By: Guest Blogger – Kristen Herlihy
On January 16, 2019 at 1:30pm EST PHRC Cofounder Elizabeth Akincilar and Baby Boot Camp instructor Kristen Herlihy will be discussing postpartum fitness! For information on how to tune in and listen, please visit their Facebook page. In the spirit of this talk, Kristen wanted to share her thoughts on our blog.
As a Baby Boot Camp perinatal fitness specialist working with moms who are pregnant or newly postpartum, I often see moms who struggle with what is commonly referred to as the “mummy tummy,” or “the pooch.” Whether they have a brand new baby, a toddler or even an older child, many women find it difficult to feel comfortable and confident with their postpartum body.
In addition to adjusting with the new responsibilities of motherhood, it can be a challenge for women to recover safely and effectively from pregnancy and childbirth. Their bodies respond differently to the exercise that once made them feel strong and capable, and with a weaker mid-section, tight muscles and new mommy fatigue, getting into any exercise regimen can seem daunting. Sadly, many women believe that their bodies will never be the same and that they should simply accept the state of their postpartum body.
But it does not have to be this way. Through proper movement, professional guidance and time, women can not only recover their pre-pregnancy body, they can be stronger than they ever thought possible. Here are five safe and effective ways to recover following pregnancy so that your can return to your pre-pregnancy fitness and health levels.
As you return to exercise following child birth, time is something that all women should take into consideration. So often, we are driven by social media or societal expectations to get back into fitness too early. When I was having my first son, I was overwhelmed with magazine covers showing the latest Kardashian mom in a bikini, two weeks postpartum, making it all seem so easy.
However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least 14-16 weeks following childbirth before moms return to impact fitness. During this time, moms can take care of these muscles that have been working for 9 months non-stop by walking, stretching and gradual muscle conditioning. Please note that any pelvic pain, discomfort or leakage can and should be treated by a trained professional, such as a pelvic floor physical and occupational therapists. These medical providers can guide a new mom on movements, stretches and modifications that can be done to alleviate symptoms and discomfort.
Second, moms need to think about their bodies from head-to-toe, and not just on individual areas of concern. Posture is how you sit or stand, or more easily, how your body looks. As for alignment, this is the relationship of the muscles to each other, and how they line up whether you are sitting or standing. When your alignment is off, as is common during pregnancy and when newly postpartum, you may experience a sore neck, upper back discomfort, lower back pain or even knee pain.
Two cues that I give to all moms returning to fitness is to think of your front and your back – what does that mean? Try this when standing or sitting – inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth and draw your belly button in towards your spine. This helps to engage the deep, inner abdominal muscle known as the transverse abdomnius, which is the muscle that you can feel but not necessarily see. This is the muscle that helps with posture and will allow you to sit or stand straighter. Next, roll your shoulders down and around, opening up your chest and relaxing your upper back. With so many of new moms having forward oriented movement, i.e. changing diapers, washing dishes, feeding baby, etc., they tend to have a forward rotation of their shoulders, resulting in pain or discomfort in their upper back. Just changing the way that you sit or stand can help alleviate a great deal of discomfort.
Next, moms need to take care of their entire body when returning to fitness. When our abdominal muscles are weaker, we tend to overcompensate with our lower back, bringing it out of alignment. This type of misalignment can take time to repair and should be done by a trained professional such as a Baby Boot Camp trained instructor through a Core9 Diastasis Repair workshop or StrollFit class. When returning to exercise, whatever form you choose, you want to remind the muscles of their proper alignment and then add in higher intensity such as weights or resistance bands, only when you are ready.
For the fourth method, modifications should also be considered for the range of motion and types of movements that a new mom should be attempting. Not only can this include reducing all impact fitness until 14-16 weeks postpartum, but also to be avoiding any twisting exercises, such as a bicycle abdominal exercise and also limiting range of motion for such moves as deep squats or lunges.
Finally, I encourage all moms to be selfish. This is a difficult time as you adjust to your new role in life, whether this is your first baby, your second or more. Take the time to find a trained professional if you are having any discomfort or pain when exercising. All Baby Boot Camp professionals are specifically trained for the newly postpartum fitness mama, and can help you safely & effectively return to fitness. In addition, utilizing local resources such as a pelvic floor physical and occupational therapists can help to alleviate symptoms and educate moms on their new, strong bodies.
Interested in working with a Baby Boot Camp professional? Head to www.babybootcamp.com to find a local class near you, as your first StrollFit class is always free. Concerned that you may have an abdominal separation that needs more attention? Our Diastasis Repair program is a 4-week in-person intensive workshop that helps you to alleviate back pain, strengthen your core muscles, and repair diastasis recti after pregnancy. Diastasis recti develops when the connective tissue (linea alba) between the right and left rectus abdominis separates during late pregnancy. Our Diastasis Repair Workshops are taught by our licensed & certified Diastasis Repair Instructors, and our next workshop will be coming on Sundays to Arlington, MA starting on February 3rd. Contact [email protected] for your spot in the next Diastasis Repair workshop.
Congratulations on your new little addition! Be sure to enjoy these precious moments with your new baby and we look forward to seeing you at a Baby Boot Camp class soon.
About Kristen:
Kristen is a mom to two very active little ones. Following the birth of her son in 2011, Kristen wanted to regain her fitness and connect with other moms, so she found Baby Boot Camp stroller fitness classes and has not looked back. This mom & baby fitness solution has been the key for Kristen to both connect with other moms and regain fitness. With a background in psychology and social work, Kristen has an appreciation for the challenging jobs that new moms take on every day. She will look to support you, both as a parent as well as a woman who wants to be in shape to keep up with those active little ones. Kristen is AFAA certified as a Personal Fitness Trainer, as well as in Group Exercise, Barre Above by Leslee Bender, a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach and has extensive ongoing training in Perinatal Fitness. You can find her on social media here and @babybootcampwoburnwinchester on Instagram.
FAQ
What are pelvic floor muscles?
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that run from the coccyx to the pubic bone. They are part of the core, helping to support our entire body as well as providing support for the bowel, bladder and uterus. These muscles help us maintain bowel and bladder control and are involved in sexual pleasure and orgasm. The technical name of the pelvic floor muscles is the Levator Ani muscle group. The pudendal nerve, the levator ani nerve, and branches from the S2 – S4 nerve roots innervate the pelvic floor muscles. They are under voluntary and autonomic control, which is a unique feature only they possess compared to other muscle groups.
What is pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy?
Pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy is a specialized area of physical and occupational therapy. Currently, physical and occupational therapistss need advanced post-graduate education to be able to help people with pelvic floor dysfunction because pelvic floor disorders are not yet being taught in standard physical and occupational therapy curricula. The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center provides extensive training for our staff because we recognize the limitations of physical and occupational therapy education in this unique area.
What happens at pelvic floor therapy?
During an evaluation for pelvic floor dysfunction the physical and occupational therapists will take a detailed history. Following the history the physical and occupational therapists will leave the room to allow the patient to change and drape themselves. The physical and occupational therapists will return to the room and using gloved hands will perform an external and internal manual assessment of the pelvic floor and girdle muscles. The physical and occupational therapists will once again leave the room and allow the patient to dress. Following the manual examination there may also be an examination of strength, motor control, and overall biomechanics and neuromuscular control. The physical and occupational therapists will then communicate the findings to the patient and together with their patient they establish an assessment, short term and long term goals and a treatment plan. Typically people with pelvic floor dysfunction are seen one time per week for one hour for varying amounts of time based on the severity and chronicity of the disease. A home exercise program will be established and the physical and occupational therapists will help coordinate other providers on the treatment team. Typically patients are seen for 3 months to a year.
What is pudendal neuralgia and how is it treated?
Pudendal Neuralgia is a clinical diagnosis that means pain in the sensory distribution of the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve is a mixed nerve that exits the S2 – S4 sacral nerve roots, we have a right and left pudendal nerve and each side has three main trunks: the dorsal branch, the perineal branch, and the inferior rectal branch. The branches supply sensation to the clitoris/penis, labia/scrotum, perineum, anus, the distal ⅓ of the urethra and rectum, and the vulva and vestibule. The nerve branches also control the pelvic floor muscles. The pudendal nerve follows a tortuous path through the pelvic floor and girdle, leaving it vulnerable to compression and tension injuries at various points along its path.
Pudendal Neuralgia occurs when the nerve is unable to slide, glide and move normally and as a result, people experience pain in some or all of the above-mentioned areas. Pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy plays a crucial role in identifying the mechanical impairments that are affecting the nerve. The physical and occupational therapy treatment plan is designed to restore normal neural function. Patients with pudendal neuralgia require pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy and may also benefit from medical management that includes pharmaceuticals and procedures such as pudendal nerve blocks or botox injections.
What is interstitial cystitis and how is it treated?
Interstitial Cystitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by irritative bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, and hesitancy in the absence of infection. Research has shown the majority of patients who meet the clinical definition have pelvic floor dysfunction and myalgia. Therefore, the American Urologic Association recommends pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy as first-line treatment for Interstitial Cystitis. Patients will benefit from pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy and may also benefit from pharmacologic management or medical procedures such as bladder instillations.
Who is the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Team?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center was founded by Elizabeth Akincilar and Stephanie Prendergast in 2006, they have been treating people with pelvic floor disorders since 2001. They were trained and mentored by a medical doctor and quickly became experts in treating pelvic floor disorders. They began creating courses and sharing their knowledge around the world. They expanded to 11 locations in the United States and developed a residency style training program for their employees with ongoing weekly mentoring. The physical and occupational therapistss who work at PHRC have undergone more training than the majority of pelvic floor physical and occupational therapistss and as a result offer efficient and high quality care.
How many years of experience do we have?
Stephanie and Liz have 24 years of experience and help each and every team member become an expert in the field through their training and mentoring program.
Why PHRC versus anyone else?
PHRC is unique because of the specific focus on pelvic floor disorders and the leadership at our company. We are constantly lecturing, teaching, and staying ahead of the curve with our connections to medical experts and emerging experts. As a result, we are able to efficiently and effectively help our patients restore their pelvic health.
Do we treat men for pelvic floor therapy?
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is unique in that the Cofounders have always treated people of all genders and therefore have trained the team members and staff the same way. Many pelvic floor physical and occupational therapistss focus solely on people with vulvas, this is not the case here.
Do I need pelvic floor therapy forever?
The majority of people with pelvic floor dysfunction will undergo pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy for a set amount of time based on their goals. Every 6 -8 weeks goals will be re-established based on the physical improvements and remaining physical impairments. Most patients will achieve their goals in 3 – 6 months. If there are complicating medical or untreated comorbidities some patients will be in therapy longer.