Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question, and Iâm going to use ârunningâ as an example of high-impact exercise in this article. Weâll start with a hormone called relaxin which is released into your system in the early stages of your pregnancy. Relaxin relaxes your muscles/joints/ligaments to help prepare your pelvis for childbirth. BUT, relaxin doesnât just affect your pelvis, it affects every joint in your body, AND, it stays in your system for up to six months …
Exercises to Avoid with Abdominal Separation
What exercises should be avoided when abdominal separation is present? Postnatal-specific core-based exercise is THE best form of exercise for new moms to be doing, because it focuses on pelvic floor strength and activation of the deep abdominal muscles. These are the two main areas of the abdominals that as an Pre/Postnatal Instructor I want to focus on building back up again first, before moving on to any other area of the abdominals. If you do the wrong types of …
Abdominals During Pregnancy
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ABDOMINALS DURING PREGNANCY? With all the pressure outward and downward as the size of belly grows, you may be wonderingâŠâWhat happens to the abdominals during pregnancy?â This quick read provides insight into all that is happening as your body adapts to pregnancy. The six-pack muscle (Rectus Abdominis) runs from your breast bone to your pubic bone and is joined together with a strong fibrous sheath called the Linea Alba. In some pregnancies, the Linea Alba becomes …
Easing Back & Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy
Back pain and pelvic pain are seemingly synonymous with pregnancy.  Once baby arrives,  your pelvis may ache, your pelvic floor may be fatigued and healing and you will likely feel somewhat disconnected from your core as recovery begins.  Staying strong throughout pregnancy is vital…and partaking in safe, appropriate postpartum training is equally important. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, referred to as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) describes pain in the joints of your pelvis. These joints include the symphysis pubis joint (SPJ) at the …
Postpartum Guided Meditation
Every mom I know needs at least five minutes of quiet time and usually quite a bit more than that! I stumbled upon a beautiful guided relaxation originally meant for children by Mellisa Dormoy. Melissa is the founder of ShambalaKids and is on a mission to teach self esteem, stress management and goal attainment to children everywhere. Inspired by her work and this meditation, I adapted the original version for my postpartum clients. In fact, we dedicate the final minutes …
Safe Core Exercise in Pregnancy
This can be so confusing! Â Sit-ups? Â Crunches? Â Leg-lifts? Planks? Â If you are pregnant, hopefully you are no longer performing traditional abdominal exercises such as crunches or sit-ups. Â If you have been, that’s okay…but this might be a great time to transition to more beneficial, safer core exercises. Â I will explain more about why and how to do so safely in this article. Traditional abdominal exercises such as sit-ups (as well as others), activate the rectus abdominis, the top layer of …
Postpartum Exercise Guidelines: Return to Sport Safely
Exercise postpartum can be just as confusing as during pregnancy and maybe even a bit more overwhelming since you are now juggling motherhood and caring for your little one–whether it’s your first or your fifth! I remember being so anxious to move my non-pregnant body, but also being completely exhausted, overwhelmed and struggling to recover from a very physical birth experience. Â I headed out the door for my first jog at 5-6 weeks postpartum and felt as though my pelvis …
Diaphragmatic Breathing in Pregnancy & Postpartum
“Damn it! What?!” I exclaimed, exasperated as my little one called for me for what felt like the 80th time in five minutes. I again went to his side imploring, “I am right here, Honey, I’m just trying to cook dinner and I need to write a blog post about deep breathing tonight!” I immediately started laughing at the irony of the situation. What I really needed was to take a time out for breathing myself! The laughter worked wonders …
Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Your Mummy Tummy–Part II
Ok, so this is part two of a three part series of articles concerning your âmummy tummyâ. Recently, I discussed how new moms often feel a bulge or layer of fat around their mid-section, and no matter what they do, they canât shift it! Thatâs the pillow-like feeling I referred toâand it can be a bit of a surprise postpartum. So, letâs talk about diet and itâs impact on recovery and the mummy tummy! Diet and nutrition work in tandem …
How do I lose my Mummy Tummy?
 PART I How are you feeling about your postpartum belly? Personally, Iâve always been conflicted. Physically, mine felt like a pillow for quite some time and I even remember resting my arm on it while I nursed my newborn son!  What an odd feeling that was!  A belly that had been full and taught for so many months was now loose, overstretched, weakened and distractingly present. I had a sudden desire to obliterate this leftover pillow. Ironic, seeing as it …