Have you recently had a baby, and you've finally been given the coveted green light from your doctor to "resume normal physical activity," and now you're both totally excited and totally confused? Somehow that very brief conversation with the doctor when they feel your uterus or look at your C-section scar and then declare you all fixed tends to quickly set off a wave of emotions and expectations.
What do I do first? Should I go back to {insert your usual fitness routine here} right away, or take it easy? How do I get my abs to look flat again? How do I get rid of my mom shelf? Do I dive headfirst and give it all I've got, since I'm "cleared" by my doctor?
It feels like society is giving you all kinds of signals to bounce back from the moment that baby exits your womb, so why not start immediately?
There is definitely no one-size-fits-all answer here, BUT there is something very important to consider. All that went into growing your sweet bundle did cause a lot of change inside of you (mentally and physically!) and as such, you need and deserve to be handled with care as you work your way toward your goals. Can you get back to doing Crossfit, running marathons, weightlifting, or yoga? Can you do exercises to tighten up your abs? Absolutely. But should you perhaps first build a foundation and take note of how you are actually exercising during your day-to-day activities? Also absolutely!
Jumping back in to forceful, high-impact or front-loading activities (including planks, weight lifting, and running), while possibly feeling good in the short term (and trick you into thinking you're doing what you should be doing/bouncing back) can actually cause damage and/or challenges in the long term. Even if you follow certain exercise routines and start to see your abs closing in/flattening, you could end up leaking pee, having a hernia, or even experiencing prolapse down the road. Again - this doesn't mean you should NEVER do these things (or. that some people aren't extremely lucky that they don't experience these things), but it does mean that you can definitely take steps to prevent them and set yourself up for much more success down the road.
And, keep in mind, the stronger, happier, and healthier you are, the better caregiver and mama you can be. Plus, you deserve this for YOU. We all want to age more gracefully and with less issues down the road, even though it's hard to think that way sometimes.
Here it is, what you've been waiting for, that you can start right now, today, this instant!
Learn to breathe correctly.
That's it. It's not as straightforward as it sounds, but it IS very doable. Doing it correctly, with intention, can go a loooong way to helping your body manage pressure in your abdomen and pelvic floor. When you are able to manage pressure better, your muscles can do what they're meant to do. For example, your abdominal muscles will help stabilize your spine, for better posture and less pain. Your pelvic floor muscles can control pee and prevent prolapse. AND, your abdominal muscles can even start to close back up and become flatter.
Toss out the belly breathing you may have heard about. That method doesn't help you manage all the pressures inside your abdomen and pelvic floor, because it only concentrates your air management to the one area (your belly). In reality, your lungs, and thus, your ribcage - which protects them - need to be able to expand in the front, sides, and back. Not just near your belly. This is called 360 degree breathing.
Start by lying down on your back, and place your hands on your ribcage so that your thumbs point toward your back and your fingers fan out along your ribs. Try to minimize distractions - do this when you can focus for a couple of minutes. Take a deep breath in, and make sure your fingers feel your ribs move everywhere, even on the sides and in the back. When you exhale, don't try to force it. Let your ribs gently sink back down on all sides (front, sides, and back).
Take your time with this, and master it. It does take effort and concentration, and it takes mastering it while being still first - then incorporating it into your daily life. When you go to bend down to put groceries away, or reach to scoop up your baby, see if you can get your ribs (and thus, your lungs), to fully expand in all directions. Believe it or not, managing your pressure during regular, run-of-the-mill life, is building that major foundation for you to exercise more safely. If you are exercising more safely, that foundation will keep you "up" for years to come.
There can definitely be challenges to this simple activity. You may need to tweak your position a bit, or go back to the start and take out distractions before practicing during daily life or exercise. But you CAN do it. Baby steps. There are also challenges (usually emotional ones) related to focusing on basic things like breathing during basic tasks like getting dressed or diapering your baby.
But that's where this whole dismantling the workout routine thing comes into play. By taking apart the usual workout routine and building it back into your daily life, gradually and safely, we are actually getting you to a place where you will see BIG changes and BIG accomplishments in your overall fitness and exercise abilities. And it's all a big, happy cycle from there! DO IT. You won't regret it, mama.
If you want more support and guidance, consider joining us for a 6 week series where you will learn how to safely return to exercise, build a strong foundation for optimal function and participating in mama duties, and develop strategies to find time for yourself amidst it all. Let’s dismantle the familiar exercise routine while keeping your safety, wellness, and function in mind. Each week will also include discussion topics about your baby’s development, and provide group opportunities to engage baby through song and play. Best of all, you will get to connect with other mama’s and build a supportive community to help you thrive in your transition to motherhood!
Disclaimer: Content provided by mighty mOThers, LLC is informational in intent, and is not meant to replace or contradict guidance provided by your personal doctor, therapist, or other healthcare practitioner. Please contact your healthcare provider or schedule a 1:1 evaluation with an OT with specific concerns, and call 911 if you are having a physical or mental health emergency.
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