Postpartum Exercise Stages for People Who Had Vaginal Delivery

 Stage I Exercises

• After the birth, wait a few minutes by the bedside with the legs hanging down before standing up,
• Contract your abdominal, hip, and pelvic floor muscles when you first stand up and walk,
• Do deep breathing (Figure-1), foot exercises (Figure-2), back muscle contraction exercises (back contracting towards the ground), kegel exercises, and pelvic tilt (Figure-3).

Figure 1- Deep Breathing Exercise

• Lie on your back or in a semi-sitting position,
• Put one hand on your stomach, inflate your stomach while breathing through your nose.

Figure 2 - Foot Exercises

Bend your feet up, stretch, and perform rotation movements.

Figure 3 - Pelvic Tilt

• Lie on your back with your knees bent,
• While inhaling deeply, pull your hips back by straightening your lower back to touch the floor or bed,
• Contract your abs and hips as you exhale slowly for 3-5 seconds,
• Relax.

Stage 2 Exercises

Pull and stretch your feet.

Do the knee, foot, leg rotation, and bridge exercises. (Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7)

Figure 4 - Bridging

• Lie on your back,
• Lift your hips off the ground so that your stomach, hips, and legs are in line,
• At this time, hold your breath and exhale as you return to normal.

Figure 5 - Rotating Both Knees

• Lie on your back with your legs straight,
• With your shoulders straight and feet stable, rotate both knees to touch the right side of the bed,
• This time, rotate the right leg so that it touches the left side of the bed,
• Return to the starting position and relax.

Figure 6 – Rotating Single Knee

• Lie on your back with your right leg straight and your left leg bent at the knee,
• Keeping your shoulders straight, rotate your left knee so that it touches the right side of the bed,
• Change the position of the legs and rotate your left leg so that it is straight and bend your right knee by rotating so that it touches the left side of the bed.

Figure 7 - Leg Sliding Exercise

• Lie down with your legs straight,
• Raise your left leg keeping it stretched while keeping your shoulders straight.
• Rotate it in a gentle motion so that it touches the right side of the bed,
• Return to the starting position and relax,
• This time rotate the right leg so that it touches the left side of the bed,
• Return to the starting position and relax.

Stage 3 Exercises

You can do the crunch movement. (Figure 8) You can make a bridge movement. (Figure 4)

Figure 8 - Crunch Movement

• Lie down with your knees bent,
• Put your chin on your chest while breathing deeply,
• As you exhale, raise your head and shoulders about 15-20 cm by extending your arms straight towards the knees,
• Keep your waist steady in the meantime,
• Slowly return your head and shoulders to their original position and relax.

Figure 9 - Forward Abdominal Movements

• Lie down with your knees bent,
• Cross your arms across your chest,
• Raise your head and shoulders about 15 - 20 cm by stretching them out towards your knees in a sideways fashion,
• Slowly return your head and shoulders to their original position and relax.

You can also do this move forward and sideways by combining the arms at the neck.