Do you still look pregnant months after you’ve had your baby? Is there a “pooch” in your belly that just won’t go away? You may have diastasis recti, a common condition involving separation of the abdominal muscles. During pregnancy, the uterus expands and puts pressure on the connective tissue that joins the two sides of the rectus abdominus muscle, causing them to come apart. While the problem often remedies itself after pregnancy, many women continue to experience a gap in the abdominal muscles even after the baby is born. Diastasis recti decreases the functional strength of the abdominal wall and can cause low back pain and pelvic floor instability.
Treatment of diastasis recti involves specific exercises that target the transverse abdominus, our deepest core muscle. Once this muscle is strong, it acts like a corset and pulls everything in tight, thus eliminating the “pooch” in the belly. It is also important to avoid certain exercises, such as planks and crunches, which can actually make the separation worse. With proper training using the MommyTummy technique, the gap can be lessened or closed, and you can have the flat, pre-baby belly you always wanted.
Exercising after you give birth is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But it’s worth the effort – there are many benefits to getting back in shape once the little one arrives. Regular exercise can promote weight loss, improve your cardiovascular fitness, and restore muscle strength. You’ll also feel a boost in your mood and your energy level.
If you had a healthy pregnancy and normal vaginal delivery, you can start gentle exercises a few days after delivery. Women who deliver via cesarean section will need to wait for clearance from their health care provider.
The MommyTummy program specializes in getting that post-baby body back in shape. By doing special exercises to strengthen the deeper abdominal muscles, you’ll get the tight, firm belly you’ve always wanted. Resistance training using bands and weights helps to shed the excess pounds. And diet and cardiovascular exercise will add the finishing touches to achieving your pre-baby body again!
During and after pregnancy, our abdominal muscles are stretched and weakened, and our spinal and pelvic joints become loose and unstable. There’s no better fix than Pilates – a series of controlled movements that help to strengthen the core and improve posture. Instead of bulking up muscles, Pilates works to strengthen and lengthen them, giving a long, lean look.
Want to get rid of that mommy tummy? Pilates targets the transverse abdominus, which is the deepest of the abdominal muscles. When the transverse abdominus is strong, it acts like a corset and tightens and flattens the belly. Pilates also helps to strengthen the pelvic floor, which becomes stretched and weakened during pregnancy and childbirth. A weak pelvic floor can lead to issues like incontinence, decreased sexual enjoyment, and poor support of the abdominal organs.
It’s safe to do Pilates throughout pregnancy, as it safely targets all the areas and functions that may be problematic during and after birth. Pilates teaches relaxed, controlled breathing, which is helpful during labor, and helps with balance and coordination, which may be affected as the baby bump grows!
The benefits of exercising during pregnancy are numerous, and they start as soon as you begin your fitness program.
Women who exercise throughout pregnancy enjoy greater energy levels – by strengthening the cardiovascular system, exercise prevents tiring easily. Plus, the strong and toned muscles that come from regular fitness allow pregnant women to complete daily activities with less effort. Training during pregnancy also results in less weight gain, lowers your risk of gestational diabetes, and helps to prevent back pain in the later months.
MommyTummy helps you exercise safely during your pregnancy. By using resistance bands, weights, and exercise balls, you’re guided through a program that feels great and helps you look great, too!