birth, you can begin to train the pelvic floor muscles. Also practice abdominal breathing with tension in the abdominal muscles, but only if there were no problems during childbirth. To restore the body, it is important to train the whole body, at a leisurely pace and without heavy loads.

Which is better – strength training or endurance training?

It is recommended to start gradually with different workouts. During pregnancy, as well as after childbirth, women often complain of back pain. The pain may be caused by weakened body muscles; they require calm training. Particular attention should be paid to training the muscles of the core.

What are the risks of postpartum exercise? Is there anything you absolutely shouldn’t do?

The most common problem in the postpartum period is diastasis recti – separation of the abdominal muscles. If the separation of is more than 2 cm, it is called diastasis. The usual complaint is a protruding tummy and an inability to suck it in. During the postpartum period, it is recommended to avoid heavy lifting. The simplest initial exercise for diastasis is abdominal breathing. Exercises that cause bloating should be avoided.

In case of diastasis, you should avoid various body and leg lifts, planks and twisting movements. You could start with abdominal breathing, and then tighten the muscles of the abdomen and pelvic floor. Depending on how you feel, you can gradually add in sit-ups with a fixed lower body. Diastasis can be quickly removed surgically, and it is also possible to reduce diastasis by exercising regularly. I would recommend regular training before and during pregnancy, as well as after childbirth. This will allow you to quickly recover after childbirth.

You can read the previous part of the series on the MOVE blog here >