This edition is going to focus on some basic information for new moms as they recover from their pregnancy and adapt to life with a new addition to the family. This is by no means a complete guide to what you need to do to get healthy after your pregnancy, but it should at least start you off on the right foot. The major things we’ll touch on are 

• Knowing when you are ready to return to activity

• Rebuilding your core and pelvic floor muscles

• Lifting & carrying techniques with your new baby

The biggest indicator of when you are ready to return to activities is by checking to see if your abdominal wall has recovered from being stretched out for the last 10 months. During pregnancy the line that runs up your abdominals (called your linea alba) gets stretched out to about 1.5-3 inches. This compromises the strength you can generate with your abdominals. To self-test this condition lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Place your fingers along a line above and below your belly button. Then raise your head and shoulders off the floor and if you have a gap in your abdominals where your fingers are placed then you should proceed to step 2. If there is no gap, you are ready to return to activity. Step 2 is where you place 4 fingers pointing towards your feet in the area of separation. Now raise your head and shoulders off the floor and measure how many fingers wide the separation is. If the gap is more than 2 fingers wide then you have a rectus diastasis and should contact a health professional to discuss proper exercises to correct this and activities to avoid. In general most new mothers can start exercising at six weeks, but please start back slowly and if you are unsure of appropriate exercises then please see a health care professional. 

Rehabilitation after a c-section is very similar to rehabilitation after a natural childbirth but there are a few exceptions. After surgery, scar tissue builds up along the incision line, which can entrap nerves and cause abdominal pain. Scar massage along the surgical scar is the best way to release the nerve entrapment and decrease pain. If you have numbness around the surgical scar it may just take time for the nerve to come back and re-innervate the area, but unfortunately it may never come back. 

Post-delivery, whether it is a c-section or not, you will have to slowly rebuild your core muscles. The key muscles you will focus on are the transverses abdominus and pelvic floor. For a list of core exercises that you can begin with to strengthen these muscles please stop by the clinic and we can provide you with a focused program to begin with. 

Also during the course of your pregnancy, you will have muscles that tend to tighten up. Spending time stretching out your hamstrings, piriformis and IT bands can lessen the stress and pull on the pelvis and may relieve low back pain. During your pregnancy the sacroiliac joint loosens up to allow the pelvis to open up. Post-pregnancy this is a common cause of back pain. There are specific belts, exercises, tape jobs, and a type of injection called prolotherapy, which can scar down the area and stabilize it. 

Feeding and holding your baby after pregnancy affects the posture of your upper body. Your shoulders round forward and you start to poke your chin forward. Stretching out your pectoral muscles and opening up your chest wall by strengthening your back muscles are a good way to relieve tension and stress through your neck, shoulders and upper back. 

Lifting and carrying your child improperly is an area of concern due to the fact that your core is already in a weakened state. Lack of strength in the core leaves the spine and ligaments vulnerable to injury. To avoid a back injury tighten your core prior to the lift, keep the object as close to your body as possible (especially getting car seats out of the back seat), and use your legs as much as possible.

There are many more things involved with getting healthy after your pregnancy so if you are having problems please contact a healthcare professional. If you have any further questions regarding any of the issues discussed above please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at jasperphysio@telus.net or by phone at 780-852-2262.