Getting your belly back after childbirth is a question that comes up A LOT! But we are surprisingly uniformed as to the proper care for our postpartum abs. For some women the abdominal muscles tear during pregnancy, a condition called ‘Postpartum Diastasis,’ and it’s important to address getting them back together early and diligently. For women whose abs didn’t tear- you’re good to go back to yoga or your normal routine as soon as your energy comes back. If you’re abs have torn, it’s very important to avoid certain exercise and be diligent about others.
A split of 2 or more fingers is considered problematic
Practicing simple abdominal exercise in the weeks following delivery can help strengthen these muscles. With a larger diastasis, it can create several problems such as chronic lower back pain, lumbar instability, digestive problems and worse of all, hernias. Take a look at the following simple exercises that can help speed up the process of regaining your pre-baby shape.
Pelvic Tilt: Simply lie on your back with your knees bent, tighten your stomach muscles, and let your pelvis tilt upward. As you inhale, flatten the small of you back and hold for five seconds. Relax and exhale. Repeat 5 times.
Flat-Belly Fly: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the ground. Lift legs one at a time until your calves are at a 90 degree angle to the floor. Slowly open your legs without letting your stomach release. Slowly close legs and repeat 5-10 times.
Scissor Kicks: Lay on your back with your hands placed under your bottom. Raise one leg off the ground then slowly lower as you lift the other. Repeat 5-10 times.
Forearm Plank: Begin this pose on your hands and knees before slowly stretching your legs back one at a time. Lift up through your core, keeping your back straight. Hold for 30 seconds.
What Not To Do: Anything that resembles a crunch or a sit up. When sitting up in bed roll over to your side, similar to pregnancy. Many yoga moves are contraindicated for example, Up Dog, Twists, Boat Pose. Be very conscious of any movements that stretch the central abdominal muscles even farther apart.
Need Some Support: This might be a good situation to call in an expert. Pelvic Floor specialists, pilates instructors or trainers who specialize in postpartum diastasis, and we’ve even found a good website called MommaStrong.com to help guide you through some exercises at home, when the little one is napping of course!
