Swedish fitness star reveals she worked out during 10 minute labour

Yanyah Milutinovic fitness star working out while pregnant
While Yanyah Milutinovic's efforts are incredible, they're not for everyone. Photo credit: Instagram.

A Swedish fitness star has shared her unique labour experience with fans, revealing she performed a workout midway through labour and gave birth in about 10 minutes flat. 

Yanyah Milutinovic, known to her 300,000 Instagram followers as 'Fit Mom', told The Sun that while she was in labour in 2017, she carried out squats and lunges in her hospital gown. 

Milutinovic says she continued daily exercise right up until she was in active labour, before giving birth to her healthy baby daughter Smilljana in 2017. 

"I pushed my baby out in four pushes and in less than 10 minutes," Milutinovic said in a recent Instagram post.

Milutinovic also told The Sun she was back in the gym just over two weeks later, admittedly against doctor's advice. 

"I know medics say you should wait six weeks but I chose to go back," she said."I wouldn't recommend everyone does this though... this was my decision and I was aware of what I could manage."

In fact, Milutinovic says exercise was her cure for morning sickness throughout her pregnancy. 

"I would be at the gym, lifting, go to the toilet to throw up and then go back to exercise. 

"It made me feel better."

Milutinovic documents her intense, six-day-a-week fitness regime on Instagram, where many praise her "incredible" and "amazing" efforts - although others have called her "nuts". 

But Milutinovic says it's mostly the men who "troll" her with criticism of working out while pregnant, and she remains unbothered. 

"Women are largely supportive," she said. "The trolling is mainly by men. 

"They tell me off for exercising when pregnant and act like they know my body better than me. They shame me, but I bet half of them don't even know where the clitoris is."

Exercise after birth

While Milutinovic's story is incredible, returning to exercise so quickly after labour definitely isn't recommended for everyone. After a vaingal birth, experts say you can start doing gentle pelvic floor and abdominal exercises the first day or two, as long as there is no pain. They also recommend starting with building up gentle walks and avoiding strenuous exercise for the first three months. 

For those that have had a cesarean, doctors warn it is a major operation and will take you at least six weeks to heal. You can still do pelvic floor exercises from the first day while avoiding sit-ups, crunches or abdominal curls, as these put pressure on the scar.

After six to eight weeks, it is recommended to start walking, do low-impact aerobics or cycle, but stop if there is any discomfort, pain or a pulling sensation on your scar.