I don’t about you, but the postnatal care in Basingstoke non-existent. 

If have given birth to 3 babies in the last 12 years and each time the care and support has got worse and worse.

Before I continue, I must stress this is of no fault of those providing the care; but simply of budget cuts, an over stretched NHS and (in my opinion) a poorly managed doctors surgery. 

Anyways... I digress... I distinctly remember the surgeon coming and seeing me on the ward post Elliot C-section.

I don't think the feeling had returned to my legs as he said to me "no sex for 4 weeks and no swimming for 8 weeks; everything else you're good to go"

I mean come on??!!!! No sex for 4 weeks?? I am sure I am not alone in thinking that should be rephrased to 4 years; I’ve just given birth, already exhausted thanks to pregnancy and not to mention newborn sleep issues!! 

Did he really think this was appropriate advice?

But what advise should really be given postnatally?

Firstly, did you know you are actively postnatal until at least 6 months after your breast last produced milk? Yep, this is because of the time the hormone Relaxin produced by milk production takes to leave your body.

AND THEN... you will always be postnatal. Much like a cardiac patient will always be a cardiac patient even when recovered. 

Because you have had a baby, because your body has gone through the physiological changes of carrying a child.

Simple things like this are not explained by the medical teams and I strongly believe it bridges the gap into helping mums understand their bodies. 

Your body has just taken the better part of 9 months to growth a small human (if unlike me you made it to full term) The expectation that we snap back needs to be booted out of this universe.

Even if you are one of those enviable people who do fit back into your jeans 6 weeks post birth then this is of no indication that your body internally is healed. A small waist and deflated stomach do not mean that your pelvic floor is strong, it does not mean that you Linea alba has shrunk back down and strength has returned to your core.

In my postnatal experience

Aesthetically looking good does not mean that you are rehabilitated.

Likewise, if 6 months down the line you are still weak in your core, you are leaking as you jump, and your stomach still looks pregnant then this is common because your body had not healed.

It has taken me 3 children and 7 years of MummaBfit to full accept that my body should not be expected to recover instantly and easily.

I think the first thing that should be explained is the many layers to your core and how these have altered and changed to accommodate pregnancy, let alone the changes happening post birth.

Understanding your postnatal core

Let’s explore what your core looks like; your core essentially wraps around you. Front to Back. It is made up of 4 layers of muscles and tissues.

Imagine if you will a layer of a corset running around your torso and among many things, this what helps keeps you upright, strong, protects the back, keeps the internal organs protected.

🖤 Your deep 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬 (𝐓𝐫𝐀) - internal corset

🖤 On top of these the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 (𝗜𝗢) - these are predominantly lay at the side of your trunk.

🖤 On top of these are your 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 (𝗘𝗢) - again laying a the side of your trunk

🖤 and then lastly the 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 (𝗥𝗔) or abs as they are more commonly known, these sit at the front of your trunk

This is your core and the muscles that help stabilise you.

Running between your top layer of muscles, the 2 halves of the RA, is a band of thin tissue that runs down the front of your abdomen called the Linea Alba (LA). It runs from the bottom of the ribcage down to the pubic bone of the pelvis.

A Diastasis Recti is the gab between the RA where the Linea Alba has expanded in pregnancy.

Commonly known as the stomach gap, it is the gap between your abdominal muscles that has yet to come back together and close post birth. It runs from the tio of the abdominals right down to the top of your pelvis. 

This is all beautifully explained in this visual diagram below! 

Why is Diastasis Recti recovery so important?

Internally your two big ball players are your pelvic floor and your TrA (your internal layer of the core) these are your inner core stabilisers.

When your Linea Alba has not reconnected or strengthen, thus leaving you with a “stomach Gap” you will not have a strong reconnected core.

Little is known by many about the stomach gap simply due to miss education and support from medical professionals following birth, not knocking the NHS but seriously, more needs to be done! Your stomach gap can heal fully top to bottom, partiality, just at the bottom or even close and leave the middle open; its recovery is not as straight forward as "fully closing"

Everything is interconnected, your pelvic floor (the sling that holds up your bladder, uterus & rectum) is connected to your pelvis, your pelvis connects onto the Liner Alba, your liner alba connects to your internal corset.

Anyone else feel like this is a rendition of the Funny Bones story book? Sing with me! “The leg bones connected to the hip bones”

Kegel exercises are a pointless act  to support your core if...

Standing there at the kitchen sink doing your Kegel exercises are pointless if you are not strengthening your core.

Learning to breath properly again into the stomach is pointless if you are not strengthening your core. Likewise strengthen your core is pointless if you are not doing your pelvic floor exercises.

A bit like baking a cake… ummmm cake!

A cake is tasteless if you miss out one ingredient: without the sugar, butter, flour or eggs it’s just a lumpy mixture.

You need all the ingredients if you want the whole thing to work together correctly and effectively.

But imagine if we turned that cake into something better like a lemon cake or a chocolate cake? It would be delicious would it not?

Learning to exercise again is a bit like the final ingredient to your postnatal recovery. Your posture has changed in pregnancy, you will be weaker in areas unlike before and your body will be exhausted (amen to all the sleepless nights out there)

So rather than risk causing injury to yourself or aggravating any underlying left-over postnatal niggle, learn to exercise correctly. Improve your technique and you will have your body firing on all cylinders and strong once more.  

Basingstoke newborn mums (and beyond) my Postnatal Core Rehab & Return to Exercise Course is right up your alley!

I will help you figure out and understand all of the above.

You will feel happier in your body, forget worrying about your pelvic floor, confident that one drink wont have you running too the loo.

At the end of this course...

😊 You will feel stronger and more in control of your pelvic floor.

😊 Your Diastasis Recti will be well on its way to healing,

😊 Your hips less achy and hips less throbbing.

Your journey to a fitter and healthier you will be on its path and gaining speed leaving you feeling amazing.

Here is a little link to click on and go take a closer look but if you chose not to join I will leave you with this... CLICK LINK HERE! 

IT IS NEVER TO LATE TO REHABILIATE YOUR CORE.

If nothing else a strong core leads to a strong back, a strong back does not hurt so much or "go" when bending over to fill the dishwasher. A strong back with out pain frees the mind. Pain is debiliating and exhausting. A strong back leads to a happy and strong you. 

So what ever you choose to do, choose to look after you, be it with me or someone else.

Vicky xx