YOUR POSTPARTUM RECOVERY BLUEPRINT
YOUR POSTPARTUM RECOVERY BLUEPRINT
I am SO EXCITED to be launching my updated, face lifted blog for you!!
And I am stoked to share that my main goal here will be supporting all you momma’s during your
perinatal journey! Today I want to talk to you about the postpartum journey, and why it is so
important to heal properly. Most women (hand raised here Momma’s) want to so badly to lose
the baby weight quickly that they tend to do unsafe things before healing is completed.
The problem with this is there is a series lack of information out there that supports postpartum
mothers properly. BUT have no fear that is why I’m here! I’ll be walking you through those steps
so you can heal safely, feel strong and confident!
And I am stoked to share that my main goal here will be supporting all you momma’s during your
perinatal journey! Today I want to talk to you about the postpartum journey, and why it is so
important to heal properly. Most women (hand raised here Momma’s) want to so badly to lose
the baby weight quickly that they tend to do unsafe things before healing is completed.
The problem with this is there is a series lack of information out there that supports postpartum
mothers properly. BUT have no fear that is why I’m here! I’ll be walking you through those steps
so you can heal safely, feel strong and confident!
I have had 3 back to back pregnancies, currently on my 4th, I have learned SO SO much in this
journey and it is information I WISH someone had provided me with! During my first pregnancy I
was filled with so much fear and anxiety about the unknown that I wish I had time to enjoy it more. I
wish someone had sat down to talk to me to explain to me WHAT my pelvic floor was, how to
properly breathe, how to engage my transverse abdominals. Like what?! Also I really, really really
wish someone had told me that every ;body is different, that every postpartum body is different, you will
have swelling, you WILL have a left over belly for a while and that its OK. Like it is OK-you will heal, you
will grow, your body will slowly morph back into a new woman and become stronger than ever before.
journey and it is information I WISH someone had provided me with! During my first pregnancy I
was filled with so much fear and anxiety about the unknown that I wish I had time to enjoy it more. I
wish someone had sat down to talk to me to explain to me WHAT my pelvic floor was, how to
properly breathe, how to engage my transverse abdominals. Like what?! Also I really, really really
wish someone had told me that every ;body is different, that every postpartum body is different, you will
have swelling, you WILL have a left over belly for a while and that its OK. Like it is OK-you will heal, you
will grow, your body will slowly morph back into a new woman and become stronger than ever before.
SO if you are anything like me and did things all wrong to start with; I’m here to help guide you back to
feeling like yourself OK?!
feeling like yourself OK?!
With my first-I ran until I was 35 weeks pregnant and totally ruined my pelvic floor--because I
had NO idea what that was! I was that lifelong athlete that held her stomach in ALL THE TIME
in order for it too look flatter--which resulted in a nice hernia in my belly button. For real though,
WHY had no one informed me of this not even a little bit while I was growing a human?! Everyone
was too concerned with telling me horror stories (and I had a serious trauma I was already
dealing with about birth--to come later I promise)
had NO idea what that was! I was that lifelong athlete that held her stomach in ALL THE TIME
in order for it too look flatter--which resulted in a nice hernia in my belly button. For real though,
WHY had no one informed me of this not even a little bit while I was growing a human?! Everyone
was too concerned with telling me horror stories (and I had a serious trauma I was already
dealing with about birth--to come later I promise)
How long does it take a woman's body to fully recover from pregnancy?
EVERY woman is different!
Every birth story is different, every pregnancy is different and every baby is different,
therefore every woman’s recovery will be different. In order to fully recover one must
understand the parts of the body that need special attention as well as the proper steps to
take. Proper rest, recovery, nutrition, breath and core training are all vitally important after
baby comes. A common, common question many mothers are concerned about is but how
long after the baby will this weight come off?!
therefore every woman’s recovery will be different. In order to fully recover one must
understand the parts of the body that need special attention as well as the proper steps to
take. Proper rest, recovery, nutrition, breath and core training are all vitally important after
baby comes. A common, common question many mothers are concerned about is but how
long after the baby will this weight come off?!
How can I lose my weight after pregnancy?
By not stressing about it, eating whole foods, breathing correctly and daily focused movement.
Losing the extra weight that was gained during pregnancy is not an overnight process,
nor should it be. After a baby is born you WILL lose some as the baby is no longer in you,
your placenta weighs a few pounds and some of the extra fluid you were carrying for baby is
now gone. However many women experience water retention and swelling. Your milk is going
to come in which causes swelling and engorged breasts and depending on your procedure,
medications and fluids that you needed during the labor and birth will all take into effect.
The best way to lose the ‘extra’ weight is to understand that it is a process, the food you
put into your mouth is going to directly affect this as well as how well you took care of
yourself during the pregnancy stage.
nor should it be. After a baby is born you WILL lose some as the baby is no longer in you,
your placenta weighs a few pounds and some of the extra fluid you were carrying for baby is
now gone. However many women experience water retention and swelling. Your milk is going
to come in which causes swelling and engorged breasts and depending on your procedure,
medications and fluids that you needed during the labor and birth will all take into effect.
The best way to lose the ‘extra’ weight is to understand that it is a process, the food you
put into your mouth is going to directly affect this as well as how well you took care of
yourself during the pregnancy stage.
Does your body permanently change after pregnancy?
YES, your body will change!
It does not mean that you are forever out of your clothes you fit into before baby started growing, however you did grow a human (what a miracle!) and in order to do so your body did have to change and adapt. Your hips may become wider; your breasts will become larger (especially if breastfeeding). Thanks to hormones your skin may change along with your hair. In the moment it may feel like very big things but as time goes on you adjust as will having a new baby! Your core unit, pelvic floor and mind-body connection with your muscles also changes during pregnancy. During your postpartum recovery it is important to heal these areas in order to prevent permanent negative changes after pregnancy. Women’s bodies are quite resilient, we have been birthing babies since the beginning of time. God honestly designed us in such a way! Yet caring for ourselves a huge part of the picture to prevent permanent negative changes. So with that being said, HOW can we ensure proper healing and how will my body go back to normal?!
How long does it take for a woman's body to go back to normal after pregnancy?
It took you 9 months, that is 40 weeks, give or take, it took to GROW a human,
it will take about that much more to ‘get back to normal.’
The MAIN components that need healing in the physical realms after having a baby are
your core unit and mind-muscle connection. Proper posture is also important to healing
your body as well as reducing extra weight. The core unit is comprised of your abdominal
muscles, specifically your transverse abdominis, your pelvic floor and your diaphragm. It is
essential that your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis work in unison.
your core unit and mind-muscle connection. Proper posture is also important to healing
your body as well as reducing extra weight. The core unit is comprised of your abdominal
muscles, specifically your transverse abdominis, your pelvic floor and your diaphragm. It is
essential that your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis work in unison.
PELVIC FLOOR
After birth, depending on vaginal or cesarean you may feel a few different things.
Once you are healed in the vaginal region it is very important to understand that leaking
urine when you sneeze, or cough or walk is NOT normal! It is important to know that your
core will HEAL as long as you do the proper healing methods and reduce intrabdominal
pressure on the front of your core until you have gained back the proper strength and
understand how to breathe correctly.
Once you are healed in the vaginal region it is very important to understand that leaking
urine when you sneeze, or cough or walk is NOT normal! It is important to know that your
core will HEAL as long as you do the proper healing methods and reduce intrabdominal
pressure on the front of your core until you have gained back the proper strength and
understand how to breathe correctly.
If you are experiencing low back pain, joint pain, incontinence, even a heaviness in your
pelvic region...PLEASE make an appointment to go see a woman's physical therapist
She will help you determine if you have any degree of prolapse or separation in the abdomen,
commonly known as Diastasis Recti. Everyone has some form of separation and most heal
on their own. Yet 63% of women are suffering from other imbalances and joint pain caused
by a larger degree of separation and have no idea how to heal it.
pelvic region...PLEASE make an appointment to go see a woman's physical therapist
She will help you determine if you have any degree of prolapse or separation in the abdomen,
commonly known as Diastasis Recti. Everyone has some form of separation and most heal
on their own. Yet 63% of women are suffering from other imbalances and joint pain caused
by a larger degree of separation and have no idea how to heal it.
This is looking at a birds eye view of your pelvic floor; think the entire time the baby is growing i
ts body continues to push down on that!
ts body continues to push down on that!
In order to prevent the aforementioned issues it is vital that you begin to rehab your core and
pelvic floor gently. You can literally start doing this after birth as long as it is gentle and you
are giving proper instructions on what exactly to follow (keep reading for more info on this!)
pelvic floor gently. You can literally start doing this after birth as long as it is gentle and you
are giving proper instructions on what exactly to follow (keep reading for more info on this!)
Ironically enough knowing how to properly BREATHE is extremely key in fixing all the issues
mentioned above. I know for one thing, when I first heard this I had never in my life even
thought about my breathing (except for breathes in and out when running 20+ miles) but
I cannot tell you the difference it will make for you. It will calm you, detoxify you and most
importantly allow your body to heal. I have a few videos over on my youtube where I go over
how to do this--it’s much easier to explain in talking vs written form but I promise I’ll get to
that too!
mentioned above. I know for one thing, when I first heard this I had never in my life even
thought about my breathing (except for breathes in and out when running 20+ miles) but
I cannot tell you the difference it will make for you. It will calm you, detoxify you and most
importantly allow your body to heal. I have a few videos over on my youtube where I go over
how to do this--it’s much easier to explain in talking vs written form but I promise I’ll get to
that too!
POSTURE
Posture is another HUGE area of concern for many women and a cause to many aches and
pains including extra pressure on your pelvic floor or abdominal wall. It is important to keep a
neutral pelvis, (no sticking the booty out Mommas) keep your head straight on top of your
shoulders, and your shoulders back. You almost can picture a straight line from the crown of
your head going down through your shoulders, your back, your hips knees and ankles..this is
what we want!
pains including extra pressure on your pelvic floor or abdominal wall. It is important to keep a
neutral pelvis, (no sticking the booty out Mommas) keep your head straight on top of your
shoulders, and your shoulders back. You almost can picture a straight line from the crown of
your head going down through your shoulders, your back, your hips knees and ankles..this is
what we want!
There are many movements in your day now, as a mother that you need to build strength for;
or learn the process of proper functional movements for, such as picking up baby, bending
down to get baby, putting baby in crib, nursing baby, getting out your own bed, picking up
laundry baskets, the car-seat and multi-tasking doing all those things with baby in tow. In
order to have that strength it is critical to go about your strength training in a specific way so
that you 1) don’t injure yourself and 2) so that you can go back to the things that you love
doing.
or learn the process of proper functional movements for, such as picking up baby, bending
down to get baby, putting baby in crib, nursing baby, getting out your own bed, picking up
laundry baskets, the car-seat and multi-tasking doing all those things with baby in tow. In
order to have that strength it is critical to go about your strength training in a specific way so
that you 1) don’t injure yourself and 2) so that you can go back to the things that you love
doing.
I chuckle writing this because as a new mom if someone told me there was a
specific way to pick up your baby from the floor, or how to man handle some laundry
I would have laughed in their face and said, you are being ridiculous, I’m fine thanks.
But it is all the years I have spent doing it incorrectly that I am paying for it; and now
having to rebuild, rewire all those bad habits into proper ones so i can feel my very best.
specific way to pick up your baby from the floor, or how to man handle some laundry
I would have laughed in their face and said, you are being ridiculous, I’m fine thanks.
But it is all the years I have spent doing it incorrectly that I am paying for it; and now
having to rebuild, rewire all those bad habits into proper ones so i can feel my very best.
So, How do I strengthen my pelvic floor and core unit after baby?
One must use the core unit in order to properly strengthen the pelvic floor.
In order to strengthen your core unit with your pelvic floor (this is one unit!) you can
begin with proper breathing techniques. The first place is to start breathing via your
diaphragm. From there you can start to incorporate belly pump breathing and pelvic
floor contractions. When we understand WHAT needs proper healing and WHAT
steps to take after baby the entire process appears to be much less overwhelming
am I right?! The MAIN thing I want you to get from this is that you must remember
your body changes during pregnancy. It shifted and adapted (women’s bodies are by
far the most interesting thing on this planet earth!) to allow for that mini human but it
will NOT just ‘go back’. You have to take the proper steps to reconnect, restore and
re-strengthen your entire core unit. If you struggled with any ‘pregnancy only issues’
such as sciatica, pubic symphysis, hip pain, low back pain, knee pain, or had the
‘waddle’ then you have some repairing that needs to be done. I say this because if
your doctor is like mine they may have just told you it is to be expected, so the
EXTREME back pain I experienced with my second, I thought I just had to suck it
up--turns out I was doing way to many things incorrectly in my everyday life that were
causing this.
begin with proper breathing techniques. The first place is to start breathing via your
diaphragm. From there you can start to incorporate belly pump breathing and pelvic
floor contractions. When we understand WHAT needs proper healing and WHAT
steps to take after baby the entire process appears to be much less overwhelming
am I right?! The MAIN thing I want you to get from this is that you must remember
your body changes during pregnancy. It shifted and adapted (women’s bodies are by
far the most interesting thing on this planet earth!) to allow for that mini human but it
will NOT just ‘go back’. You have to take the proper steps to reconnect, restore and
re-strengthen your entire core unit. If you struggled with any ‘pregnancy only issues’
such as sciatica, pubic symphysis, hip pain, low back pain, knee pain, or had the
‘waddle’ then you have some repairing that needs to be done. I say this because if
your doctor is like mine they may have just told you it is to be expected, so the
EXTREME back pain I experienced with my second, I thought I just had to suck it
up--turns out I was doing way to many things incorrectly in my everyday life that were
causing this.
Here is an example of contracting your entire core unit with proper breathing.
So Momma please take that time during your 4th Trimester to heal of reconnect,
restore and re-strengthen properly so you can go back to all the things you
enjoyed before. It will take a bit of time, and seem slow but Momma I promise
when you do it this way, you will thank yourself later on down the road, and your
body will too!
restore and re-strengthen properly so you can go back to all the things you
enjoyed before. It will take a bit of time, and seem slow but Momma I promise
when you do it this way, you will thank yourself later on down the road, and your
body will too!
I have a FREE Core Connections Course you can snag HERE.! This will
help you start making those mind body connections today as well as understanding
how to perform some functional movements along with your breath.
Knowledge is power mommas!
help you start making those mind body connections today as well as understanding
how to perform some functional movements along with your breath.
Knowledge is power mommas!
RESOURCES:
Fit for Birth Prenatal/Postnatal Corrective Exercise Course; https://getfitforbirth.com/
Who can confidently pick the best service among those listed on this site?Wellness Studio for Mom
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