This depends on two things: how you feel, and how fit you remained during pregnancy. If you were an avid exerciser before and during pregnancy, it’s safe to resume light activity – stretching or modified sit-ups, for example – within days of giving birth. Within a couple of weeks you should be able to return to your normal workouts. If you were a member of the couch potato club during pregnancy (hey, there’s no shame in it – you were pregnant!) then you’ll need to take it slowly for at least the first month. Of course, all this depends on how you feel physically; only you can judge what you’re ready for, and if you need more or less time to recuperate, that’s okay. There’s no hard and fast rule other than be careful and don’t push yourself too much. You may need more time if you’re recovering from a cesarean delivery than from a vaginal delivery. If you aren’t sure what’s okay, ask your doctor, because some physicians recommend waiting a full six weeks before beginning an exercise regime regardless of what type of delivery you had.
No matter when you start, it’s important to ease into a routine. You may be a little clumsy for a while; pregnancy loosens your joints and ligaments, and they will stay that way from three to five months, so be extra careful – the last thing you need right now is a sprain! Many gyms and community centers offer exercise classes for new moms (some even involve the baby … who says you need free weights?), so ask around.
Your body will tell you if you’re overdoing it physically. Obviously some muscle soreness can be expected when you exercise, but excessive soreness, or feeling drained and shaky when you finish a workout, is a sign that you should slow things down. Also, the lochia – the flow of blood from the vagina for the first few weeks postpartum – could restart or flow more heavily than usual, and this is a good indication that you’ve done too much.
Whether you’ve had a cesarean delivery or not, your abs still require special attention. Many women develop a gap in their abdominal muscles during pregnancy due to the rapid expansion of the belly (its technical name is diastasis recti). The gap isn’t serious or permanent, but it can remain from four to eight weeks after giving birth. If you try to do abdominal exercises that are too difficult before the gap closes, you run the risk of injuring your abs. To check your abs for signs that the gap is still there: