Postpartum is a time for restoration after growing, birthing and nourishing a new being. It is also a time of adjustment. Our bodies start to rebuild themselves after delivering a newborn and we enter the world of parenthood. This time is beautiful and empowering, as well as challenging and exhausting. The single best way to restore energy and agility is sleep, however the fragmented sleeping patterns of new mothers and parents often comes with added stress and fatigue. Other factors to support your postpartum journey are a trusted support group, a balanced nutrition plan, professional and medical guidance and movement. Let’s talk about the benefits of movement for postpartum.

Benefits of exercise:

• Boost energy levels
• Releases endorphins to boost mood and prevent postnatal depression
• Restore muscle strength
• Reconnects abdominal separation
• Supports quality of sleep
• Improves heart health
• Strengthens pelvic floor muscles

Return to Exercise

Your return to exercise will look different for everyone. A general rule of thumb is 6 weeks post-birth, otherwise clearance from your GP. When you are ready to return to movement, we recommend starting with:

• Start by focusing on your breathing. As you exhale, focus on contracting your abdominals (TVA) like a corset being drawn together at the front. Make sure your spine and pelvis is aligned, and maintain small gaps under your neck and lower back, this is your neutral spine position.
• The next progression is to move up into the crawl position of 4pt kneeling – hands and knees hip distance apart with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Maintain this same breathing focus, expanding and contracting your abdominals as you inhale and exhale.
• Next move onto exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor. Start with pelvic curls on your back to realign your pelvis, strengthen your glutes and mobilise your spine.
• Once you build strength in your pelvis, glutes and inner thighs, you will start to engage your core muscles and rebuild your abdominal strength.
• Focus on stretching your shoulders, back and neck to release imbalances from carrying, feeding and nurturing.

Experiencing ab separation?

Boxing is an incredible way to rebuild strength through your shoulders and tone your arms. However, it requires movement through your core which can be detrimental to rebuilding your abdominal layer postpartum.

Let’s talk about boxing for postnatal mumma’s!

What is ab separation?

As your belly grows during pregnancy, your abdominal muscles stretch and change. Your deepest layer of abdominals acts like a corset which wraps around from your spine and joins together at your front. This layer has a close relationship to your breathing and pelvic floor muscles – two key elements of abdominal connection and core strength. During pregnancy, this layer stretches and thins which can impact this relationship. This is what we refer to as ab separation. 

Rebuilding your abdominal layer and finding the connection between your abdominals, breath and pelvic floor is an important process in your postpartum recovery. 

What movements do I need to avoid?

Any rotation or dynamic movements through your core can bring pain or further damage to your abdominal layer. It is important to focus on combining your breath with slow, controlled abdominal work as you rebuild connection and stability in your abdominals.

Boxing for Postnatal Mumma’s

1. Using 1kg hand weights, or no weights, start in a staggered leg position with one foot in front, both feet tracking forward. Unlike the usual boxing stance, keep both feet flat on the ground to ensure you are stable and grounded. You want to avoid any rotation through your core so it is important for both feet to be tracking forward and parallel.
2. Inhale and on the exhale, feel your core engage and connect. Imagine your ribs knitting together. Raise your hands up in front of your face, with your elbows in, tight to your ribcage.
3. Find a target directly in front of you, and maintain direct eye contact with your target.
4. Begin your punches, avoiding any rotation through your centre or pivoting through your feet. It is important to stay grounded and forward-facing, only increase your pace to the point in which you can maintain this position.
5. Ensure full extension of your elbow, turning your knuckles over at the end of each punch.
6. Keep your chin down, looking towards the end of your knuckles.

This is a great way to create space through your chest and shoulders, build upper body strength and tone in your arms. This is extremely important for postnatal mumma’s, to perform functional movements such as carrying, lifting and feeding your baby.

What happens to my abdominals during pregnancy and childbirth?

As your belly grows during pregnancy, your abdominal muscles stretch and change. 

Your deepest layer of abdominals (TVA or Transverse Abdominis), acts like a corset which wraps around from your spine and joins via a tendon in the front called the linea alba. 

This layer has a close relationship to your breathing and pelvic floor muscles – two key elements of abdominal connection and core strength. During pregnancy, this layer stretches and thins which can impact this relationship. This is what we refer to as diatasis recti or ab separation. 

Therefore, rebuilding your TVA and finding the connection between your abdominals, breath and pelvic floor is an important process in your postpartum recovery. 

Finding your abdominal connection post-birth is crucial to rebuilding your core strength.

How do I reconnect my abdominals?

First and foremost, use the first few weeks post-birth (before you have clearance from your doctor to resume exercise) to spend time on the floor with your bub and focus on your breathing. Here are some ways to do this: 

• Lay on your back on the floor / mat / towel with your feet up on a couch. Inhale, letting your belly expand naturally. As you exhale, focus on contracting your abdominals (TVA) like a corset being drawn together at the front.  Make sure your spine and pelvis is aligned, and maintain small gaps under your neck and lower back, this is your neutral spine position.
• Enjoy ‘Tummy Time’ – not only is ‘Tummy Time’ great for your baby – it provides you with great feedback during your breathing. Lay on your stomach with your hands under your head, inhale into your belly, you will feel the pressure into the ground and movement through your ribs as they expand, as you exhale continue that connection of contracting TVA. 
• The next progression is to move up into the crawl position of 4pt kneeling – hands and knees hip distance apart with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Maintain this same breathing focus, expanding and contracting your abdominals as you inhale and exhale.

Everyone will have a different pre and postnatal journey – some experience no separation and others significant. No matter how your body responds to pregnancy, everyone can benefit from reconnecting your abdominals post birth. 

Once you receive clearance from your doctor to return to exercise, you want to focus on connecting and strengthening your deep abdominal layers – TVA, internal obliques and other core muscles. These muscles lengthen and contract (shorten) as you breathe. Begin by focusing on this contraction and connection to support your movement. 

The pelvic curl is a great exercise to start, with a focus on alignment, mobility and breath – it gives you the opportunity to incorporate this connection into your movement.  Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent and hip distance apart. Your arms are long by your side and your neck is in neutral, chin slightly tucked. Inhale to prepare and on the exhale, feel the contraction and connection to these deep abdominal layers. Maintain this connection as you begin the movement. Through consistent practice, you will start to reconnect your abdominals and build strength and tone in your core. 

Fluidform’s specialised Pre & Postnatal programs are designed to guide you through each stage of your pregnancy through to your postnatal recovery. These workouts aim to reconnect your abdominals and realign your body, to help rebuild your strength, tone and confidence post-birth.

Your core is your central powerhouse, which impacts your balance, stability and the way you move your body. A strong core will help to improve your posture, overall muscular performance and prevent long-term injuries across your entire body.