This weekend I enjoyed my first session back in the pool since giving birth (full set below). This came at the end of a fun and diverse week of postpartum fitness classes helping me to feel more like myself again. 

Having had our six week check and been signed off by the doctor on Monday, Tuesday saw me and Florence at a restore and repair class with Warrior Mums (http://elizaflynn.co.uk/warriorrr-workouts/warriorrr-mums-babies/) in Highbury. I tend to struggle to put Florence down without her crying so it was great that I could do a lot of the exercises while holding her. We began with core work, followed by a quick cardio warm-up and a circuit of resistance and weighted toning exercises. It was really fun and I felt like I was getting a workout, albeit a suitability gentle one. The GP and trainer at Warrior Mums confirmed that I have approximately 1.5cm separation in my abdominals, which is totally normal and doesn’t classify as fully-blown diastasis recti, although I still need the avoid crunches, planks and anything that engages my six pack until the muscles have come back together again. 

Wednesday was a bit more sedate with a trip to the cinema for a baby screening of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. We took a brisk walk to the Screen on the Green in Angel, Islington to meet the NCT girls (https://www.everymancinema.com/screen-on-the-green). Here we enjoyed a two-man sofa to ourselves, free tea served to our seat and, of course, a good movie, which Florence slept and fed through – perfect! We followed it up with a trip to Planet Organic for a healthy lunch of vegan sushi and a smoothie and a walk home via a slightly elongated route. 

On Thursday we attended a mum and baby yoga class at Yoga Home in Stoke Newington (http://yogahome.com/). This was our second attempt at the class and for a second time Florence cried for most of it. The crèche worker helped, as did the ‘tummy time’ toy I took along, but overall it was a struggle and the amount of yoga I actually got done was questionable! On the one hand, it is good practice for me to put Florence down, for her to see other babies and for us to do an activity together, on the other, it’s not an inexpensive class and if she really doesn’t like it, is it worth persisting? I’m still unsure. 

On Thursday evening, I enjoyed a run while Florence had some daddy time. It was my third run back and felt great. I’m taking it really slow and steady at the moment (10 minute miles for 3 1/2 miles); I’m being mindful to take care of my body and enjoy being out rather than pushing myself, but it feels so great all the same. 

On Friday we enjoyed a workout in Clissold Park with the Buggy Belles (http://www.buggy-belles.com/). Florence slept in the sling for the whole class and was good for ‘weighting’ my step-ups, squats and lunges! It was a really fun class on a beautiful sunny morning and we will definitely be going back next week!

Today I had a visit from a women’s health physio from My French Physio (http://myfrenchphysio.london/). She checked my section scar, abdominal separation and pelvic floor. She gave me some exercises to strengthen my transverse abdominal muscles and to help me to fully relax my pelvic floor. We also discussed my return to exercise and it was good to be able to ask about my decision to start running again and for her to let me know what to look out for in terms of discomfort, pain and symptoms of pushing myself too hard too soon. It was good to feel supported by an expert in this area and I made another appointment for further checks and exercises in three weeks. 

On the whole it’s been a great week for exercise; now I just need to cut back on my Brazil and cashew nut snacking!!

My swimming session from Sunday is below, enjoy.

7 weeks postpartum, swim:

Warm up:

200m front crawl

Main set:

200m backstroke 

200m breaststroke 

200m front crawl

200m front crawl kick 

200m front crawl pull 

200m front crawl full stroke

200m backstroke kick 

100m alternating 25m breaststroke kick, 25m front crawl kick 

100m front crawl pull 

Cool down:

200m front crawl 

Total: 2,000m, 45 minutes