Forget about Instagram role models.
Search for a new mommy and you will have the biggest role model in the world.
Unconditional love and care, juggling between completely new life while still living like a woman, a partner, a wife, a business professional. Not to forget all those roles are played without a single night of good sleep.
So this week’s blog post is dedicated to you – new mommy.
Know that you are seen and admired for carrying on with the world’s biggest mission: raising the new generation.
I invited my dear friend Marisa, who is a professional pilates instructor with years of experiences of working with mothers after pregnancy and she prepared for you a safe pilates practice.
Microphone to you, Marisa:
Hi new mommy and hi little baby,
this postnatal exercises are really easy to do, because you can literally do them anytime with your baby beside you or on your own.
Before starting please read the notes at the bottom of the page and specially be gentle with yourself, you’ve done an amazing job and now it’s time to take care of yourself.
Let’s start with breathing. Breathing in and breathing out, Feel the breath rise along the spine, expanding the insides in all directions, Breathe out slowly, belly towards spine.Relax and Smile.
PELVIC FLOOR AND DEEPER ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
In the first 6 weeks or more I highly recommend doing important routine where we are trying to engage through those deeper abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. During exercises keep your shoulders nice and soft and keep on breathing.
- Back arching and flattening: 1minute or more
When we flatten think about the tailbone tucking slightly under, engaging through that pelvic floor and then realising. Come back in neutral position (I call it golden middle way*). Breathe in and as you breathe out tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Repeat few times and then try to hold it for 3-6 seconds and release with inhale.
[When you feel ready you can continue with exercises below]
- Leg slides: 8 times each side
1.) Lengthening one leg out along the ground and then slide it all the way back.
2.) Lengthening and lifting that leg so that leg just hovers above the ground
*still engaging, drawing the belly back, thinking about the pelvic floor
- Single lef lift: 8 times each side
Lifting up and then slowly lower hinging at the hip. Lifting, keeping the belly drawing back.
BACK PAIN RELIEF
- Seated hamstring strech: hold 10-30 seconds on each side
Straighten one leg while the other leg stays bent. In this position with a straightened back, feet towards yourself, good consistent breathing, hinge forward as you feel a gentle strech in that hamstring.
* nice natural lower arch in your back
- Bridge: 8 times
Repeat first exercise 10 times: Back arching and flattening. Then you are just going to lift your hips up until about a straight line and then slowly come back down one segment at a time, nice and controlled.
- A knee to chect strech: 4 times each side
Take one knee, grap underneath and pull (not moving) your knee up towards your chest as far as you comfortably can and hold that for about 30seconds. Switch sides.
NOTE:
When to start?
• As soon as possible with pelvic floor exercises + gently squeezing your lower tummy muscles
• After your first postnatal check/ talk with your GP
Caesarean: 6- 8 weeks: time for your body to heal.
Diastasis recti: It’s common for two vertical muscles down your front to stretch apart, creating a gap (be careful about any exercises that cause you to dome your stomach.)- exercises above are safe and higly recommended.
Remember to take it easy and just stay with your own level and only do as many reps as is comfortable for you.
Lot’s of love and cuddles, Marisa
P.S.: If you wish to work with lovely Marisa, you can find her HERE.