6 min read
BY DAHLAS FLETCHER | PERSONAL TRAINER & STUDIO OWNER OF BODY FABULOUS
Have you ever searched on Google “What’s the BEST way to exercise during pregnancy?”.
You’ll receive thousands of opinions…..
- Do swimming
- Avoid weightlifting
- Walking is the best
- Don’t walk after 30 weeks
- Kegels are essential
- Never lie on your back etc etc....
It can get confusing and overwhelming. In the end you research and read about ALL things you can potentially do... but you do NOTHING.
Two areas that are key pre and post pregnancy is your pelvic floor and your core.
- PELVIC FLOOR - Pelvic floor training can help the body cope with the weight of the baby during pregnancy. A strong pelvic floor and fit muscles will recover more easily and can reduce the risk of incontinence following birth.
- STRONG CORE - A strong core can help alleviate pressure on your lower back. Core exercises can help strengthen the abdominal muscles to increase core stability and help faster recovery after birth.
These exercises use whole body movement - that also activates your core and pelvic floor simultaneously….as the core (which is way more than a 6 pack) does not work in isolation.
Please only try these exercises if you have medical clearance and no contra-indications.
First, keep in mind as you journey through pregnancy and motherhood, it’s not about going harder, faster, and longer! This may cause unnecessary exhaustion and at worst leave you injured.
Switch your mindset and focus on quality over quantity. Focus on movements that support your body, which is going through rapid changes during and after pregnancy. The right graduated compression products can also be helpful during pregnancy to help with blood flow and provide both abdominal and back support.
HERE ARE 5 FAB WHOLE-BODY EXERCISE FOR ANY TRIMESTER & POSTBIRTH…that can also train your core!
First, keep in mind as you journey through pregnancy and motherhood, it’s not about going harder, faster, and longer! This may cause unnecessary exhaustion and at worst leave you injured.
Switch your mindset and focus on quality over quantity. Focus on movements that support your body, which is going through rapid changes during and after pregnancy. The right graduated compression products can also be helpful during pregnancy to help with blood flow and provide both abdominal and back support.
- DISCOVER YOUR CORE BREATH
- Did you know you can breathe your way to a better core? Breathing effectively is central to all the workouts I do with all my pregnant and mama clients.
- Once you learn how to use your core breath, deep core and pelvic floor in unison, this becomes a game changer for birth, recovery and the long runway of motherhood
- SQUATS
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Motherhood is very physical; you spend a lot of time bending over to pick up your baby! So, one of my favourite exercises or “mama moves” are SQUATS. As combining this exercise correctly with breath is one of the BEST ways to strengthen your pelvic floor and entire deep core – plus if done correctly can help minimise pelvic pain.
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Squats are a fabulous exercise for your pelvic floor! However, they can sometimes be challenging during pregnancy due to all the extra anterior (or belly) load you are carrying.
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When you squat and lift something heavy— your toddler, groceries etc, the tendency is to bear down and push out against your core. This puts too much pressure down on your pelvic floor and out against youralready compromised abdominal connective tissue.
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One of the most protective things we can do to facilitate healing is to remember to exhale with exertion (or as you rise out of the squat) and support your posture with shoulders over hips and no glute gripping! That is why I suggest using a fitball behind the back that to help promote optimal posture when performing a squat.
- PUSH UPS
- Push ups are straight forward, but if you are pregnant, postpartum, avoiding diastasis recti or have carpal tunnel (wrist pain) then learning modifications and how to use your core throughout the movement is essential.
- First, perform a push up while standing - use a wall, as the prone position puts too much pressure on your deep core connective tissues.
- If you want a challenge, try a firmly inflated fitball against the wall, the instability of the ball will naturally and safely challenge your deep core stabilisers, especially when you combine this movement with your core breath.
- Using a compression sleeve is a great way to give your wrist some extra support during this movement - make sure your knuckles are positioned parallel to the wrist when using the ball (as opposed to lining them up with the wall).
- CALF RAISES
- There is a surprising connection between your feet and pelvic floor. Many women notice that their feet grow in length and width over the course of their pregnancy due to hormonal changes and excess fluid accumulation.
- Swollen feet are a common pregnancy side-effect, changes to your feet can cause your arches to become flatter, putting increased strain on the muscles of your pelvic floor. Wearing graduated compression leggings during your workouts are an additional way help reduce swelling.
- I encourage workouts wherever possible without shoes and include calf raises as part of their movement practice to improve circulation and mobility. Not only does your growing belly cause shifts in your posture and weight distribution, but flat feet can also cause your pelvis to tilt differently. If the pelvis rotates too far forward or backward, it can cause insufficient support in the lumbar spine, creating a waterfall effect of other issues. This can contribute to dysfunction in both the pelvic floor and core if left unaddressed.
- By giving your feet some regular exercise (wearing only bare feet or compression socks), you can reduce the severity of any swelling and ensure your feet are helping to balance your pelvis, rather than throwing it off-kilter.
- I like to combine calf raises with a narrow squat plus a bicep hammer curl with dumbbells. This fabulous compound exercise works both the upper and lower body. I recommend you begin with a calf raise then progress to this more advanced option.
- CARDIO
- Cardio is fabulous for your heart health and increasing endorphins (happy hormones), however many traditional forms of cardio like running, or high impact exercise are not optimal during pregnancy and postpartum unless you are trained for them. Again, this is due to the increased intra-abdominal pressure that higher intense movement can cause to the pelvic floor and core.
- For some women also walking as exercise can also trigger SIJ (triggering low back pain, pain/numbness in the hips, groin & legs) or pelvic pain during pregnancy and post birth.
- To avoid this, one of the ways to sustain cardio fitness during pregnancy and beyond, is by using a medical grade fitball to support dynamic movements. When a quality fitball is inflated correctly and you are seated on it, you will experience instability, to counteract this, the deep core naturally recruits many muscles for support. This combined with optimal movement creates a behaviour pattern that I call “core cardio”!
- Finally, mobility and stretching are important during all stages of motherhood. When pregnant it’s important not to over-stretch due to the hormone relaxin in the body. However postnatally this hormone starts to drop so you can often find more pockets of tension in the body - especially around the hips and lower back.
- That is why mobility is incredibly important when combined with supportive moves that help articulate the spine. Gentle spine rolling is an effective way to improve mobility and strength. Lie flat on your back, tilt your pelvis up, and gradually roll your lower back off the floor and into a bridge hold before gradually rolling back down vertebrae by vertebrae.
- This move is great for helping to strengthen your deep core (including your pelvic floor) while encouraging mobility of your spine. Just be sure to use your breath to move and engage rather than overly activating your abs and glutes.
In Summary …
These are just 5 ways you can effectively incorporate exercise into your routine during and after pregnancy and throughout all stages of motherhood. These tweaks to your posture and body awareness will help to reduce any aches and pains during pregnancy and provide you with greater ease of movement for life!
xx
Stay Fabulous
Dahlas
By Dahlas Fletcher
Certified Pregnancy & Women’s Fitness Specialist