Introduction
After giving birth, many women quickly feel the desire to become active in sports. Especially jogging is popular, either to return to your own desired weight or because this sport was already one of the most popular ones before pregnancy. However, before resuming jogging after the birth, it is important to make sure that the body has had enough time to recover from the birth.
Therefore, lighter sports for a gentle return to work are initially a better and gentler alternative to jogging. Recovery exercises should also be performed to strengthen the pelvic floor. This helps to prepare for impact forces, such as those that occur when jogging, when training is resumed.
When is the earliest I can go jogging again after the birth?
The birth of a child is an energy-sapping event for the body, which subsequently requires a sufficiently long rest and regeneration phase. This applies equally to natural childbirth and birth by caesarean section. Depending on the gynaecologist or midwife’s advice, there are different times when it is recommended to resume sports activities.
This also depends on the individual course of the pregnancy and the circumstances of the birth, for example whether birth complications occurred. It is therefore worth consulting your doctor before resuming jogging after the birth. In general, the recommendation is to practice recovery and strengthening exercises before starting training.
Light running training, which includes faster walking or jogging, should be started at the earliest six weeks after a natural birth, and two weeks later in the case of a caesarean section. Jogging should not be started until two to three months after birth at the earliest due to the higher demands on the body. Here too, the possible start of training after a caesarean section is scheduled somewhat later in order to avoid putting too much strain on the scar tissue.
However, every woman who has recently had a child should first and foremost listen to her own body and know its limits and not be disappointed if, in individual cases, resuming jogging only seems sensible at a later date. Each body demands its own, different long recovery phase. and losing weight after pregnancyThe time specifications to wait at least six weeks before starting a light running training and not to resume jogging earlier than two months after birth are medical recommendations and should not be undercut.
In individual cases, the waiting period before resuming jogging may be even longer. However, this should not be met with impatience or incomprehension; after the exhausting event of a birth, every body needs a different amount of time to regenerate. Especially when jogging, strong impact forces are at work, which can be a strain on the pelvic floor or possible episiotomy or caesarean scars.
The trunk muscles are also strained when running. It is therefore recommended to practice recovery exercises and pelvic floor training. Gentle exercises for the back, for example through Pilates or yoga, can also slowly strengthen the body again and prepare it for later more intensive training sessions, such as jogging, and reduce the risk of injury. The stronger the body becomes through such exercises, the sooner you can start jogging again.
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