Bump Buggy Babe

Health benefits of staying fit for you and your baby

There are a lot of misunderstandings out there when it comes to fitness whilst pregnant and in the postnatal period. What to do exercise wise can be both confusing and daunting. In this article I aim to provide some useful guidance on exercising in a safe and beneficial way and not to add extra pressure on anyone in this huge period of change.

From both being a mother myself, and from training pregnant ladies on both a one to one environment and a class environment the biggest thing I have learnt is LISTEN TO YOUR OWN BODY. Whilst there are some general rules which should be followed, the biggest one I advise is if it does not feel right, STOP (I think this is a good rule for all exercise pregnant or not pregnant).

Firstly, lets look at some of the benefits of of exercise during pregnancy

One study found that exercising women had an active labour 30% shorter than non-exercising women.

Exercise prevents or reduces...

Exercise can also help prevent or reduce gestational diabetes and deep vein thrombosis. Hormonal changes may lead to insufficient insulin that enables the body to break down glucose in the blood to be used as energy. If the body cannot meet the extra insulin demands of the pregnancy then gestational diabetes develops. Deep vein thrombosis can occur when the flow of blood is restricted in one of the deep veins, usually in the leg, and a clot forms.

Exercise during pregnancy has been shown to improve or increase muscular strength and endurance, functional capacity and core strength to help support the baby, and mental well-being. Fit women who make exercise part of their lifestyle during pregnancy are more likely to continue exercising after the baby is born than those who are inactive.

One study even found that exercising women had an active labour 30% shorter than non-exercising women.

Please get clearance from your doctor/mid-wife if you are having any complications, multiple birth or are new to exercise.

Cardio work

• Mild to moderate exercise 70-75% Max HR (4-5 out of 10) 3*week
• Maximum heart rate < 140bpm
• Exercise to fatigue not exhaustion
• Avoid contact sport
• Avoid heat disputation by ensuring adequate hydration and wearing appropriate clothing
• Ensure adequate fluid intake before, during and after exercise
• Report any unusual discomfort or symptoms
• Avoid exercise in hot, humid weather
• Avoid exercise with rapid changes in direction which could cause joint damage
• Never stop exercise suddenly; always cool down

The Pelvic Floor & high impact exercises

The pelvic floor helps support the pelvic organ, abdominal contents and the growing baby. It maintains continence, prevents prolapse and improves sexual enjoyment. If the pelvic floor muscles are allowed to become overstretched and weak, their action to contract strongly and quickly is reduced or lost and the distressing problem of stress incontinence will occur.

For this reason participation in activities involving high impact exercise, sprinting, jumping, trampolining are not advised during pregnancy.

Exercises

Slow (increase tone – provide support) – repeat 10 times

• Draw up and tighten muscles around front and back passageway
• Lift up inside
• Hold for a few seconds
• Release and lower with control

Quick pelvic floor (prevent leakage) – repeat 10 times

• Lift all in one quick action
• Hold for one count
• Lower with control

Relaxin & joint instability

The hormone Relaxin relaxes the ligaments and fibrous tissue especially around the pelvis to prepare for birth. The resulting instability of this once solid bony structure has great implications for movement in general during pregnancy as well as for sport and exercise during this time. Exploiting this extra joint mobility during pregnancy is not advised as it may continue to effect joint stability following childbirth.

• Be cautious with impact work due to joint instability.
• Ensure good posture and form through all exercises and daily activities especially lifting and carrying.
• Only stretch muscles to the same point of your pre-pregnancy range.

Dos & Don’ts of Abdominal Exercise

• Don’t stay on the back for over 2-3 minutes after 17 weeks due to reduced venous return
• Do not work the Rectus Abdominis (six pack) once cannot hold in
• Obliques are most under stress due to stretching, so avoid rotational work in 2nd & 3rd trimester
• If blood pressure is elevated be cautious with curl ups and overhead weight work
• Do strengthen the Transverse abodminis (deep abdominal muscles)
• Do work on spinal alignment – to decrease excessive lordosis

Please note this is general advice for a healthy pregnancy, for more specific advice please book a 1to1 consultation rebecca@Everybod.com / 07984 159824

Postnatal

Returning to exercise

It is not recommended that women return to sport or exercise classes before their 6-week postal natal check-up following a normal delivery. C-section mothers should allow themselves a little more time of around 8-10 weeks.

Returning to vigorous sport or exercise too soon can inhibit establishment of breast-feeding. It can also be dangerous to the mother due to the risk of haemorrhage due to the placental site within the uterus needing time to heal.

• Re-tone pelvic floor to reduce the risk of stress continence.
• Re-tone abdominal muscles to:
• Increase strength and enable to support the spine
• Regain figure
• Develop good technique in basic daily tasks essential in back care
• Correct/regain good posture
• Enhance self-confidence
• Weight loss (longer term goal)

The Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor suffers severe bruising during childbirth (virginal delivery) to facilitate the birth of the baby. Additional damage can occur through tearing, an episitomy and assisted deliveries eg forceps or ventouse.

A tear or episitomy normally heals within 2-3 weeks.

Following delivery, pelvic floor exercises help:

• increase the circulation to the area
• reduce any swelling
• aid the removal of waste products
• reduce discomfort
• speed the healing process
• begin to strengthen the stretched and weakened muscles.

Mothers generally should be able to stop urine mid-flow (only try occasionally due to risk of infection) by 3-5 months.

It is important that these muscles are not further strained by any impact work until they have regained full tone.

The Abdominal Muscles

Pregnancy causes the abdominal muscles to stretch significantly; as a result they become distinctly weaker. The rectus sheaths, which separated during pregnancy, begin to realign themselves 3-4 days after baby is born. Total recovery can take 6 weeks or longer depending on the condition of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy and the extent of separation. Exercise can help in most cases.

Doming of the abdominal muscles is the term used to describe the bunching of muscles during a curl-up i.e. the inability to remain flat. You should only raise your head to the point where the drawing in of the abdominal muscles to remain a flat tumm can be continued. With passing of weeks and controlled abdominal exercises you will be able to lift higher with out doming occurring.

Prior to working the rectus abodminis (top layer of abdominal muscle), or obliques (side of the waist) a ‘Rec Check’ should be performed to ensure the gap has closed. Exercising the deep abdominal muscles can aid this process.

The ‘Rec Check’ tests to see the condition of the Rectus Abdominus (top layer of abdominal muscles) to determine how far apart the two sides of the muscle are lying. The Transversus Abdominus (deep abdominal muscles) need strengthening first. The Obliques (side of the waist come last).

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor with your spine in neutral alignment.
• With the abdomen relaxed, take one of your hands (palms to face, nails to feet) and place it just above or below your navel.
• Inhale, as you exhale draw navel to spine and slow lift head and shoulder off the floor – keeping a gentle pressure on the abdomen with the fingers.
• Hold, whilst continuing to breathe and take note of the sensation felt under the two fingertips.
• Lower with control keeping navel to spine.

What does this mean?

• As you lift your head and shoulders you should be able to feel the muscle (rectus abodminis) closing round the fingers. This will feel like hard ridges either side of the fingers, with a soft dip (linea alba) in the middle.
• If this cannot be felt, try curling a little higher.
• If the gap is wider than two fingers, try again with three fingers.
• To be sure of your findings repeat several times, below and above the navel,

* Connective tissue between the two bands of muscle will still be stretched and weak so the fingers will sink deeply into the abdomen during this test.

The overstretched Rectus Abdominis muscle must be shortened before strengthening can begin otherwise doming will occur during an abdominal curl.

Post Natal Exercises

Abdominal Contractions – level i

• Start lying on the floor, face down – forearms down in front, with wrist on wrist head resting on wrist
• Take breath in to prepare
• Exhale and hollow navel up towards spine (avoid moving back or bottom)
• Hold navel in, taking normal breaths, release
• Repeat several times trying to extend time held and abdominal lift

Abdominal Contractions – level ii

• Start on all fours, knees hip width apart directly under hips, wrists under shoulders
• Back in neutral (neither arched or dipped)
• Take breath in to prepare
• Exhale and draw navel up towards spine (avoid moving back or bottom)
• Hold navel in, taking normal breaths, release
• Repeat several times trying to extend time held and abdominal lift

Abdominal Contractions – level iii

• Start lying on side, legs extended, hips stacked on top of each other (should just be able to see tips of toes if look down)
• Take breath in to prepare
• Exhale and lift top of obliques towards ceiling – trying to get a gap from bottom obliques and mat (avoid hips tipping forwards or backwards)
• Hold up, taking normal breaths, release
• Repeat several times on each side trying to extend time held and lift

Arm & Leg slides

• Start by lying on back, knees bent with feet flat on floor hip width apart
• Back in neutral position (perform pelvic tilts back and forwards to find midway point)
• Take breath in to prepare - Exhale contract abdominals and pelvic floor muscles
• Take breath in to prepare - Exhale and bring arms pointing to the ceiling, shoulders relaxed back onto the floor
• Take breath in to prepare - Exhale and slide 1 foot along the floor, opposite arm moves overhead to the floor

KEEP BACK IN NEUTRAL, SHOULDERS ON FLOOR

• Inhale and return to both legs bent, arms overhead
• Repeat with opposite arm and legs – continue with alternate sides

Please note this is general advice for after having your baby, for more specific advice please book a 1to1 consultation rebecca@Everybod.com / 07984 159824