By Joseph Kato & Gillian Nantume.
There are many questions that come up every time a woman thinks of exercising after birth. While most new mothers would like to return to their pre-pregnancy body size and shape as soon as possible, it is important to seek advice on the right timing for exercise and whether one is fit to engage in strenuous physical activity, writes Joseph Kato and Gillian Nantume.
After giving birth, some mothers believe they are very delicate. Thus they fear to engage in any exercises including house chores. Certain mothers only wait to be served by the housemaid. The only work left for them to do is to breastfeed their babies.
In addition to having little or no exercise, some mothers also consume more food than they need. While it is true that mothers who have given birth should feed well, it doesn’t mean that you consume whatever comes your way.
Eating without following dietary guidelines could make you develop health complications like obesity or other heart illnesses.
When to start exercising
Dr Peter Ntege, a general practitioner at AAR City Centre, recommends that mothers who have had a normal delivery can start walking even after a few days. Walking enhances blood circulation and physical fitness.
However, he cautions women who have had a caesarian section not to engage in strong and strenuous workout. In this case, he recommends light exercises such as walking a few metres at least three days a week.
After six weeks, all mothers are expected to have regained their normal health status. Once this period of body rest has passed, a mother can engage in more serious exercises like walking for about 200 to 300 metres per day. Other activities that a mother could engage in are jogging, skipping and sit-ups.
Nevertheless, Dr Ntege explains, it is also important to assess or observe how you feel after you have engaged in a particular exercise. In case you feel some pain, then you should stop as soon as possible and consult your doctor. He says feeling pain could be a sign that your body hasn’t recovered from labour.
Before a mother engages in any workouts according to Dr Ntege, they should set targets. “After setting goals, they should consult doctors because pregnancies come up with different health complications. At times it can become fatal if a mother involves in a workout without a doctor’s consent,” he laments.
According to Paul Lutakome, a dietician at AAR Health Service says a mother who has had spontaneous virginal delivery (SVD) can start serious exercise after two or three weeks. Such mothers can engage in workouts like rope skipping, push ups, jogging, aerobics or walking.
However, it is not advisable for women who have arthritis condition or overweight women not to engage in rope skipping he says can cause joint problems.
Episiotomy is a surgical cut made at the opening of the vagina during child birth. This is usually done to aid delivery and prevent tissue rapture.
“In case you feel pain around the cut area, you should stop as soon as possible. This means you haven’t healed thoroughly,” he emphasizes.
Workouts help to burn calories that bring about weight gain or obesity. Obesity is when energy intake is exceeding expenditure. Lutakome advises mothers not to hurry to engage in sit ups. This is because sit ups can cause caesarian opening or other abdominal complications.
Conditions that hinder exercise
Dr Ntege says a mother who has given birth can be barred from workouts in case she has preeclampsia a disorder described by high blood pressure.
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