This document outlines postnatal exercises for new mothers. It defines postnatal exercises as physical exercises performed after birth to optimize health and prevent complications. The purposes are to improve muscle tone stretched during pregnancy, educate on posture, minimize blood clot risk, and prevent issues like back pain, prolapse, and incontinence. Exercises include abdominal, circulatory, pelvic floor, and chest exercises like breathing, leg raises, and floor exercises that are demonstrated and gradually increased in difficulty over time.

1. POST NATAL
EXERCISES
DR. MAHESWARI JAIKUMAR
maheswarijaikumar2103@gmail.com

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

3. PURPOSES
• To improve the tone of muscles
which are stretched during
pregnancy and labour specially
the abdominal and perineal
muscles
• To educate about correct posture
and body

4. • To minimize the risk of puerperal
venous thrombosis by promoting
circulation and preventing
venous stasis
• To prevent back ache

5. • To prevent genital prolapse
• To prevent stress incontinence of
urine.

6. PROCEDURE
• Explain the procedure to patient
• Provide privacy and demonstrate
the procedure

7. TYPES OF EXERCISES
• ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
• CIRCULATORY EXERCISES
• PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISE
• CHEST EXERCISES

8. I.ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
ABDOMINAL BREATHING
• Instruct the women to assume a
supine position with knees bent

10. • 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

11. • 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
• Repeat the exercises five times

12. HEAD LIFT
• Instruct the mother to lie supine
with knees bent and arms out
stretched at her side
• Instruct her inhale deeply at first
and then exhale while lifting the
head slowly to hold the position for
few seconds and relax

13. HEAD LIFTING

14. HEAD AND SHOULDER RAISING
• On the second postpartum day
instruct women to
• Lie flat without pillow and raise
head until the chin touches the
chest

15. HEAD & SHOULDER RAISE

16. • On the 3rd postpartum day
instruct: To raise the both head
and shoulder off the bed and
lower them slowly
• Gradually increase the number
of repetitions until she is able to
do this for 10 times

17. LEG EXERCISES
• It begins on the 7th postpartum
day
• Lie down on the floor with no
pillows under the head point
toe and slowly raise one leg
keeping the knee straight

18. LEG RAISE

19. • Lower the leg slowly
• Gradually increase to ten times
each leg

20. PELVIC FITTING OR ROCKING
• Lie flat on the floor with knees
bent and feet flat, inhale and
while exhaling flatten the back
hand against the floor
• Repeat up to 10 times

21. PELVIC FITTING

22. KNEE AND LEG ROLLING
Lie flat on her back with knee bent
and feet flat on the floors or bed

23. KNEE & LEG ROLLING

24. • Keep the shoulders and feet
stationary and the knees to side
to touch one side of the bed,
then other
• Maintain a smooth motion as
the exercise is repeated five
times

25. • HIP HITCHING
• Lie on her back with one knee
bent on the other knee straight
• Slide the heel of the straight leg
downwards thus lengthening

26. • Shorten the same leg by drawing
the hip upwards to ribs on the
same side
• Repeat up to 10 times

27. HIP HITCHING

28. ABDOMINAL TIGHTENING
• Sit comfortably or kneel on breath
in and out, then pull in the lower
part of the abdomen below the
umbilicus
• While continuing to breath
normally hold up of 10 minutes and
repeat up to 10 minutes

29. II.CIRCULATORY EXERCISES
FLOOR AND LEG EXERCISES
• Sit or half lie with legs supported
• Bend and stretch the ankles at
least 12 times

30. FLOOR & LEG RAISE

31. • Circle both feet at the ankles at
least 20 times in each direction
• Repeat for 12 times

32. III.PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISE
• Sit, stand or half lie with legs
slightly apart close and draw up
around the anal passage as
through preventing a bowel
action

33. • Hold the contractions for 10
seconds.
• Repeat up to 10 times

34. PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISE

35. IV.CHEST EXERCISES
• Lie flat with arms extended
straight out to the side, bring
both hands together above the
chest while keeping the arms
straight hold for a few seconds
and return to the straight
position

36. CHEST EXERCISE WITH DUMBBELL

37. • Repeat the exercises five times
initially and follow the advice of
the health care providers for
increasing the number of
repetitions

38. • Instruct the mother to bend her
elbows, clasp her hands together
above her chest and press her
hands together for a few
seconds.
• Repeat this at least five times

39. THANK YOU