If you are recently postpartum you may not be thinking about returning to fitness and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s important that as a new momma, or a momma adding another child into the mix that you take the time you need to heal and develop a routine that suits your life. Gentle movement early in the postpartum period can be helpful and allow you to progress towards returning to fitness but it’s also important that you add it back into your routine as it suits you and its appropriate for you.
All of the following exercises use the diaphragmatic breathing pattern. This practice can be used throughout pregnancy as well as into the postpartum. If you aren’t ready to add any gentle movement back into your routine yet you can still implement diaphragmatic breathing daily in the early postpartum. Diaphragmatic breathing can help you reconnect to your core and pelvic floor in the postpartum period and regain strength in the core as you recover from delivery. You can learn more about diaphragmatic breathing and some additional variations by clicking here.
Lay down flat on the floor, with your knees bent of straight out if you prefer. Place your hands on your belly. This gives you external feedback to ensure that your belly and back are expanding when you inhale. Take a full deep inhale and feel your belly and chest fill with air. You should also feel your pelvic floor load and lengthen (pushing down). As you exhale you should feel your hands sink back in and your pelvic floor return to the starting position. You can add a slight squeeze in the pelvic floor as you lift, but this is not necessary in all cases. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can guide you on the best options for your pelvic floor with an assessment.
Heel Slides: Lying on your back with your knees bent inhale as you extend your foot out sliding your heel along the floor. As you inhale feel your chest and belly fill with air and your pelvic floor load and lengthen pressing downwards. As you exhale pull your heel along the floor and return to the start position as you lift through the pelvic floor.
Knee Dropouts: Lying on your back inhale expanding through the chest and belly and lengthening through the pelvic floor as you drop your knee out to the side. Ensure that you are keeping both your hips flat on the floor (don’t drop your knee all the way to the floor if your opposite hip starts to lift up). As you exhale, lift through the pelvic floor and return the knee to the start position.
Glute Bridge & Ball Squeeze: Lying on your back place a small Pilates ball or a pillow between your knees. Lifting your hips off the floor as you exhale feel the pelvic floor lift up and you squeeze the ball between your knees. Inhale to return to the bottom and release the squeeze on the ball.
Pelvic Tilts: Lying on your back tip your hips backwards flattening your back against the floor and tip your hips forward creating an arch in your back. Keep the movement slow and controlled.
Clam Shells: Lying on your side stack your knees and ankles on top of each other. Inhale expanding through your chest and abdomen. As you exhale connect to your core and pelvic floor while you lift the top knee up squeezing in the glute while keeping the hips stacked on top of each other. Then lower your knee back to the start position as you inhale.
Complete about 6-10 repetitions of each exercise for 1-2 rounds. Complete these exercises in the time you have available (if you only have a few minutes choose a couple of exercises and do what you can). You can start with a lower number of repetitions and rounds and as you feel you are able add to it slowly. If at any point you feel that you have overdone it ensure that you are listening to your body and back off if you need to. These exercises are gentle and a good place to start to reconnect to your core and pelvic floor postpartum. If you are looking for more information about returning to exercise in the postpartum please reach out here and I will be happy to help you develop a personalized plan that will work in your life.
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