MMM COLLEGE OF NURSING

DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY NURSING

LOG BOOK PROCEDURES

25. POSTNATAL EXERCISES

DEFINITION -Postnatal period

It refers to the time from termination of pregnancy till 42 days.

DEFINITION - Postnatal exercises

A series of physical exercises that are performed by the postnatal mother to bring about
optimal functioning of all systems and prevent complications

IMPORTANCE OF POST-NATAL EXERCISES

1. Improve circulation
2. Strengthen pelvic floor muscle
3. Prevent backache
4. To improve the tone of muscles which are stretched during pregnancy and labour
specially the abdominal muscle
5. To educate about correct posture of body mechanics
6. To minimize the risk of puerperal venous thrombosis by promoting circulation and
preventing venous stasis
7. To prevent genital prolapse
8. To prevent stress incontinence of urine

BENEFITS OF EXERCISES
1. Reduces the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
2. Reduces high blood pressure, high cholesterol
3. Reduces body weight, depression, anxiety and improves psychological wellbeing
4. Builds and maintains healthy muscles, bones and joints
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO BE CONSIDER WHEN BEGINNING
EXERCISES
 Wear loose supportive clothing
 Environment-stable environment
 Nutrition-do not exercise on full stomach
 Safety-do not exercise alone in the dark
 Low impact exercise is preferable during postnatal period

PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISES
 Frequency
 Intensity – mild to moderate exercises are recommended
 Duration – 30 minutes of exercise per day

RECOMMENDED POST NATAL EXERCISES

  Brisk walking
 Swimming
 Aqua-aerobics
 Yoga
 Pilates
 Low-impact aerobic workouts
 Light weight training
  Cycling
NOT RECOMMENDED POST NATAL EXERCISES (CAESAREAN MOTHER)
 Hands-and-knees position
 Swimming

POSTNATAL EXERCISES
1. DEEP BREATHING EXERCISES
Steps
1. Lie on bed with a pillow behind
2. Breathe in deeply through nose
3. Sigh out
 4. Repeat 5 times

Benefits
 Helps to improve the circulation.

2. ABDOMINAL BREATHING
Steps
1. Instruct the women to assume a supine position with knees bent
2. Instruct her to inhale through the nose, the ribcage, as stationary as possible, and
allow the abdomen to expand and then contract the abdominal muscle as she exhales
slowly through the mouth
3. Instruct her to place one hand on the chest and one on the abdomen when inhaling.
The hand on abdomen should rise and the hand on the chest should remain stationary
4. Repeat the exercises five times

Benefits
 Strengthens the diaphragm

3. FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISES

Steps
1. Keep knees relaxed for both exercises
 2. Bend and stretch ankles vigorously up and down for 30 seconds
3. Circle both feet 10 times in each direction
4. Repeat these exercises frequently

Benefits
 Strengthens the calf muscles,
 Prevents DIC and thrombophlebitis

4. PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES – KEGEL

Steps
If leaking occurs, she may continue to exercise for the rest of her life.
Instruct women to:
a. Sit, stand or half-lie with legs slightly apart, close and draw up around the anal
passage as though preventing a bowel action, then repeat for front passages (vagina
and urethra) as if to stop the flow of urine in midstream.
b. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds (to count of six)
c. This is repeated for 10 times
d. Continue to do exercise for 2 to 3 months
e. After three months if the mother is able to cough deeply with a full bladder without
leaking urine, she may stop the exercise.
 Benefits
 Pelvic floor muscles are stretched during pregnancy and childbirth.
 Strong pelvic floor muscles are essential to prevent leakage of urine when sneeze
or cough, and to give complete control of bowels.
 Strong muscles will also help prevent developing a prolapsed uterus
 This exercise is especially important if mother have stitches.
 It helps to improve the circulation and will help to heal quickly
5. PELVIC TILTING
Steps
a. Lie on a firm surface with knees bent and a comfortable pillow beneath the head
b. Pull in the abdomen (inhale, while exhale flatten the back)
c. Press the lower part of the back down flat
d. Hold for several seconds and repeat

6. HEAD AND SHOULDER RAISING

Steps
 On the 2ndpost partum day - Lie flat and raise head until the chin is touching the
chest.
  On the 3rd post-partum day-raise both head and shoulder off the bed and lower
them slowly , increase gradually. 

7. LEG RAISING
1. Begin on the 7th postpartum day
2. Lie on the floor with no pillows under the head
3. Point toe and slowly raise one leg keeping the knee straight
4. Lower the leg slowly

Benefits
 Prevents the risk of thrombophlebitis
 Improves circulation

8. KNEE ROLLING
a. In back lie with knees bent
b. Pull in the abdomen and roll both knees to one side as far is comfortable,
keeping the shoulders flat
 c. Return knees to upright position and relax the abdomen
d. Pull in again and roll both knees to other side
e. Perform 10 times

Benefits
1. Strengthens the oblique abdominal muscles
9. HIP HITCHING OR LEG SHORTENING
Steps
a. In back, lie with one knee bent and the knee straight
b. Slide the heel of the straight leg down ward thus lengthening the leg
c. Shorten the same leg by drawing the hip up towards the ribs on the same side
d. Repeat up to 10 times
e. Change to the opposite side and repeat

WARNING SIGNS
 Increased fatigue
 Muse aches and pains
 Change in the colour of lochia – pink to red

GENERAL EXERCISE ADVICE TO THE MOTHERS

  Listen to the body, start slowly and build
 If any exercise feels uncomfortable, stop
 Walking is an ideal exercise to begin to build fitness levels
 Wait 6 weeks before swimming to allow blood loss to settle and any wounds to fully
heal
 Wait 12 weeks before taking part in high impact or high intensity aerobic exercise to
allow your pelvic floor muscles to recover and joints to begin to regain their strength
 A well-fitting sports bra is essential for any moderate to high impact activities - it is
always a good idea to get re-measured as your size will likely have changed after
pregnancy
 Inform the instructor that if the mother recently had a baby when returning to group
exercise classes Ligaments still show some laxity for up to 5 months after birth so it
may be wise to delay return to contact sports for the first few months.

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