#50: Seven secrets to successful postnatal abdominal fix
Every mum wants to get back to pre-pregnancy clothes as soon as possible. Yet it isn’t always as simple as the media would make us believe. Postnatal recovery which includes abdominal workout is multidimensional. There are many different elements that will influence your success. Starting slowly, with gentle and easy exercises is important. Taking it day by day, staying relaxed and focusing on just one exercise and remembering that less is more helps as well. In this blog post I will discuss elements that new mums are not always familiar with but will impact your postnatal core recovery.
NOTE: Women don’t talk much about their postnatal struggles. Sometimes doctors make us believe that birth comes with certain issues that are normal and nothing can be done. In this blog post I will mention where you can look for help if you feel/know you need it. I would also highly recommend a book “The Fourth Trimester” by Kimberly Ann Johnson to any mum-to-be or any new mum. I got my hand on it over a year after Freya was born and I wish I had it while I was pregnant as I would know more about healthy postnatal recovery.
To increase your chances of successful postnatal abdominal fix you have to address all these elements:
Rest
My midwife in the hospital showed me how to sleep with Freya so she could eat whenever she is hungry, while I was resting.
I was so scared to have her in my bed. I was worried I will hurt her.
Rebuilding your body starts with rest. In today’s culture we see women going back to gym just 7 days after giving birth or getting back to running without any postpartum abdominal fix. It may look inspiring but that isn’t healthy.
Postnatal recovery doesn’t start in the gym. It starts with rest. Even though giving birth is a natural event and women have been doing it for centuries, it takes a toll on mum’s body.
It is a major bodily event. It requires a recovery period.
You cannot just go back to your normal activities after spending 9 months being pregnant.
If like me you had a c-section you had at least four layers cut through (skin, connective tissue, muscle and organ) that have to heal.
Anaesthetic or other drugs that were administered to you during the labour have to leave your system. Hormonal rebalancing requires time as well.
Recovery time is individual and depends on many factors. Therefore most midwifes recommend that all women should spend first 15 days after giving birth in total repose. Five days in the bed, five days on the bed and five days around the bed. In those first 15 days you should be barely leaving your room, keeping legs closed and minimising movement[1]. I had no idea about that and was out, running errands just 6 days after giving birth (after major abdominal surgery).
Our strong woman culture can sometimes do real harm, don’t you think?
2. Balance your emotions
In the first postpartum months, mother and the baby are interconnected and interdependent physically, energetically and spiritually. Your baby’s nervous system is developing while yours is recalibrating. All new mothers experience a cascade of changes: energetical, hormonal and structural. It is normal to feel emotional and even confused during the first weeks. Therefore, it is a great idea to create a postnatal sanctuary, where you can just be with your little one, minimising interruptions so your body can focus on healing. Being close with your baby will help you recover faster as well. You don’t need visitors just yet, if that makes you stressed or overwhelmed. Everyone will understand that.
If you had an unmedicated vaginal birth (without birth injury to you or your baby) your recovery should be rather straight forward. You have to take your time and allow full recovery before you get back to your “normal life”. Medical issues like prolapse or diastasis recti may appear later after birth if you do too much too early.
If the birth of your baby took a different direction you may take longer to recover. From physical injuries, hormonal confusion and energetical standpoint, our body is confused and needs guidance on how to get back to balance (If you feel lost of confused or experienced any complications during the birth and need some help to understand what is going on check out the book I mentioned earlier “The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson).
I experienced a traumatic birth (you can read about it here) and didn’t address it for over a year. I simply didn’t know that what I experienced was birth trauma that needed healing. I thought I am strong enough to get over what happened on my own.
Trauma doesn’t have to be caused by a physical injury. Feelings of being out of control, scared, helpless or having no support during birth can lead to birth trauma. It is not about the experience itself but how our body can deal with that experience (Dave, who was with me the whole time doesn’t see it as a traumatic event. It was my nervous system that shut down during that event as it couldn’t deal with it anymore, therefore only I experienced trauma).
You can be extremely happy and madly in love with your baby and still feel that something isn’t right. Good news is that every woman can heal from birth trauma. You can start with the book I recommended, check out the Birth Story Medicine (https://birthstorymedicine.com) or seek for help from Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. It is an important part of your psychological as well as physical healing. It will be much more challenging to restore your body’s strength when before you deal with your emotional trauma.
3. Restore your vitality
Food is medicine. Your body will need nutritious meals to recover. For as long as you’re breastfeeding you will also need your prenatal supplements.
Postnatal nutrition and hydration play a huge role in your physical and emotional recovery and is an essential part of every single postpartum recovery plan. Eating healthy and eating enough are both extremely important. Mineral and collagen rich foods are perfect to support your recovery. Foods easy to digest help our body to focus on healing and rebuilding instead of digesting. Eating warm foods, that build blood is necessary. Beef, chicken, eggs, black sesame seeds, dates, cooked greens, carrots, soups and stews are perfect. Seasoning foods with warming spices like ginger, black pepper and cinnamon is also helpful. Avoid cold salads, juices and smoothies, there will be time for them later.
During the first two weeks the focus is on completing the cleansing of the uterus. Afterwards we eat to strengthen the body. Food is medicine. In one of my last blog posts (#49) I share with you 12 foods that will speed up your recovery. I also highly recommend “The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother” by Heng Ou that is packed with recipes that support postpartum journey.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Drink enough water throughout the day. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and migraines but will also increase muscle soreness when you start exercising.
4. Attend to any birth injuries
Birth injuries are more common than I thought. Did you know that statistically over 80% women have a scar tissue in their pelvic floor muscles after a birth?
Even though it is so common it is not normal. It is difficult to focus on your abdominal recovery when you feel there is something uncomfortable, something new and maybe even wrong with your body. Despite what you heard (even from your doctor) you don’t have to just accept your injuries. You shouldn’t just “wait and see” or get used to these new sensations and learn how to live with them. Your body can heal, feel good and get back to full health when you know what to do.
Some injuries will require special attention and rehabilitation. They may take time to heal. Kimberly Ann Johnson wrote in her book: “While you may feel broken, it is not permanent. Some bodies take longer than others to repair, but your birth outcome is not a sentence, and you are not alone. It may take more time than feels fair or convenient, but healing is possible”.
In some cases, doctors may suggest pelvic floor surgery but there are other options. Postpartum physical therapy, holistic pelvic care or STREAM sessions may be a good start before agreeing to more surgeries (and more scar tissues).
After birth you may deal with haemorrhoids, structural pain, painful scar tissues, incontinence or prolapse, diastasis recti (abdominal separation), or recurring bleeding (often a sign that you are doing too much and need to slow down, always check with your medical professional). In today’s world these are considered “normal” but leave new mums with emotional distress, confusion and pain. It sounds scary but please remember that all these medical issues can be resolved with time.
It is necessary to attend to your pelvic floor injuries to have a successful postnatal abdominal workout. In the end pelvic floor is an important part of our core muscles and together with transverse abdominal muscle, multifidus and diaphragm work together on stabilising our spine. They all are equally important.
5. Wear belly wrap
I didn’t understand the need of belly wraps and I didn’t have one after giving birth, even though my midwife recommended one. I thought that it will only slow down my recovery. I thought I will restore my muscle strength faster if I focus on engaging my muscles rather than wearing belly wrap. I read about the benefits of belly wrapping too late.
Its role is to support soft tissues, ligaments, and organs. If you wear it, you have a better chance of reducing the size of our waist without weakening your deep abdominal exercises. They support healthy abdominal and pelvic floor recovery. It helps your organs to return to their optimal position, support your lower back and bring abdominal muscles together. After checking with your midwife, you should be able to start wearing one three to seven days after giving birth (there are recommendations about how long to wear it when you start and how to increase the length over time).
If we have a second baby, I will have one for sure.
6. Breathing exercise
During the first 15 days postpartum, you can start reconnecting with your body through gentle breathing. It doesn’t only help to connect with your deep abdominal muscles but will also calm down your nervous system. Just close your eyes and feel your breath in your chest, tummy, ribs and pelvic floor muscles. If you feel any pain or discomfort wait a few more days. This exercise should feel easy and natural. It is best done while lying on your bed with your knees bent, resting together, feet flat on the floor and hands on your tummy.
7. Abdominal bracing exercise
I don’t think my abs will ever look like that again (I taught 18 high energy classes a week back then) but abdominal bracing exercise (and wearing belly wrap) will help you flatten you abdominal muscles avoiding MUMMY POOCH
This exercise is a progression from breathing exercise. We follow our breath, engaging our deep abdominal muscles with each exhalation (you can learn how to do this exercise here). This exercise will help you restore the muscle-mind connection that was lost during the pregnancy. When you first start you may not be able to engage all parts of your abdominal muscles but as weeks go by, you will notice fast improvements. It is the first exercise that builds foundations to postnatal abdominal fix training, future training, and your health. This exercise works miracles and can be done as soon as 14 days after giving birth (get the clearance to any exercise from your GP first). My midwife advised me to do this exercise only 10 days after my c-section.
It is a safe exercise if you haven’t experienced any birth injuries otherwise always check with your therapist.
This exercise helps bring separated abdominal muscles back together. Make sure that you know how to test your abdominal separation and don’t progress to any exercise that involves planks or ab crunches until it heals.
Recovery takes time and that’s ok. Your body is not the same anymore but it is beautiful and amazing. It just did the miracle. You’re a mother. Take time to get to know your new body and adjust to your new role. You are wonderful, you will heal. You will become stronger and wiser than ever before. Have fun.
With Love,
Karo
[1] “The fourth trimester” by Kimberly Ann Johnson