How long after birth?

[Jade Holleman]

Hi everyone I am new to the forum. So would like to here from riders out there who have had babies. How long after birth did you get back to riding? I am hoping if all goes well that after my 6 week check I can get on and start riding again.

 

[Nic]

I can't help, I don't have kids yet but I thoroughly recommend HottotTrot's posts on babies & horses, there's one just below this thread & they're hilarious!

 

[Jade Holleman]

Ok will check it out thanks

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

I'm another who doesn't have kids but there have been lots of posts on here about it (try doing a search perhaps, it might throw up old threads) and I think it depends entirely on what type of birth, whether it's natural or c-section. I think a lot of riders have been back in the saddle around 6ish weeks after giving birth??

Firewell on here has not long given birth, she did a post the other day about getting back into riding after, see here http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?627470-We-re-Baaaaack!

 

[Polos Mum]

When I had my son naturally I was back on after 2 weeks - just a little plod, I had my daughter 9 weeks ago but emergancy C section sadly so I had to wait the full 6 weeks as lots more risk of injury after the big op! If you stayed fit and well during your pregnancy it won't be long.
Congratulations and good luck!

 

[MagicMelon]

It depends a lot on what sort of birth you have I guess. I had planned for a natural one and to be back in the saddle literally days after, that however didn't happen and I ended up having an emergency c-section and laid up in hospital for 5 days after before I finally demanded to be set free! After a c-section you're meant to wait at least 6 weeks before doing physical stuff. I couldn't ride for a month, the first 2 weeks my c-section was extremely painful (most aren't though I've heard) but after that what limited me messing about with the horses was my blood pressure which went haywire (so felt dizzy a lot which doesnt help when doing water buckets / grooming etc.!). I did begin backing a pony in my 5th week though and actually got thrown off it a week later which smashed my hip (but my c-section was fine thankfully!). It really is up to you as to when you feel fit to get back on. A friend of mine ended up with stitches after her birth, I imagine that would be pretty sore for a while!

 

[HotToTrot]

Hello! Thanks Nic, tee hee.

Congrats on your new baby. I had a natural birth and no stitches. I felt as if I cld have got straight back on immediately, but my horse wasn't around, he had gone off to a field for a holiday. I got his fitness started by someone else as soon as I had had the baby and I got him back (and got back on him) at 3.5 weeks. I did my first event (a BE 90) at 8 weeks, then straight up to 100.

I felt pretty tired for a while and my aerobic fitness left quite a bit to be desired. I realised in the XC warm up for my first event that I was quite breathless and I wondered whether I was pushing it to be eventing so soon. I am reasonably fit and wld not normally expect to be out of breath whilst warming up for XC, but I think the birth did take its toll.

The six week check was a bit of a waste of time, I thought. The Dr asked how I was feeling, that was about it! My horse is also pretty sensible, I was confident that he wouldn't do anything too bats. Good luck!

 

[Jade Holleman]

Thanks girls fingers crossed that it all goes straight forward as I a soooooo desperate to ride again!