Can You Use a Treadmill Postpartum?

Birth and pregnancy change your body, such as extra weight, loose skin, stretch marks, etc. In addition, they weaken your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. You welcome your child into the world and spend your first few weeks together bonding around the clock. But once you slowly start to get back to your routine, one of the things you'll probably crave most is exercise. Among the many pieces of fitness equipment available, the treadmill is a popular choice for home gyms. And thankfully, using it for workout postpartum is a great way to get your body back in shape and stay healthy. However, you should follow some specific guidelines to ensure your body is ready for the exercise, especially if it’s your first postpartum experience. So, in the following article I'll share with you some valuable tips you should consider as you prepare to hop back onto the running exercise machine or start a new workout routine postpartum!

What are the benefits of using a running exercise machine postpartum?
Apart from helping you restore your pre-baby body, there are many benefits to using a running exercise machine to exercise postpartum. First of all, running machine workout is suitable for your emotional and mental health. This is because it improves your mood and helps fight symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression. Another notable benefit of using a running exercise machine to exercise postpartum is that it allows pelvic floor and abdominal muscle groups to regain strength. These muscles are important since they provide balance and stability while performing daily activities and exercising. Better yet, postpartum running exercise machine workouts can prevent pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence in the future. Moreover, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists claims that using a running exercise machine to exercise postpartum can help with recovery by improving sleep and boosting energy, which is a good thing for a new parent. To sum up, using a running exercise machine to exercise postpartum will benefit you in various ways. But, more importantly, it’s a great way to take care of yourself after childbirth and encourages you to take better care of your newborn!

How soon can you start using a running exercise machine postpartum?
Running exercise machine training is an excellent way for women to build muscular, healthy bodies and clear their minds after having a baby. For that, you may be tempted to hop into your motorized treadmill after your obstetrician/gynecologist clears you at the 6-week postpartum checkup. However, your body will need about 6 more weeks to heal if you had a typical vaginal birth. In short, you’ll need 12 weeks before you can get back into more intense exercises like running on a running exercise machine. Note that the 12-week period is for new moms with a normal pregnancy and uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Therefore, your physical therapist or gynecologist may suggest waiting longer in case of a C-section delivery. The same applies to those with postpartum depression, perineal tearing, obesity before pregnancy, and excess scar tissue in their pelvic area.

However, just because you need to wait 12 weeks or more to get on the running exercise machine does not mean you can’t perform any exercise. Besides, being inactive may further delay your interest in returning to intense workouts. To avoid this, start an active training and recovery process 6 weeks postpartum by doing low-intensity exercises like yoga. Also, you can start walking at a slow to moderate pace for about 30 minutes a few weeks after delivery.

What are the postpartum running exercise machine workout tips?
In order for you to safely and effectively use a running exercise machine to exercise postpartum, follow these tips.

1. Give your body adequate time to recover from giving birth
As you know, your body goes a lot during delivery. Also, the breasts are more significant, putting more stress on your back. But, more notably, you have probably put on more weight compared to how you were before getting pregnant. Before you get into any workout routine, wait for about 6–12 weeks to allow your hormones to stabilize and your body to heal. Moreover, allowing your body to recover before getting into any exercise after birth helps prevent unnecessary injury.

2. Talk to your doctor first
Although you may feel ready to start exercising, it’s important to talk to your doctor first. The doctor may suggest you wait a few weeks before you begin exercising or even give you the green light right away. In some instances, your doctor may even suggest waiting until after the 6-week postpartum checkup. Whichever the case, always pay close attention to your doctor’s advice, especially regarding postpartum exercise.

3. Start slow
Start slow after getting the go-ahead from your doctor to start treadmill workouts. For instance, you can start with activities like a 15-minute running exercise machine walk at a slow pace. Also, you can put together a light yoga workout routine and do some body-weight squats. Once you’re comfortable doing short, light exercise without experiencing any pain, slowly increase the intensity and duration of your running exercise machine workouts. Avoid pushing your body too hard since you may end up injuring yourself, forcing you to wait for another 6-12 months before you can start exercising.

4. Incorporate pelvic floor exercises into your running exercise machine workout routine
Cardio workouts like running exercise machine running or walking don’t involve kegel (pelvic floor) exercise, yet they’re essential for your post-baby body. Therefore, it’s vital to incorporate them into your postpartum running exercise machine exercise routine. Pelvic floor exercises will gradually strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, helping you avoid pelvic organ prolapse and urine leakage. Plus, a strong pelvic floor will make your sex more enjoyable after pregnancy.

5. Wear the right nursing bra & running shoes
The bra you wear when training on a running exercise machine postpartum can be the difference between a painful workout experience and an enjoyable one. So, find a supportive bra that works well for you and offers more support than a regular running bra. Wearing a comfortable bra when performing postpartum exercise is particularly important if you have cracked nipples. In that case, you should look for a bra that is not too rough or tight to help you treat the nipples as gently as possible. More importantly, try exercising after nursing your little one so the breasts will not feel overly full. As for the running shoes, make sure they fit your postpartum feet before you start exercising; in addition, ensure they provide plenty of support or buy new ones if their soles are worn on the treads and around the sides.

6. Stay hydrated
Drinking water is one of the essential things when you’re exercising, especially considering you’re breastfeeding. This is because the body starts dehydrating while performing running machine workouts and other exercises. As a result, you may feel dizzy if you don’t drink water consistently during the workout. So, ensure you start hydrating as you walk, jog or run on the running exercise machine since it’s key to staying healthy after and during the exercise.

7. Eat a healthy diet
Although this tip isn’t directly related to running exercise machine workouts, nutrition plays a significant role in helping you lose postpartum weight. Besides, as a breastfeeding mom, it’s essential to follow a healthy diet for your little one. The diet should include healthy fats, lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, and lots of fruits. Also, increase your iron by eating iron-rich foods such as fish, meats, chocolate, and leafy greens. Similarly, increase your calcium intake by drinking milk. According to the National Academy of Sciences, breastfeeding moms should consume about 1000 milligrams of calcium daily.

8. Don’t push your body too hard
As you do running exercise machine workouts to get your pre-baby body back, ensure you set manageable, realistic goals. Most importantly, listen to your body to avoid beating yourself up. If you’re pushing yourself too hard, you’ll experience symptoms like; shaky muscles, prolonged soreness in the muscles, fatigue, and so on. Also, your morning heart rate will be much higher than the regular heart rate; if you’re experiencing any of those symptoms, rest and take a break from exercising for a few days.

Using a treadmill postpartum is a smart choice for you. It will help promote your physical and mental health, while strengthening your support muscles and getting your postpartum body back in shape. I hope the postpartum running exercise machine workout tips I listed above will help you get back in shape faster than expected!