So the answer to this really is ‘it depends,’ but to keep it simple here are a few that I will always programme…
Breathwork
...is # 1 when learning to connect the pelvic floor with the diaphragm. Feeling how and when to engage and to create tension in your deep core will dictate how successful your return to training will be.
Never skip this
The nature of pregnancy, loading your anterior (front) means that posterior (back) gets weaker and also because it becomes harder to train to maintain muscle mass jn the later stages of pregnancy there is almost always some muscle loss here as well, and so…
Bridges
A friend of mine who is a pre and postnatal Pilates instructor messaged me when I first got pregnant that ‘bridges are life’ and throughout pregnancy and into the postpartum journey they are key movement and can be regressed right down to body weight in the floor, back up to loaded with a barbell on a wedge or bench. Super safe and versatile exercise to rebuild glutes and hamstrings and get your lower body working hard
If you’ve had a c-section, it is also good to be mindful of putting pressure on your scar so make sure you have a good massage routine with this to keep the tissue around the area from feeling ‘tight’ as you heal and to help reduce sensitivity over time. When you start loading bridges, it may feel more comfortable at first to start with a sandbag to spread the pressure rather than just using a light barbell.
Loaded Carries
To start with, the level of diastasis will dictate how soon things like planks and curls ups can come back into your programme but these work the whole core and will help improve your posture after living with a solid posterior pelvic tilt for a good few months.
Also -these are incredibly easy and being able to use Dumbbells/Kettlebells/Sandbags etc makes them a very versatile option to do while carrying a baby/pushing pram/walking/standing still and they are just super functional and relevant for life in those early days
How do you know where to start?
If you are unsure of where you are at, I would always recommend going to see a Women’s health physio before you return to training to get a baseline and to set some expectations. This will really help you to get an understanding of where you’re body is at - I find this particularly useful for women who have a solid background in training as there is often pressure to ‘get back to it’ asap especially and doing too much too soon, may cause more setbacks.
Remember every pregnancy, birth, and recovery journey is COMPLETELY unique. Throw in training and injury background and there are even more roads to recovery to take into consideration so go at your own pace and think long term, starting with the basics.
If you have any questions about returning to training after having your baby, get in touch for a chat and to find out more about the postnatal Coaching offerings we have with our expert term here at GroundWork.
