Labor and delivery, postpartum care

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Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started

Exercise after pregnancy can help you feel your best. Consider the benefits of exercise after pregnancy, plus ways to stay motivated.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Exercise might be the last thing on your mind after you give birth, but it's worthwhile. In fact, exercise after pregnancy might be one of the best things you can do for yourself. Follow these tips to keep exercise after pregnancy safe.

Benefits of exercise after pregnancy

Regular exercise after pregnancy can:

  • Promote weight loss
  • Improve your cardiovascular fitness
  • Restore muscle strength
  • Condition your abdominal muscles
  • Boost your energy level
  • Improve your mood
  • Relieve stress
  • Help prevent and promote recovery from postpartum depression

Better yet, including physical activity in your daily routine helps you set a positive example for your child now and in the years to come.

Exercise and breast-feeding

Exercise isn't thought to have any adverse effects on breast milk volume or composition, nor is it thought to affect a nursing infant's growth. Some research, however, suggests that high-intensity physical activity can cause lactic acid to accumulate in breast milk and produce a sour taste a baby might not like. If you're breast-feeding, you can prevent this potential problem by sticking to moderate physical activity and drinking plenty of fluids during and after your workout.

If vigorous activity is a priority during the first few months of breast-feeding, consider feeding your baby or pumping before your workout — which can also help you stay comfortable while you're exercising — or discarding any milk produced 30 minutes afterward. After months four to five of breast-feeding, physical activity has less of an impact on your milk since your body produces most milk at feeding time.

When to start

In the past, health care providers often instructed women to wait at least six weeks after giving birth to begin exercising. The waiting game may be over, however. If you exercised during pregnancy and had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, it's generally safe to begin exercising within days of delivery — or as soon as you feel ready. If you had a C-section, extensive vaginal repair or a complicated birth, talk to your health care provider about when to start an exercise program.

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References
  1. 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf. Accessed Dec. 7, 2010.
  2. Postpartum disorders. Mental Health America. http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/postpartum. Accessed Dec. 7, 2010.
  3. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. 2002;77:79.
  4. Ostbye T, et al. Active mothers postpartum: Rationale, design and baseline characteristics. Journal of Women's Health. 2008;17:1567.
  5. Groth SW, et al. New mothers' views of weight and exercise. The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 2008;33:364.
  6. Larson-Meyer DE. Effects of postpartum exercise on mothers and their offspring: A review of the literature. Obesity Research. 2002;10:841.
  7. Mottola M. Exercise in the postpartum period: Practical applications. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2002;1:362.
  8. Labor, delivery and postpartum care: Getting in shape after your baby is born. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp131.cfm. Accessed Dec. 7, 2010.
  9. Minig L, et al. Building the evidence base for postoperative and postpartum advice. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;114:892.
  10. Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
  11. Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Accessed Dec. 14, 2010.
MY00477 March 31, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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