WATCH the short post-pregnancy Q and A I did with Dr. Jill Gamberg from Double Bay Doctors. (Be sure to ALWAYS listen to your own medical carer’s advice first and foremost.)

ANNA: When can new mothers return to low impact exercises?

DR. JILL GAMBERG: New mothers can return to low impact exercises at around 6-8 weeks. If the delivery was complicated or there were any birth injuries, recovery time may be longer, and the return to exercise may be delayed.

It is important to check with your GP, midwife, physiotherapist or obstetrician before returning to exercise after childbirth. Mothers who have issues with incontinence, or develop incontinence once re-starting low impact exercises, should seek professional help before continuing.

There are general guidelines from the Australian Continence Foundation to follow to help plan your return to post childbirth fitness:

1. 0-3 weeks after delivery:

   1. gentle walking

   2. abdominal muscle bracing (tightening your abdominal muscles without movement)

   3. pelvic floor exercises

1. 6-8 weeks after delivery (wait until your six-week doctor/midwife check before starting a group exercise program or going back to the gym):

   1. walking

   2. low impact aerobics or post-natal classes

   3. low intensity water aerobics class and swimming (once vaginal bleeding has stopped)

   4. gym program (light weights)

   5. abdominal muscle bracing

   6. pelvic floor exercises

1. 8-12 weeks after delivery:

   1. follow the same guidelines for 6-8 weeks, gradually increasing your intensity and weights

   2. progress your postnatal abdominal muscle bracing

   3. continue pelvic floor exercises

1. 12-16 weeks after delivery:

   1. consider seeing a women’s health physiotherapist for abdominal and pelvic floor muscle testing before returning to high-impact exercise, running, sport or abdominal exercise programs

1. 16 weeks and more after delivery:

   1. you may be able to return to previous activity levels IF your pelvic floor muscles have returned to normal and you are not experiencing any back pain, vaginal heaviness, or urinary incontinence during or after exercise

Anna Kooiman of Strong Sexy Mammas interviews Dr. Jill Gamberg about the following:

1. Why exercise is beneficial for mom & baby?

2. How much exercise do we need each week?

3. No contact sports or those that risk falling— but does that include things like bike riding & snow skiing?

4. Avoid hot Pilates and hot yoga.... or exercising in hot & humid outdoor conditions.... why?? And does this also mean we should stay out of the sauna, steam room, & hot tub?

5. How intense should we exercise? Why do we use RPE & talk test rather than heart rate?

6. How heavy or light should weights be for classes?

7. Why is it important to pay attention to our pelvic floor for both short term and long term health?

8. How can certain exercises help and hurt our chances of abs separation?

9. Old recommendations to stay off back completely.... have been replaced with something less strict- why? And how do we know if we should be conferenced and get off our back?

10. Is it okay to run and jump in pregnancy? How much? And how do we know if/when we should slow down?

11. Every women is different. Every pregnancy is different... what are some common aches/pains/issues to be aware of as it relates to exercise? (incontinence, pelvic pubic pain, round ligament pain, back pain, swelling, carpal tunnel)

12. Breathlessness... how do we know if it’s something to be concerned about?

13. Basic water & super quick nutrition tips?

Here’s something to ponder…. What if a traumatic labor and anxiety filled postnatal experience with your first child made you question if you even wanted to have another child? That’s how one of my friends (and Strong Sexy Mammas participants), Jo, felt for quite a while. But after a lot of soul searching and recovering, Jo and her husband are now the proud parents of a newborn baby boy, Finn. Jo’s inspiring story is so relatable. These stages of our lives are incredible in so many ways, but I think we can all relate that they can also be HARD as hell.

Jo and I were chatting on the phone last week about her labor experience and I was so inspired. I am only a couple weeks away from delivering my second child, a baby girl. I will definitely be using some of Jo’s tips during my own labor. Be sure to watch the video above to hear about the specific affirmations and visualizations that worked for her this time around.

Jo says she feels like she was able to ‘rewrite’ in her mind what birthing babies is all about. So impressed. This birth story gives me chills.

Jo is a participant in my Strong Sexy Mammas online workouts. You may recognize her from some of our Toned in 25 classes! Can’t wait to have her back in a month or two for more training sessions that offer prenatal and postnatal modificaitons.