How naïve I was to think that once I had a baby, I’d take the normal 6 weeks and be back to working out and losing the baby weight in no time.
I kept hearing things like “Oh you’ll be cleared once you go to your doctor for your postpartum visit. Exercise, sex, you name it!”
That turned out to be wholeheartedly untrue. The more I dug deeper into physical recovery after birth, I learned that the whole 6-week thing is completely arbitrary. The cold hard truth is that everyone’s body and birth are different, so what may be for one person may not be for another.
I had a very long delivery and while it was drug-free, it wasn’t without its complications. Giuliana decided to come out sunny side up and I suffered two second degree tears because of it. They took much longer than I expected them to heal. After two months ticked by and I didn’t feel right yet (and I was, in fact, “cleared” by my OBGYN) I decided to enlist the help of a pelvic floor specialist.
My specialist (Rachel Parrotta, whom I highly recommend) was amazing and has helped me immensely—I so wish I would have decided to reach out to her sooner as I think maybe it could’ve sped up my recovery.
She agreed that rushing back into any type of crazy workout regiment, no matter how cleared I was, probably wasn’t a good idea. While we had to meet virtually given COVID, she was still so helpful with providing me with some great tools.
I learned about massage techniques and great workout methods to not only strengthen my pelvic floor but also practice deep core work that would set me on the right path going forward.
In addition to what Rachel suggested, I’ve also incorporated a much more regular Yin Yoga practice to really help with sore back and shoulder muscles due to breastfeeding.
See below my postpartum, post-baby, new mama workout routine. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s nurturing my new, still-healing body.
Revolution Motherhood: Rachel recommended this wonderful New York-based exercise program that has a useful online library with different types of exercises. I focused on the foundation’s practice that is uniquely tailored for the new mom to help heal any and all postnatal injuries. It also has great signature classes and on-demand videos with a fun mix of yoga, pilates and deep core work.
Walking: This goes without saying, but you just need to move your body. I’m extra cautious these days, so I take my neighborhood walks while wearing my mask. I also have a thin carriage cover to protect Giuliana when we’re out. Walking is great on its own, but even better when pushing a carriage up and down a hill. It’s a shockingly tough workout that I try to get in several times a week.
Yin Yoga: I was introduced to Yin Yoga years ago in California and have been a devotee ever since. You hold positions much longer, so your body is able to completely relax into a pose over several minutes. I’ve become a fan of Ritual’s Yin Yoga series that have longer one-hour videos and shorter 25, 30-minute ones. After every yin yoga session, I feel as if I got a massage and a warm hug.How naïve I was to think that once I had a baby, I’d take the normal 6 weeks and be back to working out and losing the baby weight in no time.