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Pregnancy Is an Endurance Test. Why Not Train for It?
If you’re thinking about having a baby, proactively preparing your body through exercise can make a big difference.
By Danielle Friedman
Pregnancy can feel like a nine-month feat of strength and stamina, filled with relentless physical challenges, from the extreme fatigue of the first trimester to the breathlessness and back pain of the third.
While regular exercise during pregnancy can help manage these issues, experts say you can also prepare your body before getting pregnant — in the same way you might train for an athletic event — using exercises that specifically benefit a pregnant body.
“The work of pregnancy, labor, delivery and then postpartum — it’s all one long marathon,” said Maura Shirey, who runs Bodies for Birth, a prenatal and postpartum fitness program in Seattle. “If you can dedicate time up front to having a strong foundation, then it’s just going to mean a more energetic, more comfortable, stronger” experience, she said.
Diastasis Recti: The Postpartum Belly Issue No One Talks About
If you’re wondering what Diastasis Recti is, you’re not alone. Even though it affects at least 60% of women postpartum, it isn’t something generally discussed until you’re already dealing with the issue. So, what is it exactly? In short, it’s the separation of your stomach muscles and can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth.
To learn a bit more about Diastasis Recti and how it can be treated, we spoke to Lisa Schoenholt of Control D.
Why Aren't We Talking About Pre-Baby Bodies?
Six days after giving birth, I emailed my Pilates instructor: “Let me know when I can come back and see you!” She told me to wait five weeks.
Looking back, I realize how completely unrealistic that expectation was — it was too early for me to be opening this conversation, as my body was still healing from labor and delivery. But staring down at my post-pregnancy belly, in shock over how stretched and open my skin and muscles looked, I knew something wasn’t right. I understood why it was too early to start exercising, but I was also left with the feeling that it was too late. Why, I asked myself, hadn’t I better prepared my body before I got pregnant?
What is Diastasis Recti?
Have you wondered if you have diastasis recti? Are you having low back or abdominal pain? Have you returned to working out but they aren’t feeling quite right?”
Diastasis Recti is the separation of the right and left halves of the abdominal wall. These halves meet together at the midline (the linea alba) which is made up of mostly connective tissue. As a baby grows during pregnancy, the tissue stretches out, the rectus abdominals move further apart, sometimes separating. Each layer of the abdominal muscles (there are four) are covered in fascial sheaths which all connect together at the midline. This condition sometimes presents as ‘doming’ or ‘pooching,’ but it can also present without a bulge, where the skin sinks into the gap. Even though we tend to think of this as a postpartum issue, it can also happen in men and babies/children. Clients with diastasis recti sometimes also suffer from low back pain, overly tight hips/gluteal muscles, and a weak pelvic floor.
Three Simple Exercises to Help Combat the COVID Thanksgiving Blues
As the Autumn turns to Winter, the COVID numbers spike, and we head into the holiday season, it's hard to stay cool, calm, and collected. Take a break with the following simple exercises to help you decrease your stress, relieve back and neck tension, and give your body some gentle movement. These exercises are based on Pilates and Bartenieff Fundamentals, which are low impact forms of exercise focused on alignment, control, and posture. When doing these exercises, remember to connect your breath to the movement!
Using Your Breath To Get Through The Holiday Feels
The breathing technique used in many forms of Pilates (a low impact form of exercise focused on alignment, control, and posture) called lateral thoracic breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, helps oxygenate the blood, increase circulation, and helps the lungs eliminate stale air. This breathing technique can also provide stress relief and reduce anxiety.
Let's talk about HOW to breathe...
Remember - you take your breath with you everywhere. As simple as this may seem, using this technique to calm down or navigate a challenging feeling can be truly transformative.