Stronger

The slow reclaiming of a postpartum body

Photo by Robert Walker

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I know my postpartum recovery is going well when my YouTube search switches from “postpartum recovery” to “beginner calisthenics.”

It’s bodyweight strength — functional. Anti-injury, in theory: push-ups on wooden bars for the full range of motion. Shoulders, back, deep core. Something I can do in the early hours while my baby sleeps.

In the day, there’s outdoor work that needs doing. There’s firewood to split, trails to maintain. If you fill the wheelbarrow with wood chips, you work shoulders and back with the pitchfork, then core and glutes to push it stably over the bumpy path.

Hauling rounds of wood is the same, but with more squats to the ground — exactly what a postpartum mama needs to work. So I find myself splitting wood in a nursing bra, because this is how I get back to myself.

Today, I have a splitting maul: a heavy wedge on a long handle. I backswing up over my shoulder, core engaged, hard downswing while the hands slide together. It’s strength and cardio together in a useful, repetitive motion.

I’m splitting with my left, trying to balance out a weakness. It’s slow going; both strength and technique on that side are poor.