Your little treasure has arrived and you are finally home. The postpartum period is going according to plan and your baby is developing beautifully. You may already notice that your body has changed. This is a good time for you to start thinking about postnatal recovery.
Your body has done something wonderful: it was home to a little person for nine months. It provided him with everything he needed and brought him into the world. That was an outstanding achievement! From you and your body! Of course, everything feels new now and your body is different too. So that you feel comfortable in your body again, you should definitely think about regression. It ensures that muscles and organs return to normal and that all bodily functions remain intact.
Why postnatal recovery is so important
Postnatal recovery is not just about getting your old figure back. The focus is on your pelvic floor, abdominal and back muscles. Of course, other exercises are also included, but these three parts of your body are under enormous strain during pregnancy. Please give yourself and your body enough time and don't put yourself under pressure. Your baby doesn't care when and if you regain your old weight. Your whole body has changed and many women realise that their old clothes no longer fit them after pregnancy.
"Even two years after the birth of our son, I still have two kilos more than before the birth. But even if I lost those two kilos, my old trousers would no longer fit me."
Julia, mum of Paul
The uterus actually regresses all by itself. During the puerperium, it returns to almost its original size and then weighs around 50 to 70 grams again.
If, like me, you had a caesarean section, the uterine involution process is slightly different. The incision with the scalpel through the uterus alone means that the uterine involution takes longer. The incision has to heal and primary wound healing delays the process somewhat. But don't worry, you just need to give yourself a little more time.
And this is what happens when you neglect regression
Many women neglect postnatal recovery after pregnancy. Maybe because they don't have the strength, maybe because they don't think it's necessary. I would now like to tell you my own personal story and explain why you should take time for postnatal recovery.
I gave birth to our son by caesarean section. Even in hospital, I had the feeling that I was in more pain than other mothers who had given birth by caesarean section. When I got home, I practically forbade myself to have a postnatal period. I wanted to take full care of our son, do the housework and go shopping. I didn't give a thought to regression.
Incontinence and rectus diastasis after childbirth
About six months after the caesarean section, I attended a postnatal course. Because of my rectus diastasis, I couldn't do many exercises and had to talk to my midwife about alternatives.
When we were on holiday nine months after the birth, I noticed that I still looked like I was five months pregnant. My belly got rounder and rounder as the day went on and by the evening it was so round that I feared the other holidaymakers would congratulate me on my pregnancy.
Incidentally, I hadn't done the exercises from the postnatal course once at home. And that was a big mistake. Because around 18 months after the birth, a friend drew my attention to my rectus diastasis. I hadn't realised that it was still there, because I thought that the postnatal period would somehow progress on its own.
But again, I didn't realise what the consequences could be. That's how I ended up sitting in a waiting room at the doctor's almost two years after giving birth with urine dripping into my knickers. How did this happen?
Because I didn't take care of my recovery, the gap between the abdominal muscles couldn't close. As a result, I had no tension on my abdominal muscles. This - and the fact that I hadn't done anything else - had an effect on my pelvic floor. So not only did I have a solid rectus diastasis, I was now also incontinent.
Today, my pelvic floor is at least firm enough that I am no longer incontinent. I am still struggling with rectus diastasis and have to continue to actively regress and do regular regression exercises.
Why you should only start six weeks after the birth
Perhaps my personal story will spur you on to start your postnatal training promptly. If you have given birth spontaneously and do not have a birth injury, you can attend a postnatal course around six to eight weeks after the birth. In general, you should speak to your midwife or gynaecologist. And of course you should listen to your own body feeling. If you don't feel fit enough yet, then wait a little longer.
If you had a caesarean section, the scar has to heal completely first. I had various other problems (ISG loosening, shoulder pain) that prevented me from even starting a postnatal course. Most midwives recommend waiting about eight to ten weeks and then doing a postnatal course.
Are you looking for suitable clothing for sports and breastfeeding? Then elaja is perfect for you.
You want to slowly get your body back into shape and build up the muscles that were strained during pregnancy and childbirth. That's why we would like to offer you the breastfeeding and sportswear from elaja which was specially developed for mothers.
The nursing and sportswear is not only functional, but also stylish and comfortable. It has been perfectly tailored to the needs of young mums and offers you the necessary comfort and support during training.
You can breastfeed your children discreetly and comfortably without having to change clothes. The tops from elaja are made from a breathable material that absorbs sweat quickly and keeps you cool and dry during training.
The sports trousers also offer plenty of comfort and freedom of movement. They are made from a soft and stretchy material that moulds to your figure and allows you to move freely. The trousers also offer you light support in the tummy area to help you with your recovery.
Overall, the sportswear is not only functional, but also stylish. The colours and designs are modern and make you a real eye-catcher not only during training, but also in your free time.
Save money with our discount code: Emergency midwife10. You get 10% discount.
What is trained during regression?
A postnatal course is primarily about your body's holding and supporting apparatus and, of course, about rebuilding the pelvic floor. You will learn how to feel your pelvic floor and how to tense, hold and strengthen it. Training the pelvic floor is essential and ensures that incontinence does not occur later on.
Postnatal gymnastics slowly but steadily rebuilds and strengthens the back and abdominal muscles. Additional postnatal exercises for the shoulders and neck strengthen and relax these areas. As a mother, these areas will be under a lot of strain over the next few years.
How long does regression take?
As already mentioned: take your time and set yourself small goals. The purpose of regression is to strengthen your body again. It is not intended to make you lose weight. My midwife once told me that postnatal recovery lasts as long as the pregnancy. This is by no means a guideline, but it should show you that your body does not recover from pregnancy "overnight". For some women it takes longer, while others recover quickly.
If you have had a caesarean section, the recovery will take a little longer. As mentioned above, the uterus needs more time to return to its original size. But you also need to take it easy for a little longer after a caesarean section. You should not lift anything heavy for the first four to six weeks. Physical exertion and sport are prohibited in most cases.
It depends entirely on you and your body when the regression is complete. You decide what you can expect and how much strain you can put on your body.
How often do I have to do the exercises?
In the postnatal course, your midwife will show you postnatal exercises for your pelvic floor, abdominal and back muscles, as well as for the neck and shoulder area. You should repeat these exercises at home. Start small and train once at home in addition to the course. Increase slowly until you are doing some exercises at home three to four times a week.
Health insurance usually pays for one postnatal course per pregnancy. However, if you have lasting problems, you can also apply for another course. My health insurance company even paid for physiotherapy to treat my rectus diastasis and incontinence.
Postpartum recovery?
Before you start with smaller exercises in the postnatal period, please take your time to arrive at home. Don't put yourself under pressure, other things are more important at the moment.
If you then want to start your postnatal recovery, you should also differentiate here: did you give birth spontaneously or did you have a caesarean section? It is also important that your uterus has completely regressed. Incidentally, this is partly due to the afterpains.
Ask your midwife if and when you can start with some small postnatal exercises in the postnatal period. If your midwife gives you the go-ahead, you can start with awareness exercises around three weeks after the birth. This will give you a better feeling for your pelvic floor again.
If you can feel your pelvic floor well and perhaps even tense it slightly again, you are ready to intensify the exercises. You can also tense your abdominal muscles a little for this.
BUT BE CAREFUL: No sit-ups! Postnatal recovery is not about your fitness, but about getting a feeling for your pelvic floor again. Your midwife must first check whether you still have a rectus diastasis. Only then can you start your general postnatal recovery.
TIP: No midwife? No place on a postnatal course? Our midwife Katharina has the solution for you: your online postnatal course.
What promotes regression?
As a general rule, you should not lift excessively heavy weights in the first few months after the birth. Make sure that you tense your abdomen and back well during physical exertion. If you still have rectus diastasis, you should avoid anything that strains the straight abdominal muscles. This means: turn to the left or right when sneezing, as well as when coughing. You should also always lift your child over your side. You should avoid sitting cross-legged and anything that tightens the pelvic floor too much.
Some midwives swear by the use of love balls or other pelvic floor trainers. In principle, there is nothing to be said against this, especially as most "training devices" can also be used together with your partner 😉 It's best to ask your midwife what she can recommend.
Regression with rectus diastasis
If you have been diagnosed with rectus diastasis, there are a few things you need to bear in mind in everyday life and during recovery. Training the straight abdominal muscles is not good for you and should be avoided. Of course, it is not possible to train only the lateral abdominal muscles. Nevertheless, you should try to do everything "over the side": if you are lying on the floor, roll onto your side first and then stand up. As mentioned above, you should also sneeze and cough sideways. Your midwife will show you all the exercises that help to close your rectus diastasis in the postnatal course.
What sport after postnatal recovery?
You will notice when you feel comfortable in your body again and when your pelvic floor is fit again. If you then feel like exercising again, there's really nothing to stop you. If you were already very active before the birth, you can try to slowly get back to your level. Beginner programmes that gradually increase are suitable for those who don't like sport.
Recovery after pregnancy is extremely important because your body also needs to recover. Many muscles have been used differently and very heavily. So give yourself and your body enough time.
