When Noah was two months old I decided it was time to slowly get back into exercising and eating a bit healthier (see my previous post about the Mindful Chef recipe box). After my first baby Maia was born I purchased the Sweat app and did Kayla Itsines’s BBG 1 & 2 to get back into shape at home with minimal equipment. I waited until I was four months post-partum to make sure I didn’t jump back into high intensity training too quickly, giving my core and pelvic floor time to recover. I really liked the app, it’s expensive but it’s easy to use and has several different types of programmes for different fitness levels to choose from. It also has diet plans but to be honest with you, I’ve never tried them (since I don’t really cook). I was very happy with my results but then I fell pregnant again and stopped using the app because it didn’t have a pregnancy programme. I could have just modified the workouts but I generally feel safer to follow specific pre- and postnatal programmes. A lot happens in our bodies during pregnancy and birth and I wanted to be careful not to cause any damage. After her own pregnancy and postpartum journey, Kayla created a post pregnancy programme which I was eager to try after my baby boy was born!
It was mid-March and Noah was 8-weeks old when I started. The programme has two 15/20-minute resistance workouts and two 35-minute LISS (Low Intensity Steady State, walking in my case) and a recovery stretching session per week. The resistance circuits were split into upper and lower body exercises, complemented by post partum safe core exercises. There were also optional, additional workouts such as the “lower back relief” which I did from time to time because of the strain on my back from carrying my baby (and toddler). The resistance workouts start with mobility exercises to warm up followed by two circuits. They seemed very easy and yet I found them hard!! I was so knackered from the lack of sleep and my body felt tired and weak. My second pregnancy had not been as active and fit as the first one and I could really feel the nine months without weight training as lack of strength. But it felt great to gently move my stiff and aching body and because the workouts were so gentle, I didn’t feel overwhelmed or discouraged and stuck to the programme. Although I did repeat week 5 twice first because I hurt my hip and then because I was so crippled with lack of sleep (Noah’s sleep regressed at 3-months notably) I didn’t feel like I completed the weekly programme properly. I’m a perfectionist, what can I say! I remember feeling a bit like I was cheating because the workouts didn’t leave me panting and sweaty but I think one of the best merits of following a post pregnancy programme is that it forced me to take it slow and gradually build up my strength. If you have the willpower to listen to your body, good for you! I would have probably just gotten carried away and done too much too soon!
After six weeks I remember noticing a shift in pace – the circuits started to incorporate more equipment like dumbbells, a resistance band and a fitness ball, and the intensity was going up too. Breaking a proper sweat felt great! I started doing more of the optional workouts adding the full body resistance workout to my weekly plan. I was also using my ankle weights during my pram walks more frequently. I started feeling more like the old me again. 😊
Overall I think this programme is great for getting back into exercise after pregnancy. However it doesn’t provide any information on the many postnatal issues women may face such as abdominal separation, pelvic floor weakness, prolapse etc. nor does it provide targeted exercises to rehabilitate these issues. I would highly encourage all women that have given birth to do exercises – or ideally follow a programme – designed to strengthen and rehabilitate the core and pelvic floor (I did a programme from Nordic Fit Mama). For me these two programmes were complimentary and now I feel ready to resume “normal” training.
I took the above picture a few weeks ago when I felt that my clothes had started to fit better. Weight loss has never been my primary goal but I did want to (eventually) fit comfortably into my clothes again. Out of curiosity I weighed myself and I must admit I was happy to discover I’d lost the whopping 15kg I gained during Noah’s pregnancy. I’ll continue to take progress pictures because although I’m not trying to lose weight, I do want to tone up and eventually rebuild some muscle too. It’s important to note that I don’t think my weight loss can be credited to this programme, but instead it’s the slightly healthier diet and breastfeeding which mainly helped me lose the baby weight. But of course physical activity supported it.
The Sweat 6-week challenge started today and I joined Kayla’s BBG challenge as a beginner. I’m so excited!! I really wanted to join this challenge which is the only reason why I’m skipping the last two weeks of the 12-week Post Pregnancy Programme. The BBG programme has three 28-minute minimal equipment workouts per week, consisting of four 7-minute circuits, designed to be done at home. I wanted to do one of these today but annoyingly I picked up a stomach bug and did not sleep well at all and woke up feeling very weak. In the afternoon I felt better and I went for a 2-hour walk with Noah and did one of the stretching sessions at home. Hopefully tomorrow I can get started with the resistance workouts!
Wish me luck!
xoxoxo,
Sini
Thanks for your honest review of the programme. I’m looking at options for exercise after baby number 2 too due soon. Before I get the programme, can you please tell me what exercise equipment you think I need to acquire e.g if dumbells what size do you recommend?
Hi Ginny! Glad you found it useful! As far as I remember, I didn’t use dumbbells for this programme, or if I did it was towards the end. It starts with body weight only, and then moves on to using resistance bands which I found a really good way to start adding resistance to the exercises. So I would definitely get those 🙂 I think I also used my fitness ball, which I’d used as the birthing ball. I only have one set of 4kg dumbbells and that was enough for my strength level, but of course you should choose whatever weight is appropriate for you. But as mentioned, you can get far in the programme before you need anything more than a band. Good luck!! xx