The term “working out” is appropriate for
exercising because it really is work! Being a new mom is also a demanding
workout, and your exercise program must adjust to these big changes in your
body and your life. Needless to say, pregnancy takes its toll on the body,
especially on your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Your abdominal muscles stretch and separate
(diastasis recti) as the growing uterus weakens the support system for both
your back and your organs, causing lower back problems and the “mummy tummy.”
The pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy by the combined weight
of your uterus and fetus on them. Although you will want to wait at least six
weeks after giving birth before resuming any high impact aerobic classes or
running, you can begin strengthening your abdominals and pelvic floor muscles
within days of giving birth. In fact, a great time to do these exercises is
while you are feeding your baby.
Abdominals
My suggested technique for abdominal exercise
focuses on the innermost abdominal muscle called the transverse abdominis. This
muscle is attached to the outermost abdominal muscle called the rectus
abdominis. The action of the transverse muscle is forwards and backwards. It’s
the muscle used in breathing. So every time the transverse muscle goes back
towards the spine it brings the recti muscle back with it, shortening and
strengthening the recti muscle at the middle of the muscle and making the separation
of the recti muscle smaller. Bringing the transverse muscle back towards the
spine is the foundation of a series of related exercises I’ve dubbed the Tupler
Technique. One of the key seated exercises is the Elevator.
The Elevator
If you are doing this exercise while feeding
your baby, sit in a chair with a seat that is the length of your thighs and
buttocks. The seat cushion should be firm but comfortable. If there are
armrests, they should be slightly higher than the bottoms of your bent elbows so
your shoulders don’t droop. Sit with your buttocks touching the back of the
chair, which, ideally, should support your spine. If your chair doesn’t fit
just right, you might want to place a pillow at your lower back. A low
footstool can also be used to maintain that comfortable L-position. Also, place
enough cushions on your lap so that your baby is high enough that you don’t
have to bend forward to feed her.
If you are doing these exercises without your
baby, sit cross-legged on the floor, with your back against the wall and your
shoulders lined up with your hips. The purpose of having your back supported by
a wall or chair is to keep it steady during the exercise. Once you strengthen
your transverse muscle you can do this exercise without the support of a chair
or wall.
First, imagine the transverse muscle moving
out and in, forward and backward, as if it were a sideways elevator. Think of
your belly button as the engine that moves that elevator. Put both hands on
your belly. Take a “belly breath” by taking air in through the nose and
expanding your belly as far as it can go. At this position your belly button is
at the “first floor.” Exhale slowly and power your elevator to your spine. As
your belly moves back toward your spine, imagine your ribs coming together.
Hold there for 30 counts. Count out loud so you don’t stop breathing. This is
the fifth floor. Now, bring your belly button even further back: Imagine you
are bringing it out the back of your spine (sixth floor). Think of it as just a
little squeeze or tightening.
Count as you do 5 of these squeezes. End with
a full belly breath. Do 10 sets every day. It may sound like a lot, but keep in
mind that you can do a set in minute or two, even while you’re breast or bottle
feeding.
Pelvic Floor Muscles
After you do an Elevator for your abdominals,
you can do a Kegel exercise for your pelvic floor muscles. The main muscle of
the pelvic floor is called the pubococcygeus, or the PC muscle. Being weakened
by the weight of the pregnancy, this muscle can sometimes be hard to identify.
A good way to identify it is to pretend you are trying to stop the flow of
urine in mid-stream. However, do not do these exercises while urinating as it
may cause a urinary tract infection!
To begin, sit comfortably with your legs apart
and your back supported against a wall or chair. Bring your transverse to the
fifth floor and hold it there as you engage your pelvic floor muscles. Hold
both the PC muscle and the transverse muscle as tight as you can while you
count to ten. Then relax both muscles. A good way to relax the pelvic floor
muscles is to imagine it opening up like a flower. After each ten-second hold,
do 10 quick squeeze/releases. Work up to doing 20 of these ten-second
hold-and-squeeze releases five times per day. If you are having difficulty
holding in your PC muscle for ten seconds at a time, start with a five-second
hold, or do the Kegel exercise with your legs up on the wall and your back on
the floor.
General Exercise
Although, as I mentioned, you should wait at
least six weeks before returning to the gym in a big way, you can begin to take
brisk walks within days of giving birth (providing, of course, that your ob-gyn
has indicated that you have no special health problems related to the pregnancy
or in general). In fact, walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Since
every person’s fitness level is different, the time to resume more intense gym
workouts depends on what you were doing before and during your pregnancy. In
the beginning, exercise briefly and frequently rather than doing one long
session. This helps tone the muscles better. Also, protect your ankles by
wearing shoes that support your arches and ankles, especially when you go for
walks with the stroller, another great form of exercise!
Your life may have changed irrevocably since
having a baby, but your body doesn’t have to. Strengthening your abdominal and
pelvic floors is the key to a faster recovery.
Julie Tupler, RN, is a certified fitness
instructor and childbirth educator. She is author of “Lose Your Mummy Tummy”
(Perseus, 2005) and “Maternal Fitness” (Simon & Schuster, 1996; new edition
this year). She offers prenatal & postpartum workshops at her
