Postnatal Exercise - What can I do? And how.
Guest Blog from Kathy - Bump Baby and Me
Exclusive DISCOUNT: For anyone who’d like to join one of Kathy’s Mum & Baby Postnatal Yoga courses use Discount Code : Doulacare15 for 15% off (valid for courses running until July 2021)
First of all let’s plant this seed: Slow and steady wins the race.
Following the birth of your gorgeous baby you will find yourself busier than you’ve ever been before. It’s a good type of busy though as the majority of your time will be spent with your newborn. Who knew how much time could be spent just staring at them… (As well as feeding them, changing them and trying to get them to sleep- all while trying to have a few sips of your luke-warm cuppa- but that’s a whole other blog post!)
During this really busy time it’s important to not forget about yourself and your needs. Getting a little time to yourself will improve your mental wellbeing and just give you that little bit of breathing space. Some women find getting out in the fresh air for a walk or doing a little exercise can really help with this and evidence shows us that doing physical exercise increases endorphins so after doing some safe & appropriate movement you should find yourself feeling really good both physically and mentally and having filled up your own cup you’re better prepared to face whatever the day or night throws at you!
Where to start?
Two things you can start soon after your baby is born, (whether you had a vaginal birth or caesarean birth) is Diaphragmatic Breathing and Pelvic Floor exercises (both these play a vital part in regaining abdominal strength)
As a busy society we tend to do a lot more ‘chest breathing’ than ‘belly (diaphragmatic) breathing’. In my classes I talk about bringing attention to the breath and taking a deeper breath without forcing it. The benefits of a deeper breath are felt in so many ways.
Give it a go now if you can:
For your next 5 breaths concentrate on slowing the breath down as you inhale through the nose and fill the belly (lungs) with air (without straining) then slowly and completely exhale through the mouth. You should feel your ribcage and belly expand slightly on the inhale and then come back in on the exhale. If you can, try this breath in sitting or lying with a hand on your belly or ribs so you get that mind/ body connection.
Personally I like to do this breath once or twice throughout the day to bring me into the moment and also at bed time- it completely relaxes me and stops the ‘to-do lists’ floating around my head!
‘I don’t have the time’
So many of the mums I work with or have in class tell me they find it hard to make the time to do even the simplest of things like deep breathing, so a good idea here is to layer this on an already formed habit like feeding your baby. You are already sitting, readily open to connect with your baby and just as importantly connect with yourself.
Giving yourself these few moment at the start of a feed to breathe consciously will allow you to check in with yourself and see how you’re feeling. Ask yourself ‘How’s my body feeling today, how am I feeling emotionally?’ It’s easy to become disconnected from ourselves when a tiny human is taking all of our focus, so creating this habit can really bring some of the focus back within and have you feeling a lot more in touch with yourself and what you need.
Another benefit of this is it makes you conscious of your posture while feeding, which can be a big cause of discomfort and tightness in the upper back, shoulders and neck area.
Our Tummy area
So we know that the breath is fundamental in postnatal recovery and on the subject of stomach muscles- they go through quite a bit during pregnancy don’t they? They will have stretched to accommodate your growing baby and most women experience ‘Diastasis Recti’ of some degree. This is the separation of the connective tissue between the rectus abdominal muscles and it really only becomes a concern if it remains an issue with doming/coning etc. after about 8 weeks postpartum. What needs to be assessed here is not only the width of the gap but also the depth and also how you’re functioning with it day to day. So many women are not aware of this and what they need to do or avoid that is why I recommend every new mum gets a postnatal check with a Women’s Health Physiotherapist in the first few months postpartum.
We’ve all heard of Pelvic Floor Exercises, where we work on contracting & relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. This ‘sling’ of muscle supports the weight of your pelvic organs, supported the weight of your baby during your pregnancy and they also act as a continence mechanism. Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken these muscles so it’s important to practice pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy and afterwards too, in fact if women got familiar with these muscles pre-pregnancy they’d be doing themselves a huge favour! Looking after these muscles can help prevent continence issues like leaking when you run, jump, sneeze or cough or more severe issues like prolapse.
How do you know if you’re doing them right?
The best way to cue your pelvic floor muscles is to squeeze from your back passage (like you’re trying to hold in wind).
Less is more at the beginning and by doing these squeezes gently while you are getting used to doing them again, there’s less chance that you will engage other muscles like your abdominals or glutes. Relaxing your muscles completely (taking a breath or two will help) before each squeeze is really important also.
For maintaining pelvic floor strength you should look at doing 10 short holds and 10 long holds daily. If you are experiencing weakness and need to improve strength, aim to do 30. These can be broken up throughout the day to stop the muscles fatiguing. Ideally you want to be able to do these in standing (using gravity) but begin either lying on your back or in an upright-seated position and then progress to doing them while standing.
Remember no birth is the same, no women’s recovery will be the same and so we will all see improvements at different rates too. Again if you’ve any concerns over your pelvic floor function, it’s well worth a visit to a Women’s Health Physiotherapist.
Training and returning to sport and exercise after your baby
For those of you who trained in a gym or in a certain sport before or during your pregnancy, ease yourself back into it. If you are new to exercise, begin with walks and something like a gentle postnatal yoga class. If you are breastfeeding you will still have the hormone Relaxin in your body and this can cause some instability. Factor in those sleep deprived nights (hello stress hormones!) and you’ve got quite a lot to deal with so be mindful & patient with yourself and your body.
Certain exercises you may have done before, or that you see on a YouTube ‘home workout’ may cause unnecessary pressure on your pelvic floor and cause your tummy to dome. These should be avoided until you visit a Women’s Health Physiotherapist and consult with a PT qualified and experienced in training postnatal women. Knowing where you are at physically is really empowering as it allows you to start your postnatal training journey off the right way.
Our ethos in my Postnatal Mum & Baby Yoga Classes and in MumFit , our in-person Postnatal Strength & Fitness course is ‘Take your time. If you are consistent and have patience with your body the results come’
Your body has gone through so much change growing and birthing a baby. It’s not the same, but this doesn’t have to be seen as a negative. Plenty of women get fitter or stronger than they’ve ever been before after having a baby- It’s all possible, just ensure you get the appropriate guidance.
If you have any physical concerns or are unsure how to start back exercising postnatally, get in touch with a Womens Health Physio or a PT qualified in Pre/Postnatal Fitness.
Remember, along with caring for your gorgeous baby it is so, so important to practice some self-care too!
Big love to you all you Mums…Remember, slow and steady and all in your own good time.
Kathy – Bump Baby and Me x
For more on the classes, course and workshops Kathy offers connect the her through Instagram www.instgram.com/bumpbabyandme or through her website www.bumpbabyandme.ie
DISCOUNT: For anyone who’d like to join one of Kathy’s Mum & Baby Postnatal Yoga courses use Discount Code : Doulacare15 for 15% off. (valid for courses running until July 2021)