Postnatal gymnastics

Your midwife will show you some initial postpartum exercises during the first few weeks. In addition, your health insurance will cover the cost of a postpartum exercise class led by a midwife to help you regenerate and strengthen your pelvic floor and core muscles. These classes often also offer time for sharing experiences and meeting other mothers.

You can start the course from eight weeks after birth, or twelve weeks after a cesarean section. The course must be completed by the end of your child's ninth month. You can bring your baby to the course, but they will not usually be actively involved.

The course covers:

• Changes to the female body due to childbirth
• Learning about the individual pelvic floor levels, their functions, and corresponding exercises for postpartum recovery and strengthening
• Exercises in gentle positions to avoid overloading the pelvic floor and the rectus abdominis muscles
• Abdominal muscle exercises focusing on the deep and oblique abdominal muscles, possibly with support to reduce diastasis recti
• Strengthening of the entire postural musculature
• Instructions for everyday behavior during the postpartum period

Further information and registration