It’s 6 weeks since the birth of Laurie. Which, according to books, means things should be getting easier, and my body should be getting back to normal. But, as anybody who’s had a baby knows, my body will never be the same again.
This period in time has the potential to be quite depressing, I’m over a stone heavier than pre pregnancy and my waist is + 5 inches bigger than normal. Eek. What doesn’t help is that I can’t really start high impact exercise because of the relaxin hormone that is still present in my body. This hormone softens the ligaments and joints pre birth, and if you participate in high impact sport then you run the risk of damaging joints. So rather than wallow in self pity, easy to do, I thought I’d share with you some of the things I’m doing to try and get back into shape.
Diet?
Eating clean and specifically raw foods is very en vogue at the moment, but there’ll be no faddy diets for me as I’m breastfeeding. I confess I hate that type of dieting, because I like to eat. In fact I think it’ll be essential to eat the odd piece of cake. So maybe that’s where I need to start, with self- control. For science dictates that energy in – energy out = weight gain/loss. If I carry on consuming several chocolate bars a day there’ll be no chance of losing any weight.
Working My Transversus Abdominus
I know my post baby bulge is caused by diastasis. This is the separation of the rectus abdominis which, for those who don’t speak Latin, is the outermost abdominal muscle. Thankfully no amount of sit-ups will resolve this! Instead I’ve been faithfully working my deep stomach muscles (transversus abdominus). I lie on my back with my knees bent. Then breathing normally I draw the lower part of my tummy towards my lower back as if trying to get into a too tight pair of jeans. I hold it for 10 seconds, relax and repeat x 10. According to the advice from the hospital you’re meant to do this 4-6 times a day. In reality, I do it morning and evening.
The Pelvic Floor
I try to do my pelvic floor exercises when breastfeeding, as often it’s the only time I’m sat down. Here’s a link to explain how you do these.
Mummy & Baby Yoga
Once I’ve had my 6 week check (which is late) I’ll be starting mummy & baby yoga. It’s a great way to bond with Laurie, meet local mums and re start a fitness regime. Mothercare have developed this nursing sports bra which will really come in handy for these classes. If you’re local to Finsbury Park then can I recommend Julie Tortora at Lifelong Yoga. She holds classes in her home, so it’s super relaxed and friendly.
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Nursing Sports Bra* | Mothercare
Maternity Zip Up Exercise Top* | Mothercare
Maternity Space Dye Joggers* | Mothercare
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Shot on Nikon, 35mm