Core Recovery Postpartum

Do You Have Questions About Core Recovery Postpartum? I Can Help!

Hey hey new mom! If someone hasn’t told you in a while… you are doing such an amazing job day in and day out. Right now you are in the thick of it all, trying to figure out how to take care of your baby, your relationships, your work, and yourself.

If you are newly postpartum, at this point, you may not really be concerned with how your core is functioning, however, at some point, addressing the overall health of your core will be important during your postpartum recovery. In reality, you are truly postpartum forever. So it is never too late to address your core health!

When I talk about core health, I’m not just talking about your six pack abs. I am talking about your entire trunk between your diaphragm, all abdominal muscles, back muscles, and pelvic floor. These components work independently and interdependently to create an almost piston like movement to allow you to function optimally. So now, let’s discuss three tips to consider when you are starting a postpartum core recovery program!

Tip #1: Start with Gentle Core Engagement

During the early postpartum period, it is common for our deep abdominal muscles to be a little sleepy which then puts extra downward pressure on your bladder and overworked pelvic muscles. This results in the whole system pressure balance being off, which can lead to pain, prolapse symptoms, or leakage. If you can improve the way you feel and use your deep core with specific exercises, we can correct this pressure imbalance and eliminate your symptoms! Yay!

A few beginning core exercises include:

• Diaphragmatic breathing
• Pelvic tilts
• Abdominal bracing individually and with leg and arm movements

Tip #2: Avoid the Most Common Mistake

One of the most common mistakes while addressing core health during the postpartum space is doing too much too soon, but there is a caveat to this which will be discussed in tip #3. Learning how to engage our deep core in a gentle way (like you did above) while moving the body is the foundation needed for future progression. This is mostly due to your tissues healing from the extensive changes that they went through during your pregnancy and the abruptness of childbirth.

Some signs that would suggest that you may have started with too difficult of core exercises include:

• Prolapse symptoms such as heaviness, pressure, or a bulge in the pelvic region
• Leakage with pee or poop
• Hard coning/doming in the middle of your abdomen
• Pelvic pain

Tip #3: Progress Safely and Listen to Your Body

I would say most postpartum core recovery programs are lacking progression due to fear of potentially “damaging” the pelvic floor. I’m here to tell you that postpartum recovery, and women’s health in general,  is more than protecting your pelvic floor. Yes, you need to be mindful of all of the components of the core (as discussed above) while also providing progressive overload to them.

All of that is just fancy words that are essentially saying that at some point, we DO NEED to add in every type of “core” exercise such as crunches, sit ups, planks, leg lifts, knee raises, toes to bar, etc. If we avoid certain movements for the sake of other structures in our body, our ability to be strong and live a fulfilling life can be limited.

In the end, I am here to be your biggest cheerleader and teacher during your postpartum period recovery. I’m here to give you options to move forward in your recovery and educate you to make the best decisions for yourself. If you are needing support during this time, CLICK HERE to schedule a visit today!

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Chrissy Clark

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