New Mum? Mum of many? Not yet a Mum....
The one main thing I have in common with the majority of my clients is that I am a woman and a Mum. Statistics say 85% of us will become a mother at some point… I am a mother of 2 girls.
The majority of my clients are either brand new Mum’s, whether it be their first, second or more. Some are Mum’s of just one… 2 or many, and of course each woman with the possibilty of becoming a Mum.
Why is this important? Well firstly being a mum is one of THE most important times in our lives and quite often all our focus goes on our children, and rightly so, they need us! However looking after ourselves and our bodies from Pre Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Birth and beyond is really important. Realistically we are post pregnancy for the rest of our lives and it is important to remember the huge changes our bodies endure through pregnancy and birth as this can affect the way your body is for the long term.
Exercise is very important at all stages of our lives, however exercising whilst pregnant and post-natal require special consideration for each individual.
I hear it a lot and I must say I don’t like it…. ‘You’ll be fine to return to exercise around 6 weeks after the birth of your baby!’ 6 weeks!! Really? Yes OK there may be a few women who ‘bounce back’ quickly, may have had an easy birth, and recover well and can start light exercise, but the reality is that most of us, whether it was a natural/vaginal birth or an assisted or cesarean birth, there is a huge a mount of healing to do, physically and emotionally and it may take a lot longer than 6 -12 weeks! And that’s OK!
What do I suggest? Where do you start? When is the right time? Are you ready to exercise?
Each woman experiences pregnancy and birth very differently, however with similar physiological and psychological changes. Being that we all are very different, it is important to treat each pregnancy specifically to gain the best outcome long term.
Firstly I would recommend that you get clearance to exercise from your Womens Health Nurse, Doctor or Physio just to ensure you are safe to start.
Then contact me for a chat, and we can work out a plan to suit you. The right time, is when you and your body are ready.
If you are pregnant, and are already exercising and still feeling good, then there is no reason why you can’t continue to exercise, it is however not recommended to start something brand new once pregnant, so perhaps walking and light exercise will suit you for now.
If you are post baby and are ready to return to exercise, make sure you head back and see your women’s health doctor or physio for recommendations. It is really important to consider your pelvic floor, and if you have diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
Start slow, it took 9 months of physical changes to make the baby, we can’t expect to return to our former pre-baby bodies immediately, or ever, it’ll take time to heal, recover and regain the strength and fitness you are looking for.
Support yourself through this journey - eat well, get as much sleep as possible, try not to STRESS too much…. listen to what your body needs and take some time out to relax the mind when possible. Yes this is tough, however important and beneficial.
And most importantly, be kind to yourself. A loved you results in a happier and healthier life.
Tonya xx
