Exercise In Pregnancy

Exercising in pregnancy is very much encouraged (whether you exercised before or not!), but there are some things that we can do to set ourselves up for success as we transition into our postpartum journey. Being mindful of how we not only exercise but also move our bodies during such a delicate time is extremely beneficial. Whether you are going into your birth with plans of birthing vaginally or maybe a scheduled c-section, the stronger your body is before, the better your outcome will be after birth.

Exercise In Postpartum

Return to exercise postpartum can be an extremely intimidating topic for women. Far too often, we are cleared for activity after six weeks with little more than a “get back to doing whatever you were doing before”. You are now learning to move with a new postpartum body and therefore need to get back into exercise slowly and carefully. Jumping back into your favourite HIIT workout may sound like a great idea in the beginning, but dealing with stress incontinence or POP a few months down the road is not worth the rush. We want to use these first few weeks/months to rebuild your core strength and stability.

Why Are Pre- & Post-Natal Fitness Different?

All classes will be instructed by pre and postnatal fitness specialists. What does this mean? Each trainer has taken the time to learn the specifics of how to safely and effectively train the prenatal and postpartum body. Our focus is to educate and empower women through movement, proper alignment and breath. It’s one of the most important things you can do for your health.

Why is the pelvic floor so important?

A woman’s pelvic floor is made up of muscles and ligaments in our pelvis. They hold up our uterus, bladder and rectum. Our pelvic floor acts as a hammock for all of these organs and should essentially move like a trampoline when exposed to different stresses. Depending on how we treat our bodies, our pelvic floors can become hyperactive (too tight) or underactive (too weak). Just like any other muscle in the body, if something is too tight or too weak it can cause a variety of issues.

Diastasis Recti

Diastasis Recti is the separation of your abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus) by the stretching of the connective tissue (linea alba). This abdominal separation happens to 100% of pregnant women and isn’t necessarily something to fear. Although every pregnant woman will develop a diastasis, many will resolve as the uterus and body begin to shrink back down. For some women, the gap may stay long after giving birth and may cause core weakness issues. These women often need to adapt their exercise routine to properly accommodate their diastasis and work towards strengthening the integrity of this connective tissue.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is defined as any uncontrolled leakage of urine. There are two types of urinary incontinence that women may notice in pregnancy/postpartum. Urge incontinence is the feeling that you need to empty your bladder RIGHT NOW. This can happen when your bladder is contracting when it shouldn’t be. This can have a large impact on quality of life as some women refuse to go somewhere new unless they know exactly where access to a bathroom will be at all times. Stress incontinence is caused by any type of physical “stress” on your body. This stressor could be anything from sneezing or coughing to different activities like running and jumping. Many women getting back into exercise may notice some leakage and assume this is their new “normal”. Remember, even though it may be common to experience leakage postpartum, it is not normal.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, happens when the muscles or tissues supporting your pelvic organs aren’t functioning properly. You can begin to feel a bulging sensation or “heavy” feeling in your pelvic floor, vagina or perineum. You may also physically feel or see bulging out of your vagina. This would be one of your internal organs (uterus, bladder or rectum) protruding out. Often adjustments to techniques and breathing need to be made during exercise and movement.