We have written previously answering some of the most frequently asked questions concerning exercising after having a baby, and you can find this over on our blog. It may actually be beneficial to read that post before heading onto this one, and if you have already done so then below is some added information that will be helpful for any new mums who are keen to get back to some form of exercise and looking for some specific postnatal exercise advice.
Here at HPNB, we are all about helping women to overcome the issues that they’re facing post-pregnancy with exercise. If you feel as though your body isn’t functioning as it should, then there will be a postnatal exercise programme available to help you. So, to help anyone curious about the type of exercise that you can do to help solve common issues experienced by new mums, we thought we would put together this blog.
Below, we have looked into some of the issues that women tend to turn to us for help with, and we have provided general postnatal exercise advice relating to these issues. It is important to note that this is general advice and if you require something more tailored or if you’re worried about the issues you’re experiencing, please reach out to a member of our team or seek professional medical advice.
Diastasis Recti exercise advice
As you may already know, Diastasis Recti is a fairly common issue that women experience after having a baby, and it affects your core muscles. Essentially, Diastasis Recti is when you have a gap in between your right and left abdominal muscles, which usually meet in the middle of your stomach. It can be anything from partial to complete separation.
You may have noticed that there is a lot of postnatal exercise advice out there relating to Diastasis Recti. Still, you must be only ever listening to trusted sources as unfortunately, the incorrect advice can make the separation of these muscles worse. However, you can heal Diastasis Recti with exercise, and it isn’t at all complicated so that everyone can do it. You simply need to have patience and stick with the right exercises.
Once you have got the go-ahead from your doctor to start exercising again postpartum, here are some exercises that may be able to assist you with your Diastasis Recti;
● Contracting your deep tummy muscles
● Heel slides
● Pelvic tilt
Whilst these exercises might not be anything like you were used to doing at the gym pre-pregnancy, they are the best place to start when healing Diastasis Recti. If you’re unsure what these exercises are, please contact our team who will be able to assist you.
Pelvic floor exercise advice
It is normal for your pelvic floor muscles to become stretched and weakened during pregnancy and this causes many women to experience problems with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse once they’re had their baby. Urinary incontinence, in particular, is incredibly common and many end up just putting up with this.
Again, the correct postnatal exercise programme can help you with the issues you’re experiencing in this regard, and the aim of the game is to strengthen the pelvic floor. Whilst some women worry because they can’t feel anything to start with when carrying out pelvic floor muscle training exercises, it is likely that they will be working and if you stick with them, over time, you will notice a difference.
Here are some exercises that you can start as soon as you feel ready after having your baby and they will be able to help you strengthen your pelvic floor;
● Squeezing the pelvic floor muscles
● Glute bridges
● Bent knee fall outs
These are exercises that you can easily do at any time of the day, and when combined with proper breathing, you should start to feel that they’re working.
Back, neck and shoulder pain exercise advice
All three of these pains are also common for women post-pregnancy, and often they are caused by poor posture (we will look into this later on), your pregnancy, your birth, or even the everyday things you do whilst you’re caring for your newborn baby, such as lifting and bending. Again, these are pains that many simply put up with when they don’t have to.
Of course, different pains will have different severities, and it can be difficult to provide general postnatal exercise advice in this regard, simply because the pain can vary so much. However, we still want to be able to help you with this blog, so instead of providing you with exercises to undertake, below are some everyday things you can do.
Try the following to see if they can help to ease your pain;
● Support your back when breastfeeding
● Prop your baby up when feeding
● Kneel to reach the floor rather than bending your back
● Change nappies on a raised surface
● Purchase a supportive pillow
● Try not to slouch
● Wear well-cushioned shoes
If you’re looking for a specific postnatal exercise program to help with back, neck and/or shoulder pain, our team here at HPNB will happily provide you with something that is tailored to you and your individual needs.
Poor posture exercise advice
You probably noticed that your posture changed quite a lot during your pregnancy, and women can experience multiple alignment problems. Whilst your posture might not seem important, poor posture will likely go on to cause issues, like some of the aches and pains mentioned above, and ideally, you should aim to get your good posture back post-pregnancy.
Since your body becomes used to the incorrect posture, it takes time and effort to get things back to the way they should be, but it is always worthwhile doing. With the help of a postnatal exercise programme, you can retrain your muscles to support your correct posture and slowly you will start to notice a difference in the way that you sit and stand.
Below are a few different exercises that you can do to start working the correct muscles which will help you to improve your posture;
● Scapular wall slides
● Back mobility stretch
● The Diastasis Recti exercises mentioned above
● The pelvic floor exercises mentioned above
Starting to exercise again with the help of HPNB
Hopefully, the information above will be incredibly beneficial to any new mums who are looking for some postnatal exercise advice relating to a specific problem they are experiencing. Whilst this generalised advice can be beneficial; it is important to remember that every woman’s body is different and if something isn’t working for you, don’t worry, you may just need some more tailored advice and our team here at HPNB will happily help you.
We are a specialist company that can assist you with any issues you may be experiencing post-pregnancy, and we will gladly provide you with a postnatal exercise program that can help you get your health back and to make you fitter and stronger than you’ve ever been. All of our tailored postnatal exercise advice is provided by highly qualified and extremely experienced personal trainers, so you can trust that you’re in safe hands with our team.
Don’t worry; our postnatal exercise programmes won’t break the bank either, they are designed to be affordable for any new mums who need our help. Our monthly subscription is only £8, and you won’t be tied into any long contract. For us, HPNB isn’t about making as much money as we can (which is often the case with other fitness programs), it is about providing an essential health service to as many people as possible.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to read the FAQs on our website; hopefully, these will be able to provide you with the additional information that you require. Alternatively, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today and a member of our friendly team will happily assist you further. We look forward to helping you in any way that we’re able to.
The HPNB Team
