Why is Post Natal Training different?
Pregnancy and birth put unique stresses and pressures on a woman’s body. Whilst trauma caused by pregnancy and birth will generally heal naturally given time, changes to muscle function in the abdominals and pelvic floor may need additional support to heal, strengthen and function ‘normally’.
Common Problems
Many women experience incontinence or ‘leaking’ after giving birth due to weakened core and pelvic floor muscles and this is often portrayed as an inevitable side-effect of pregnancy and birth. It may be a common side-effect but it should not be treated as normal and ignored. It is a sign that the pelvic floor and core muscles aren’t functioning properly and this can be corrected.
Abdominal versus Deep Core Stability Training
Standard ‘core’ exercises such as sit-ups and planks combined with high-impact interval training (or HIIT) commonplace today to help lose weight can actually make the problems worse. Exercises that help women to reconnect with their deep core and pelvic floor muscles are an essential first step – if we can’t feel them, how can we strengthen them? By following a programme that gradually reconnects and strengthens these muscles we can return to a fully-restored, fully-functioning body which can do all the things we need and want it to do.