Postpartum Core Rehab
It’s tempting to jump right back into your regular exercise routine postpartum. No wonder, you have gone through so many changes and probably just want to “feel like yourself”again!
But, while it’s great to get moving, it’s important that postnatal movement be purposeful. Now more than ever is the time to slow down, listen to your body, and approach working out as therapy (mental & physical!) rather than just a way to “lose the baby weight.”
Remember, over the course of pregnancy, your abdominal muscles and surrounding connective tissue stretched to accommodate your growing baby. You can’t just expect them to snap back a few weeks after giving birth! The process of core rehab takes months, so give yourself some slack and try to have patience with your body.
If you’ve had a c-section like me, you will also be dealing with an incision, additional healing time, and more work to retrain the mind-to-body connection of all muscles cut during surgery. Check out my C Section Recovery blog post for more on this topic.
So how do you get started with exercise safely post-birth? First step is to get exercise clearance from your doctor. This is typically expected at 4-6 weeks for vaginal delivery and at 6-8 weeks for cesarean birth, but each person (& doctor) are different. If you feel up to it, gentle breathing exercises and pelvic floor activations can be started earlier than 6-weeks out, but it is important not to rush yourself in the recovery process. Listen to your physician, and listen to your body and intuition.
Keep in mind that your physician’s go-ahead does not mean you are 100% healed and ready to do everything you did pre-pregnancy. Most doctors do not check for diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, or stress incontinence, so it’s important to address these things on your own or with a trained specialist (pelvic floor PT and pre/postnatal trainer).
So where can you start with safe postpartum movement? These three things will help you recovery gently but effectively on your postpartum journey:
Walking
Gentle walking is great to kick off postnatal movement. Not only is it gentle on the healing body, but it releases less cortisol than longer, higher intensity workouts. This is a benefit to moms whose adrenal systems are already taxed by lack of sleep and the stress of managing a new baby. Take your time, and slowly progress duration and distance as you heal. This is not the time to push yourself!
Immediately after giving birth, you may feel like your core is non-existent. I know I did, and my belly felt like jello for weeks! I was able to reinitiate belly breathing right away to reconnect to my core. At first I just did 5-10 breaths at night while laying in bed. As I started to feel less sore and stronger, I was able to increase that practice to 3 sets of 5-10 breaths daily. In addition, every time I exerted my body (e.g., lifted my daughter or sat up in bed), I used my exhale breath to engage and protect my core. Learn how to 360 breathe with this FREE MOTION STUDIO VIDEO!
Pelvic Floor Activation (PFA)
Once you get the hang of 360 breathing, you can add pelvic floor training. Inhale and expand your rib cage while relaxing your PF, then exhale to draw your navel in and your PF in and up. Connecting mindful PFA to 360 breathing helps rehab these muscles more quickly. You can also perform sets of fast and slow PFAs when you feel ready to help speed up recovery. Core canister pump breathing is also helpful to start to reconnect to the deepest core muscles and pelvic floor.
Now you know how to safely kick off core rehab and movement postpartum, but what should you NOT do? Avoid the following until you have strengthened your deep core and healed any diastasis recti:
Spinal Flexion: crunches, c-curve seated abs, sitting straight up out of bed, etc.
Spinal Extension: backbends, upward dog, etc.
Lateral Flexion: side bends, side crunches, etc.
Rotation with dissociation (hips and shoulders NOT moving together in the same direction): oblique twists, etc.
Planking: full front & side planks
To safely rebuild the core and pelvic floor postpartum, you must truly tune into your body. Notice, what muscles are firing? What areas feel unsteady or unbalanced? Where do you feel strong? Where do you feel a disconnect? Use the answers to these questions to modify and customize your movement as you rebuild strength. Do what feels good for you and fits into your (& your baby’s) schedule without causing too much added stress!
If you could use some guidance in your postpartum movement journey (whether it be days or years post-birth!), reach out to me here. I love creating customized programs for women that are safe, effective, and empowering at all stages of motherhood and life!
By reading this blog, you agree not to use the content as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Please consult your physician before starting any new exercise program or technique, whether pregnant or not. Under no circumstances shall Motion Melissa LLC, any guests or contributors to the blog, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Motion Melissa LLC be responsible for damages arising from use of this content. Thank you for being here!
