Core & Pelvic Floor Restore Week One
Core & Pelvic Floor Restore • 22m
First week postpartum involves mostly sitting and/or laying down.
Recovery is the most crucial part to postpartum rehab. We have to give our bodies time to rest before we begin rehab. During my first week postpartum, I’m focusing diaphragmatic breathing—really working on that 360 breathing and working on reconnection. Lots of mobility work to keep my spine moving with forward, backward, rotational, and lateral movements—making sure I cover all 3 planes of movement. With all the sitting and hunched over breastfeeding positions, I want to keep these movements to help avoid that upper back pain.
Im also focusing on opening up my chest because, again, breastfeeding can really take a toll on our backs. Lastly, I’m working on hip mobility to get some length to my pelvic floor.
I suggest doing this routine as often as you feel necessary. That may be everyday, twice a week, or just once a week for a few weeks. You also may feel it best to wait until week two or three postpartum to begin it, which is TOTALLY fine as well. This is YOUR postpartum journey, so take it at YOUR pace. These are here for you when you're ready :)
Keep in mind that REST is priority. Movements are small and slow. And reconnection to our core and pelvic floor throughout diaphragmatic breathing is the most important thing right now!
Diaphragmatic breathing:
- 3 sets of 3-5 360 breaths
- You can try this lying down or seated, just be sure to keep it supported
- You can also increase these reps as you feel like it this week, but remember: this is not a race!
Mobility work:
- 3 sets of 3-5 thoracic cat/cow
- This is to get the spine moving since we’re mostly laying in bed. Moving spine with forward, backwards, and rotational movements. This can help avoid upper back pain from all the hunched over breastfeeding/bottle feeding positions
- 3 sets of 3-5 rotational crossovers
- 3 sets of 3-5 lateral reaches for lateral movement
- 3 sets of 5 chest openers (can also do this supine)
- 3 sets of supine pretzel stretch (each leg)
- 3 sets of 6-8 supine hip switches
Up Next in Core & Pelvic Floor Restore
-
Core & Pelvic Floor Restore Week Two
During this week, we’re still exploring reconnection and how that feels. What that feels like in our bodies. Primarily focusing on breathing exercises to reconnect with our pelvic floor and core, still mobility work to keep our bodies moving but in a gentle way, and adding in a little more releas...
-
Core & Pelvic Floor Restore Week Thre...
We have officially graduated from "rest" phase of postpartum, and are moving into "rehab" phase! As goes with the rest of this program, you get to decide when you're implementing these exercises, and how often you're doing them. My advice (and how I'm doing it personally) is: 3 times a week.
- 3...
-
Core & Pelvic Floor Restore Week Thre...
These are exercises for week 3, but in a demo version (not follow along).
If you're not one for follow along workouts, or short on time, or have already watched the follow along and need a quick recap--this is the choice for you!- 360 breathing: 30 reps throughout the day
- The single most ...
