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PREGNANCY & PUSHING TIPS 4 things I wish everyone PREGNANCY & PUSHING TIPS 4 things I wish everyone knew about pregnancy. Are there any here that you didn’t know? 1️⃣ We need to do pelvic floor muscle training in pregnancy. This is about learning to both eccentrically lengthen and concentrically engage the pelvic floor muscles. Kegels alone are not the answer! 2️⃣ MOST of us do not have the TVA endurance to handle full planks after the late second trimester. Planks can put unnecessary strain on the connective tissue and abdominal wall, encouraging unnecessary #diastasisrecti. “Hug the baby” teaches you to reduce pressure on the abdominal wall and pelvic floor instead of ADDING to it. 3️⃣ Pushing on your back closes the pelvic outlet because your sacrum and tailbone can’t move. Adopt a “Sacrum Freeing” position to reduce trauma to the pelvic floor and get baby out more efficiently! This can be done with or without an epidural! 4️⃣Don’t push like “you’re pooping.” Exhale during your pushes. You can even do a combo of closed and open glottis. Just don’t hold your breath for a count of 10 and turn purple in the face when pushing. Your pelvic floor (hi hemorrhoids!) will thank you. Questions? Just ask! We cover this & SO MUCH MORE in our Prenatal Pilates & Push Prep Classes. Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec sessions are open for sign up! Link in profile! #prenatalfitness #pregnancytips #fitbump #prenatalpilates #pregnantandperfect #birthprep #obstetrics #laboranddelivery #thebellemethod #midwife
THE KNACK Not only is “The Knack” the name o THE KNACK Not only is “The Knack” the name of a sweet band from the 70s who gave us musical gold with “My Sharona”, it’s also the name for a well timed pelvic floor contraction. 😉 The Knack is a pelvic floor contraction (aka kegel) immediately before and during an increase in downward pressure on the pelvic floor - like coughing, sneezing etc. You can practice ‘The Knack’ exercise to control bladder leaks from stress incontinence ❤️ ✔️Lift and squeeze the muscles in and around all three pelvic openings (urethra, vagina, and anus) immediately before you cough (sneeze, lift etc) ✔️Maintain this pelvic floor muscle contraction as you cough, then relax fully when done. The Knack is about timing! It will help build back the reflexive activation of the pelvic floor and can very quickly improve bladder control during episodes of increased pressure! Bonus points if you practice to this song 👌🥰 Do you leak when you cough or sneeze? Have you heard of The Knack? 👇 #pelvicfloor #theknack #musicalgold #pelvicfloorexercises #postnatalfitness #incontinence #bladdercontrol #thebellemethod #thebumpmethod #pregnancytips
There is a lot of misinformation about diastasis r There is a lot of misinformation about diastasis recti (ab separation) from pregnancy. Let’s clear some things up. ✔️We ALL get some degree of diastasis in pregnancy as our body expands for the growing baby. ✔️We can learn to minimize the severity of diastasis in pregnancy with good pressure management, movement, breath work etc. ✔️Some of us will get more diastasis in pregnancy based on torso length, genetics and carrying multiples. ✔️C-section scar adhesions can make postpartum diastasis rehab more challenging. ✔️Crunches & planks are not the place to start postpartum rehab but they ARE part of muscle overload. ✔️Chronic bloating from digestive issues can cause micro tears in the abdominal wall making diastasis harder to improve. Here are some findings from a recent diastasis recti consensus study led by my mentor @dr.Sinéad. PRENATAL - avoid repeated & prolonged movements that increase intra abdominal pressure. This means be mindful not just during exercise, but how you’re moving in daily life (no straining on toilet, crunching out of bed etc) EARLY POSTPARTUM (Birth - 3 months PP) THIS is when we want to avoid concentrically shortening the superficial abs in the first 3 months after birth (aka no crunches). Focus on transverse abs & breath mechanics. Belly binding does NOT “bring your abs back together”. LATER POSTPARTUM (3-12 months PP) Continue challenging the core canister. Introduce planks & forward flexion (aka crunches) but modify movements with doming in the linea alba. BEYOND Continue progressive overload! Don’t fear movement. Support your body by prioritizing sleep, improving gut health through nutrition and avoid straining on the toilet! Have you found diastasis recti info confusing? Tell me below and ask away! 👇 We cover this and MUCH more in our evidence based pre and postnatal programs. 🥰 #diastasisrecti #diastasisrectirepair #thebellemethod #thebumpmethod #postnatalrecovery #corerehab #absafterbaby
Please stop jamming your lower back into the floor Please stop jamming your lower back into the floor “to activate your abs”. 🙈 Unfortunately this is a really common cue in fitness, but let me explain why it’s not awesome. Yes, pressing your lumbar spine against the floor may help prevent over activation of the back muscles, BUT it does not build good habits. Over time this habit also inadvertently adds downward pressure to your pelvic floor and turns off your deep transverse abs (TVA). (Try it. Lie on your back and jam your lumbar spine really hard into the floor. Notice the sensation you start to get in your pelvic floor.) This is not going to help diastasis recti or pressure management! Less is more. Finding your TVA is subtle work. These muscle fibres wrap horizontally around your abdomen and work like a corset. When you learn to activate your TVA, you will see and feel a gentle compression. ✨ Think about moving your skeleton less (less jamming and tucking your pelvis!) and getting your deep core muscles activating more! There are so many cues for this! Which cues have resonated the best with you so it finally clicked!? 1️⃣”draw your two pelvic bones together” 2️⃣”picture a wire connecting your front hip bones 3️⃣”exhale and imagine Saran Wrap caround your low abdomen” 4️⃣”draw navel in and up without activating glutes” 5️⃣”feel a paper weight compress just above your pubic bone as you exhale and corset your low abdomen. There are SO many more ways to visualize the TVA connection. “Press your lower back into the floor” ain’t it! #abwork #restoreyourcore #abrehab #transverseabdominis #diastasisrecti #thebellemethod #thebumpmethod #coreworkout
Urinary incontinence is a very common problem. 1 i Urinary incontinence is a very common problem. 1 in 4 of us experience unwanted leakage. But there is help. Just because it is common, doesn’t mean it is normal or that we need to simply suck it up. First it’s good to determine what kind of incontinence you’re dealing with. There are several kinds, but the most common are 1️⃣ Stress Incontinence - leakage happens when you cough, run, sneeze etc. 2️⃣ Urge Incontinence - feeling like you have a small bladder, often running to the bathroom and leaking on the way. This is associated with over active bladder and can require bladder retraining. You can also have a combo of stress & urge incontinence. This is called “mixed” incontinence. TIPS ✔️See a pelvic health physiotherapist if possible ✔️Don’t blindly do kegels. They aren’t for everyone. Sometimes leakage happens from pelvic floor muscle tension. Learning to relax is as important as how to contract. ✔️ Do not pee “just in case”. If you leak, you may be tempted to always keep an empty bladder to avoid accidents, but that can lead to overactive bladder. ✔️Work on breathing. Improving your diaphragm movement will improve pelvic floor function. This is the tip of the iceberg regarding tips, but hopefully a helpful starts for anyone struggling with leaks. You’re not alone, there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and there is help! Thanks @knix for providing a platform to discuss pelvic health! ❤️ #incontinence #bladderleaks #bladderproblems #pelvicfloordysfunction #overactivebladder #thebellemethod
Prolapse symptoms are common, especially after mul Prolapse symptoms are common, especially after multiple vaginal deliveries. In fact 50% of women will develop prolapse in their lifetime. You may feel heaviness, or something falling out of the pelvic floor. Symptoms often flare after illness where you’ve been coughing, or around your period. Chronic constipation is also a major trigger (and linked to incontinence too). Flows like this were so important for my own healing, and have helped thousands of our students. ❤️ 1️⃣ Bridge Squeeze 2️⃣ Bridge Squeeze 3️⃣ Bridge Taps 4️⃣ Kneel Ups 5️⃣ Psoas Stretch 6️⃣ Pelvic Floor Release If you’re dealing with prolapse, it can be psychologically scary and you may habitually clench your pelvic floor in attempt to “hold on “. The last move is designed to help combat that, as clenching can make symptoms worse. ❤️ There is help for prolapse. You’re not alone! Have you experienced symptoms yourself? What helped you? Check the Belle Method prolapse highlight for more tips ❤️ #prolapse #pelvicorganprolapse #prolapserecovery #postnatalfitness #postpartum #postpartumrecovery #thebellemethod
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