Long-time TR athlete here, and soon-to-be first-time mom!
I know I won’t be able to cycle for another 8-10 weeks (depending on medical clearance), but I am already getting ahead of myself and want to plan out my training!! Does anyone have experience with postpartum come-backs or have suggestions of plans to start out with? Should I start with a ramp test? Or just let AI FTP do its thing with the fact that I haven’t done a proper TR workout in months?
For context, I was regularly using TR for the first ~20 weeks of my pregnancy - until my bike position became too aggressive for my growing belly. Saw a steady drop of about 15-20 FTP throughout that time, as I needed to lower my intensity (which I expected). After that I attended a few spin classes up until week 30, since those bikes are less aggressive. I have been lifting 3-4 times a week throughout and walking every day, so I’ve stayed quite active and maintained strength.
I don’t have any races on the calendar this year (may play around with a few local CX races this fall, but no major plans), and my only goal is to bring my watts/kg back above 3.0 as I use TR to help shed some weight and re-improve my FTP.
First kid? Don’t plan anything. Start back with some easy riding when it feels right and works out, much like coming back from an injury or long sickness.
I wasn’t racing when I had my kiddo… and couldn’t have. She did NOT sleep… I would jump on the rollers for some sleep-deprived zone 1-2 on the days she graced me with a nap. May your luck be better than mine!
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Full disclosure, I’m a father speaking on my experience of watching my wife go through this. We have 4 kids in total. The two newest editions (twins) came at the very end of October. She is just now getting back into exercising in general. So it took her about 16 weeks to feel confident. She’s also 40. I don’t know how old you are, but her postpartum recovery has been MUCH slower this time around compared to the previous two. I’m guessing that’s a two part equation with being older and have twins.
I say do whatever your child and body allow you to do. For me, with no recovery from a pregnancy or labor, but needing to be quite a bit more involved this time around since we’re both essentially taking care of a baby non-stop, its being challenging for me to be as consistent with my energy levels just being generally much lower.
Women are super heroes and I don’t know how you do it. Wish you all the best on your recovery and congratulations on the newborn. What a blessing!
Thank you! Sounds like setting no expectations about when/how to train right away may be the best idea, and take it one day at a time as I feel good/time allows.
Congrats on the twins, I am sure they’re keeping you quite busy!
Hi MontanaLG,
A male perspective speaking on behalf of my wife, I hope you dont mind!
We have (2) little ones ages 3 and 5 - and watching my wife go through the process and what she now finds to be fun/relaxing.
She is a former HS/College swimmer and multiple Ironman full and half finisher. When we had our oldest she did not return to training until about 16-18weeks after his birth. She was able to then start consistency again and participate in a marathon and short distance run series.
The second one has been a whole different animal - no sleep and needing constant attention. Even now at the age of 3 he is still very mommy-needy. My wife has put consistent training on the back burner and maybe works out 2-3 times a week. She however now does whatever makes her feel good/confident rather its swim, run, bike or lifts weights.
She is very happy to just have some time to herself and does not at this point in her life care about build/competition but just more the hormonal release and relaxation/achievement that comes with it.
She now focus’s on the kid’s like it was a training plan, making events, play dates, school/lessons etc. She is very happy to do this and as mentioned has been a big pivot for her.
SO, every child is different, every person will respond different. Just take the time to do what you feel right even if that means spending copious amounts of time with the little one or squeezing in more workouts (everyone’s situation is different, I.E we have not family/outside help).
It may not seem like it but they will not be small for a very long time and once you hit that 6 or 7+ years they are going to start to just want to do their own thing more and more.