Postpartum Workout Gear Every Mom Needs for fitness at home and on-the-go
Hey mama! I know you’re ready to get back to exercising after baby again.
You might be feeling:
A little stir crazy after the early postpartum phase and ready to move your body
Wanting to get back to exercise after baby but no idea where to start OR
Trying to figure out the logistics of postpartum exercise when you’ve got a baby AND a toddler
Wherever you find yourself on your postpartum fitness journey (even if you are several months postpartum) I’ve got you!
As a pelvic floor physical therapist in New Orleans (and serving mamas everywhere), I’m an expert in healing your core and pelvic floor from things like:
Pelvic heaviness (also called pelvic organ prolapse )
Perineal tearing
Diastasis rectus abdominus
Leaking when you sneeze, jump, or run (if you’ve even tried those things yet)
General Pelvic floor weakness after pregnancy and birth
KNOW THAT IT WONT ALWAYS BE THIS WAY!!
I know as an active mama, you NEED to get moving again just for your mental health
AND as a mama of 2 under 2, trust me when I say I get it- postpartum recovery can be rough, and when you’re ready to get moving, it can feel impossible to know where to start.
I hate to break it to you, but 45-minute uninterrupted gym workouts aren’t happening for most of us!
Thats why I recommend to ALL my postpartum clients to keep a basic kit of exercise supplies at home, so when you have 20 minutes (or 15, or even 7!), you can get moving ….at least until baby wakes up or toddler loses interest in Ms Rachel 😛
The items I recommend today are great for so many reasons:
They work in a small space- no garage gym necessary
They can (mostly) go with you to the park
They travel well!
In addition, they are carefully chosen to specifically address the common problems in pelvic floor and function postpartum
Alright mama- these are the SIX essential postpartum exercise equipment items I recommend.
The only workout gear you need to get back to exercising postpartum
1.Mini Bands
These Mini Bands are the GOAT for postpartum exercise. The elastic resistance works differently than just weight - and forces your muscles to stabilize your joints while moving through an exercise.
Stability exercise postpartum is crucial, because you still have more joint hypermobility (loosely goosey joints) from pregnancy hormones, and this continues to be the case while breastfeeding.
Besides all the amazing reasons I love them as a pelvic floor physical therapist for postpartum, I LOVE mini bands because they are so easy to keep in the stroller and around the house when you have short opportunities for movement (eg, a mini workout at the park while you watch your toddler)
And they are the number one piece of postpartum workout gear that I travel with .
2. Pilates ball
for many of the same reasons above, a Pilates ball is a great postpartum exercise item to keep on hand. When you master some of the basic core and pelvic floor exercises like bird dogs and marches, you can add a Pilates ball to make it more challenging.
3. Long resistance bands
Long resistance bands may seem unnecessary if you have the mini bands , but there are a few exercises for postpartum recovery that work best with a long, free-ended band. you’ll be glad to have these in your kit!
note: these are different than the thicker, long loop rubber bands . Those are great to have on hand too, but for early postpartum exercise, I prefer these long, flat, open ended latex bands.
4. Yoga mat
I’m not sure what it is about a nice yoga mat, but it sure does motivate me to do my postpartum pelvic floor exercises (look even as a pelvic PT I’ll be honest they do get boring sometimes!).
Treat yourself to a nice one that is light weight and travels well!
this one from Manduka is sticky so you won’t slide even in socks. It is thinner, but very light so you can take it with you on trips and to the park (or get your partner to watch the baby so you can make it to 7am sunrise yoga 🙃)
5. Light-medium weight dumbbells
Light -medium weight dumbbells are the next step in building your pelvic floor strength postpartum once you have established a strong foundation.
“Light” is relative , but I like something anywhere from 8-15 lbs here. If you are experienced with strength training, something heavier may be appropriate here, but remember that when it comes to postpartum exercise, you really can’t under-do it, at least at the beginning.
No matter how much you trained before birth, your pelvic floor and core need to rehab before you get back to more athletic ventures.
(and if you do plan to run or get back to competitive lifting postpartum, I HIGHLY recommend working with a pelvic floor physical therapist to come up with a rehab plan and progressive fitness that helps you meet your goals while healing your pelvic floor postpartum)
6. Heavy Dumbbells
Heavy Dumbbells will be for later on in recovery, but you definitely want to have them on hand once you get about 6 weeks postpartum, because this is where we start building back real strength.
Obviously, a heavy weight for you now may be “light” or moderate later on, but you can always buy the next size up (besides, weights are expensive!)
Start with one set, and celebrate your progress later by buying more sets.
by the way, if you’re ok with mismatched sets, you can often find dumbbells on Facebook marketplace! Search secondhand first, then consider buying new🥰
You got the gear…now what?
You got your postpartum workout gear and you’re ready to go! Now what? How do you know if you’re ready to exercise postpartum? How do you progress back to the things you loved pre-pregnancy, like running, lifting, or barre class?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors:
How far along postpartum you are
Your birth experience (complications, birth trauma, etc)
Your pre-birth and pre-pregnancy fitness level
Your goals
As a pelvic floor PT, I recommend that you rebuild your core and pelvic floor from the ground up with a gradual, progressive strengthening program.
Read: that “all-clear” from theOBGYN at 6 weeks does NOT mean you should do nothing for 6 weeks then jump back in to running, boot camp, or CrossFit.
If you’re beyond 6 weeks postpartum, This blog post can help you with a few exercises to get started.
If you’re very early postpartum (<6 weeks) I’ve got exciting things coming your way!
Make sure you check out my freebie: Rest, breathe, begin: a guide to early postpartum recovery
includes exercises with video demos that you can start from DAY ONE!
Begin rebuilding your core and pelvic floor from the ground up , whether you had a vaginal or a cesarian delivery
Sign up for the wait list to be the first to know about my 0-12 week Early Postpartum Recovery program (which is a great place to start WHEREVER you are in your recovery). It’s launching soon and it’s going to be sooooo good! If you’re on the wait list you’ll have first dibs and access to early bird discounts, bonuses, and more!
Need more help with postpartum pelvic floor recovery and getting back to exercise after baby?
In this blog, we’ve talked about some of the best postpartum workout gear. They are a GREAT start to your postpartum recovery and return to exercise plan, but you may need more help to be able to get back to exercise after baby, especially if you are dealing with:
Postpartum pelvic pain
Prolapse
Urinary incontinence
Diastasis rectus abdominus (separation of the abs)
Low back pain
This is where pelvic floor physical therapy comes in.
Pelvic floor physical therapists can help you diagnose the problems you’re experiencing, and come up with an individualized exercise plan (that may include some of the above exercises) catered to your specific problems, needs, lifestyle, and goals.
I am a pelvic floor physical therapist in New Orleans specializing in pregnancy, postpartum, and fertility. i also provide virtual sessions to mamas everywhere.
I’d be happy to support you in this postpartum journey mama - please reach out!
BTW - Hi!!!
I’m Dr. Jackie Joy, a New Orleans Pelvic Floor Therapist and fertility coach. Think of me as your preconception to postpartum bestie.
If you’re looking for more support on your fertility, pregnancy , or postpartum journey - whether that’s to understand your pelvic floor and how to keep it healthy during this season of new motherhood, fueling your body’s nutrition needs as you grow your family, how to exercise during and post-pregnancy, or preparing and recovering from birth, I’m your girl!
Next on your reading list …
Check out these other blog posts you may enjoy for everything postpartum!
