LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF

Exercises

Leg slide

Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Put your hand in the small of your back, flat against the floor. As you breathe out, let your legs slide slowly forwards, bringing your knees closer to the ground. Then gently slide your legs up again.

Six weeks after the birth, when your GP has checked that you are fully recovered, join a postnatal exercise class. This is a really good way of making friends and keeping fit.

Pelvic rock

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. As you breathe out, rock your pelvis so that the small of your back flattens onto the floor. Then rock your pelvis again so that your back is lifted away from the floor.

Pelvic floor exercises

• Pull up around the vagina as if to hold in a tampon or to stop wetting yourself. Hold for a count of four and release. You should feel the difference when you let go.

• Repeat the exercise in batches of six or eight as often as you can during the day.

• As well as holding for a count of four, try doing some where you squeeze, release, squeeze, release quite quickly.

• Keep breathing normally throughout.

As soon as possible after delivery, start doing pelvic floor exercises. If you have stitches you will be sore, but the exercise will improve your circulation and help your perineum heal. Even if you have had a Caesarean, you still need to do your pelvic floor exercises.

Warning

• Start exercising very gently in the first few weeks after the birth.

• Never lie flat on your back and lift both legs in the air.