The first thing you should know is that every mother’s postpartum timeline will vary, just like every delivery & baby are different, so is your fitness timeline. Most often, women get the green light from their physician around 6 to 8 weeks to resume normal activity. While this may seem like a good amount of time for your body to recover, it isn’t enough time for your body to heal and process the changes before ramping up the intensity in the gym. Think about it, it took you 9+ months to grow a baby! A human! Only allowing your body to recover in a short few weeks just isn’t enough time. The Recover & Reset 6-week Postpartum program is a great first step at easing back into the gym safely.
There are several common, but not normal dysfunctions to be aware of such as:
- Incontinence- leaking bodily fluids when you sneeze, cough, run, jump, laugh etc.
- Diastasis Recti- the separation of the 6 pack muscles and thinning of the fascia between those sides.
- Prolapse- a downward descent of the pelvic organs towards the vaginal opening.
As you can see on the image above, the diaphragm, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor work as a team and are all connected. When you are experiencing leaking, heaviness in the vagina, a tummy “pooch”, etc. these are symptoms that your body is telling you there is an imbalance in your team. Learning what your personal tendencies are with movement, breathing, and posture will help you apply different strategies to help manage/resolve these symptoms. With the help of a pelvic floor physical therapist & a Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism coach, finding what cues work for you through trial & error can be a game changer. The Recover & Reset 6-week Postpartum program is designed to slowly help you get back in the gym safely. We first start with the foundation and awareness of your body, then as the weeks progress together we build confidence, learn new strategies, and increase intensity over time.
Something to consider is that many dysfunctions are not isolated to pregnant/postpartum women only. Men and women without children can also have these dysfunctions. I am here to tell you that you do not have to live in silence, I am here to help. This information may be new to you or something you have never really thought about and that is ok. I am here to train, educate, and empower women near & far with their fitness goals! ☺