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Mothers of New Babies and Toddlers

Physical Activity

Find your Physical Activity Level

Are you a Competitive athlete?


If you are a competitive athlete and want to get back to the training schedule you had before you became pregnant, you should have a maximal aerobic capacity (oxygen consumption) test as soon as you feel ready to begin more intense training. The reasons are:

  • to establish the heart rate zones for your different types of aerobic and anaerobic training, and

  • to be sure that your aerobic capacity, anaerobic threshold, and your performance are improving.

You should probably repeat this test every 3 months during the first year after childbirth.

Make sure that you rest after the aerobic capacity test, since being tired will be your biggest problem during this time of breastfeeding and returning to training.  The important rule is to avoid overtraining. You need to track what you are doing and increase your training volume and intensity carefully.

Track your progress during the first 6 weeks!

  • Be physically active at least three times a week.

  • Begin SLOWLY and increase your activity gradually.

  • Make sure that the activity makes you feel good both during and afterwards.

  • If you had an episiotomy (stitches), you will need to wait for them to heal before you begin physical activity.

  • If you had a C-section you will need to wait for your stitches and your abdomen to heal before you begin physical activity.

  • Start slowly with abdominal exercises - if it hurts, you are not ready!

  • There should be NO pain from the activity you choose.

  • There should be NO heavy vaginal bleeding from the activity you choose.

  • Your baby's weight gain should be normal.

  • Your fluid intake must be high!

  • You must get enough rest!

  • Give yourself a day of rest between training days; this will ensure that you do not over train AND that you have enough energy for breastfeeding.

 

Stop any physical activity if you have any of these signs:

  • Heavy Bleeding
  • Pain
  • Breast Infection or abscess

You should also keep a detailed exercise log to note your:

 

    • Workload

    • Pulse rate

    • Rating of perceived exertion

    • Speed, strength, and skill

    • Level of fatigue

All of these should improve over time. If not, you may need to review and adjust your training schedule.

Your Mothers in Motion Healthy Habits Log will help you to track how you feel, especially during the first 6 weeks after childbirth. It’s always a good idea to be positive AND to be aware of any roadblocks to your success. Make sure you know:

 

  • Whether you are eating and drinking enough before, during, and after breastfeeding and physical activity;

  • Whether you are drinking the right amount of fluid during physical activity to maintain and produce the correct level of breast milk;

  • When the best "breast-time" is to be physically active;

  • When you have higher energy times of the day;

  • If there are any physical activities that leave you too tired or sore in the 24 to 36 hours afterwards;

  • When you are ready to increase the intensity, duration, and type of your physical activities; AND

  • What you need to do to make sure you have physical activity time for yourself every day!

 

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