Babies tend to hinder the exercise routines of even the most hardened fitness fanatic so what hope is there for anyone starting an exercise routine after the baby has arrived?


If you are pregnant and you want continue to exercise, then the key is to adjust your goal so that your training is about maintaining fitness. If you haven’t been exercising and you wish to start then, as a general rule, if it feels good then it’s probably ok. Mum knows best and if mum’s not sure, she can always talk to her GP.


There are lots of gains to maintaining fitness during pregnancy. Exercise can improve your circulation, reduce swelling, help ease pain and shorten labour, control weight gain, and improve self-image.


The rule of thumb, once you’ve given birth, is that you need 6 weeks after a natural delivery and 12 weeks after a Caesarean section to give your body time to recover before you start exercising. Again, you should get the go ahead from your GP before starting.


Clearly, working out will help you ‘get back into shape’ (as Sarah said) but it will also help to improve your posture, and increase your stamina and energy levels. It will increase your metabolic rate and your self-confidence.


If you decide that having a new baby is hard enough for the time being, start your exercise programme by doing your pelvic floor exercises and move on from there.