Training for two: postpartum fitness

BB's little baby feet...

My last prenatal "training for two" post went live on November 7th. A few days later I walked 4 miles before heading to the hospital to deliver Breech Baby (hereafter known as BB).

I bounced back quickly from the cesarean operation, but I have a new appreciation for basic life skills like walking up and down stairs. For the record: It is one helluva knock to the ego to go from track workouts... to speed-walking at least 3 miles a day... to clawing your way through the 30 minutes it took to walk a single mile. Hello post-op body. What did you do with my stamina?

BB's favorite book, and my postpartum fitness motto

But with a combination of patience (read: not trying to do too much too soon), luck (read: no infection), and perseverance (read: I think I can! I think I can!) I kept at it, and was walking (sort of) like a normal person by week 3.

At 4-6 weeks postpartum, my workouts looked like this:
Monday: Post-cesarean core workout from BabyWeightTV
Tuesday: 2-3 mile walk
Wednesday: Post-cesarean core workout
Thursday: 2-3 mile walk
Friday: Post-cesarean core workout
Saturday: 4 mile walk
Sunday: 4 mile walk to BRUNCH (some things never change)

Honestly, I thought the post-cesarean workout video was great for weeks 4-6 postpartum, but my Type-A, track-workout-loving self absolutely HATED how slow the workout was. I know the gentle exercises were a necessary transition between surgery and a good, ache-inducing, sweaty workout, but the whole process sort of made me feel like an invalid.

Admittedly, my core muscles are still woefully weak, but I credit good prenatal fitness with my speedy recovery. And with that in mind, I was back up and working(out) as soon as my doctor gave me the green light.

My first non-postnatal workout was Kelli's Favorite Bodyweight Workout from FitnessBlender. It kicked my butt! (Truth: I'm not kidding about the weak core. At 10 weeks postpartum, I still modify some of the ab-toning moves.) My workout weeks now look something like this:

Monday: bodyweight workout + 3 mile walk
Tuesday: 2-4 mile walk + energizing yoga (a sort-of antidote to sleepless nights)
Wednesday: bodyweight workout + 3 mile walk
Thursday: baby yoga + 2-4 mile walk
Friday: HIIT workout (this Bodyweight Cardio workout is a current favorite)
Saturday: 2 mile run
Sunday: 4 mile walk or 2 mile run

I'll keep posting my progress in coming weeks. Eventually I'd like to get back to running 4 days/week and then add speedwork back into my running routine, but the body has to finish healing (and ligaments need to firm back up) before that's a realistic goal.


Public Service Message from Captain Obvious: These posts are not intended to be a set of week-by-week postpartum workout guidelines. Every woman needs to do what's right for her and her baby, with a doctor's guidance, of course. I'd just like to keep y'all up to date on how things are going in my little world.