Your precious bundle of joy has arrived and you’re a proud new Mum enjoying the delights of maternity leave, baby clinics and new social groups you are a part of.
All your attention is focused on your baby and suddenly after a few months of feeding and changing nappies, your subconscious pipes up ‘You ready to workout yet?’
Half of you wants to cry at the thought of the squishing your sore boobs into a sports bra and the other half is already getting your trainers on. Â Knowing what to do and how far to push yourself at this stage is probably the most important research you’ll do.
The first thing to check before you commence any exercise is that your doctor/midwife has given you the go ahead and you’re past your 6 week check for natural birth and 12 weeks for c-section.
Secondly, your six pack muscle (rectus abdominus) separates during pregnancy therefore you need to check this muscle has returned back together before you do any sit-ups. Â I know its an area post natal mums want to work on the most but it’s essential you get this right to avoid causing any damage or delay in your recovery.
The video below shows how to check for abdominal separation (diastasis recti) and the exercises you can do to encourage the muscles to come back together.
Finally, be cautious of the hormone relaxin that may still be present if you’re breast feeding. Â This makes your muscles and ligaments more pliable so avoid over stretching as this could cause long term damage. Â Normal stretch ranges are usually ok, it’s the PNF and developmental stretching to steer clear of.
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All you need to do is register your interest in the release of the book and I’ll pick a winner at random on February 14th.
Good Luck!
