Though you might worry you’re too busy with your new baby to focus on exercise, joining a postnatal exercise class can be a seamless addition to your routine that brings numerous benefits. In these classes, you’ll discover exercises tailored to strengthen your body after childbirth, addressing areas most impacted by pregnancy. But it’s not just about physical recovery; these sessions offer a precious opportunity to connect with other new parents who understand your journey.
Curious about how these classes can transform your postpartum experience? We’ll explore the range of benefits in the blog below.
Based in Horsham and looking for postnatal classes? At Bluecoat Sports, we offer a wide range of classes that allow you to kickstart your post-pregnancy fitness journey. Not only can you exercise and connect with other mums, but you can also bring your baby along with you.
Introduction to postnatal exercise
Before starting your postnatal fitness journey, getting the green light from your doctor is crucial. This is usually 6-12 weeks postpartum, depending on the type of delivery. Once you’ve got that approval, you can start your fitness regime.
Postnatal exercise classes are designed for your unique post-birth needs, focusing on strengthening the core, improving posture, and enhancing overall wellbeing. Joining postnatal workout classes offers more than just physical benefits; it’s also a fantastic way to meet other new mums navigating similar life changes. These mum and baby classes create a supportive community, making the journey back to fitness less daunting and more enjoyable.
The tailored approach of these classes ensures that you safely regain your strength and confidence. As you progress, you’ll notice improvements in your energy levels, mood, and physical health.
Physical benefits of postnatal exercise
As you start your postnatal fitness journey, you’ll notice significant physical benefits that can transform your post-pregnancy body and overall health.
Weight management
Postnatal exercise classes help you lose the weight you may have gained during pregnancy, focusing on restoring your body’s strength and balance. These classes are designed to enhance your overall physical wellbeing, targeting the abdominals, pelvic floor, and other pregnancy-related areas. The structured exercises, guided by expert instructors, ensure you move safely and effectively, maximising your efforts in every session.
Strengthening core muscles
Strengthening your core muscles offers profound physical benefits that extend beyond losing weight. Focusing on your abdominals and pelvic floor, in particular, is essential. These areas are significantly affected during pregnancy and childbirth, leading to a need for targeted exercises that foster recovery and rebuilding. You’ll work towards regaining your pre-pregnancy strength, improving posture, reducing back pain, and enhancing your body’s support system.
Posture improvement
Pregnancy and childbirth often lead to posture issues. However, engaging in targeted exercises, such as postnatal yoga and postnatal Pilates, can significantly improve your alignment and posture. By focusing on the affected muscle groups, you’ll regain strength and enhance your posture, making your day-to-day activities more comfortable and efficient.
These improvements come from exercises targeting the areas weakened by pregnancy and childbirth. As your posture aligns, you’ll notice a remarkable difference in how you carry yourself and your overall wellbeing.
Increased energy levels
You’ll likely notice a significant boost in your energy levels following regular exercise sessions. This isn’t just a coincidence; regular physical activity increases your stamina and reduces fatigue, especially in a postnatal exercise class.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that naturally elevate your mood and energy. Plus, engaging in a routine helps improve your sleep quality despite the unpredictable nights with a newborn.
Healing and recovery
Embarking on a postnatal exercise regimen can significantly hasten your physical recovery from childbirth, including healing after a C-section. You’ll:
- Regain abdominal strength lost during pregnancy
- Enhance pelvic floor recovery
- Improve overall physical wellbeing
These classes, designed with your unique postnatal challenges in mind, promote healing and provide a supportive community of new parents sharing similar experiences.
Psychological benefits of postnatal exercise
Beyond the physical advantages, joining postnatal exercise classes can significantly uplift your mental health.
Mental health
Engaging in postnatal exercise classes can mitigate symptoms of postnatal depression and anxiety, offering a mental health boost during the challenging postpartum period.
The combination of physical activity and social interaction plays a crucial role in enhancing your mental wellbeing, helping you navigate the complexities of motherhood with increased confidence and less stress.
Stress reduction
Participating in postnatal exercise classes can significantly reduce stress, offering you a much-needed mental break and a sense of accomplishment, channelling your energy into something positive and rewarding. Sharing experiences and support can alleviate feelings of isolation, further reducing stress levels. The guided exercises ensure that you’re not just physically active but mentally rejuvenated as well.
Improved sleep
Postnatal classes can also notably improve your sleep quality, even with the demands of caring for a newborn. Engaging in these classes helps regulate your sleep cycle by increasing physical fatigue, encouraging deeper sleep cycles and reducing night time awakenings. Additionally, these classes elevate mood and reduce anxiety, which lowers the time it takes to fall asleep and increases overall sleep duration.
Body image and self-esteem
Beyond the physical recovery, postnatal exercise classes boost your self-esteem and positively transform your body image after childbirth. When you look in the mirror, the changes to your body post-birth can sometimes be hard to embrace. Joining a postnatal class helps you see these changes in a new light. As you start to feel stronger, you’ll feel more confident in your skin.
Social benefits of postnatal exercise
Community and support
Joining postnatal exercise classes offers a community of parents who understand exactly what you’re going through. Sharing experiences and challenges with others in the same boat can provide a much-needed support system. This community aspect transforms your postnatal journey from a solitary path to a shared adventure, where laughter, empathy, and encouragement are just as integral to your recovery as physical exercises.
Shared experiences
In a postnatal exercise class, you’ll find a sense of camaraderie that’s hard to come by elsewhere. It’s not just about getting back in shape; it’s about connecting with others who understand exactly what you’re going through. These shared experiences can provide emotional relief and a sense of belonging during an overwhelming time.
Motivation and accountability
Beyond the shared experiences and the supportive community in postnatal exercise classes, you’ll also discover that the group setting significantly boosts your motivation and holds you accountable in your fitness journey. When surrounded by other new parents striving towards similar fitness goals, it’s easier to push through the tough days and celebrate the victories together.
How to get started
To start with a postnatal exercise regimen, you’ll first need to secure clearance from your doctor, typically around 6-12 weeks post-delivery, depending on your circumstances. Once you’ve got the green light, it’s time to find the right class that suits your needs.
Look for classes specifically designed for postnatal recovery, focusing on areas like the abdominals and pelvic floor most affected by pregnancy.
Before attending your first class, make a checklist of what you might need. This includes comfortable workout clothes, a water bottle, and any specific gear the class requires.
With the proper preparation and mindset, you’ll be on your way to regaining strength and balance in your body and mind.
The best classes for postnatal exercise
A wide range of class types are available to help improve your postnatal fitness. At Bluecoat Sports, we offer the following options:
- Buggy Fit: Perfect for new mums looking to ease back into fitness with their baby nearby. Friendly, supportive drop-in classes that focus on low-impact cardio, core strengthening, and toning exercises.
- Parent & Baby Balance: A unique blend of Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates that enhances flexibility and strength. It leaves you feeling centred and calm. Ideal for mothers with children aged 0-12 months.
- Parent & Baby Pilates: Specially designed exercises targeting the abdominals and pelvic floor. It supports postpartum recovery and is great for meeting other new parents.
- Waterbabes: Parent and Baby Drop-in: Encourages bonding while gaining confidence in the water. Fun, safe environment with toys and games. Suitable for babies aged 3 months to 18 months.
Join postnatal fitness classes in Horsham
Our expert-led postnatal classes in Horsham are designed to aid recovery, balance your body and mind, and focus on pregnancy-related areas. Focus on yourself alongside other new parents in a guided class catering to your postpartum needs.
Join our diverse range of post-natal classes and effective workouts today. View our class timetable online and book a place today.
