Returning to exercise after miscarriage / pregnancy loss
If you're here reading this blog I want to say I am so sorry for what you’ve been through and the loss you’ve experienced. Miscarriage is just devastating and something no one deserves to go through.
Earlier in the year I unfortunately lost my 3rd baby at 17 weeks. An absolutely heartbreaking experience, one I don’t think I'll ever truly recover from.
When I feel strong enough I will share my story, in the meantime I wanted to share information about returning to exercise after loss. It’s something I’ve had to navigate, it’s something I've learnt a lot about and unfortunately it’s a question we’ve been asked a lot in the recent months.
A quick note on how I felt on my return to exercise…
If you’re anything like me you’ll feel absolutely no motivation to exercise in those early days and weeks... I had to really force myself to get out of bed. I want to tell you that each time I did exercise ‘it made me feel better’ but honestly it didn’t… not at the start anyway.
At the start I would just walk on the treadmill and cry. But walking on the treadmill balling my eyes out was a start, eventually it did begin to help and it did start to give me both the physical and emotional benefits.
I want you to know that the first step back into exercise might not be easy and the motivation might not be there… Initially you may feel like you are just going through the motions but it will come back in time and it will help even if just for a moment.
Below I’ve listed some general recommendations for everyone, I've then broken down key points into first, second trimester and third trimester loss as returning to exercise looks different depending on the stage of pregnancy.
I hope this is helpful reading to anyone who is navigating this time. Please remember that there really is no one size fits all and that these are general recommendations, listen to your body and know that everyone's experience will be different.
Sending you love and strength, you are not alone xx
General recommendations
Embrace rest
Loss is absolutely exhausting. You will feel weak, tired and emotionally very depleted. Rest is one of the very best things you can do for yourself both physically and mentally as you navigate this time.
Your body is undergoing a lot of physical change in a short amount of time. Do your best to support the healing process by resting.
Know that exercise can come when you feel ready, you are on your own timeline no one else's - there is absolutely no rush. Embrace rest for as long as you need it, it is more important than anything else.
Slow and steady
When you do feel ready to start moving, remember there is no rush, your body has been through physical trauma - a major event. It’s okay and it’s recommended to go slow.
The best thing to start with is low impact exercise like walking and stretching. You can gradually begin to increase as you regain energy, motivation and strength.
Remember your body is already under stress and trauma from what you are dealing with right now so be mindful with your exercise choices - you don’t need to be adding to that stress with full on workouts in your initial return to movement.
Trimester 1 loss
During Trimester one your body goes through significant changes; hormone levels shift, your energy levels drop and your emotions are likely to be all over the place. These things unfortunately don’t just disappear when we miscarry, it can take weeks to return back to normal physically, mentally and emotionally it can take longer. Whether you miscarry naturally or have to have a DNC procedure it’s a lot physically and emotionally - give yourself time to grieve.
In terms of exercise, unless your Dr has told you otherwise you can safely get back into your normal exercise routine once you feel up to it. For some this might be a few days, for others it might be weeks or even a month before being ready.
There are no 'specific exercises' that you should or shouldn't be doing at this point, so you can slowly return to your normal exercise routine. Please do be mindful that your body will still be releasing the hormone relaxation for some time so be mindful not to over stretch or push your body too hard.
Just like you would during any workout, listen to your body and take regressions and modifications where you need.
Trimester 2 loss
If you have miscarried during the second trimester your body will have made some significant changes - breast enlargement, joints will be less stable from the hormone relaxin, blood volume will have significantly increased, hormonally big changes have taken place and you’ll likely have developed a baby bump by this point.
Miscarriage in the second trimester generally involves having to deliver your baby - the physical and emotional pain put on you during this process is huge and it will take a significant amount to time to return to normal.
Personally I felt physically ‘back to normal’ 4 months later - everyone is different but this is how long it took for my tummy to return to normal and for my energy levels to return. When I found myself frustrated with this I would tell myself - you were pregnant for 4 months so naturally it might take that long to recover.
Research suggests it’s important to take at least 2 weeks off structured exercise before returning with a slow and steady approach.
As already mentioned you’ll be exhausted, rest is absolutely essential for both your physical and mental recovery.
When you do feel ready start with the following:
Pelvic floor and TVA activations
Stretching
Walking
Calming exercise options are a great option - yoga or Pilates.
Avoid HIIT or lifting too heavy to start with
Build up the intensity and duration week by week
Please do be mindful that your body will still be releasing the hormone relaxation for some time, be mindful not to over stretch
Listen to your body and take regressions and modifications where you need
Trimester 3 loss
Even though this isn’t the postpartum journey that you had imagined, you need to treat your body in the same way as we would any other postpartum rehabilitation.
Your body has been through significant changes and physiological developments. Give yourself grace for what you have been through, this is a traumatic time for you physically and mentally so really take some time out to rest and listen to your body. You have carried your precious baby for a long time, your body has been through so much.
Taking six weeks to rest before returning to structured exercise (a proper workout) is recommended.
You can get started with the following as soon as you feel ready:
Pelvic floor and TVA activations
Stretching
Walking short distances
After 6 weeks rest:
Follow a postpartum exercise plan / programme delivered by a qualified instructor
You’ll need to rehab and build back your deep core strength and reconnect with your pelvic floor
See a women’s health physio for a postpartum assessment if you can
Calming exercise options are a great option - yoga or Pilates.
Avoid HIIT or lifting too heavy to start with take a slow and build on approach
Build up the intensity and duration week by week
Please do be mindful that your body will still be releasing the hormone relaxation for some time, be mindful not to over stretch
Listen to your body and take regressions and modifications where you need
So much love and strength to anyone experiencing this grief, remember there is no right or wrong way to process what you have been through. Take it one day at a time, take the pressure off yourself and feel what you need to feel.
My inbox is always open - renee@she-moves.co.nz
So much love.
Ren x