Why Strength and Release Are So Important for Pregnancy & Postpartum
Lately I hear women sharing more about all the uncomfortable yet very common things that happen when you have a baby, allowing pregnant women more opportunity to prepare for less risk and easier recovery after labor.
In order for new moms to be their best for their new babies, family, and for themselves, strength training and release work is essential. Many women want to return to cardio activities to get back to their pre-baby body. Although cardio is important and can feel good, a lot of times postpartum bodies aren’t ready for the high impact of cardio. In addition to being risky, especially if you’re experiencing the issues I listed before, it’s also not the most effective way to lose weight.
Whether you’re pregnant or postpartum, it is beneficial to be intentional with your workouts. Strength training common weak muscles and learning to breathe and to manage pressure within the body are crucial in helping reduce the risk of postpartum issues, and will help with recovery.
As your body changes through pregnancy, it is common to have risky postural habits. These adjustments easily stay with you into postpartum, contributing to pain in the back, neck, shoulders, hips, and sometimes other parts of the body. Establishing healthy postural habits and strength training areas like your glutes and lower abdominals during pregnancy sets you up to feel better postpartum.
Some common issues during pregnancy and labor include constipation, incontinence/leaking, vaginal tearing, hernias, prolapse (when the bladder, uterus, or anus press their way into the vaginal canal), diastasis recti (a spread in the abdominal tissue), and low back and/or hip, neck, and shoulder pain. Your hormones change a lot, too, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, depression, and other issues. Once baby arrives, you can add lack of sleep and other stressors to the list.
On top of all of these physical, mental, and emotional changes, many pregnant women and new moms are working full time, running a household, keeping an active social life, and trying to fit in self care. Anyone else feeling overwhelmed just reading this list of challenges?
This is why I share and encourage the importance of release - release in the body and maybe of some things in your life. It is common for moms to use their precious free time to work out, get stuff done, or end up scrolling on social media or binge watching something on Netflix. This can keep your nervous system in a low state of fight or flight mode, which can weaken your immune system. This stress can lead to overwhelm, illness and unhappiness. It is important to take time for stillness, rest, nature, and calm within the rush of life. This is easier said than done, especially when you’ve created some pretty strong habits of busyness. It helps to take some planning time to be intentional and can help to have some guided support.
Release is also important during pregnancy. Anything happening in your body is going to affect your growing baby. And anything you do often during pregnancy will most likely continue as a habit postpartum. During labor, to be able to push a small human out of your body, it helps tremendously to relax your pelvic floor muscles. Learning to connect to your pelvic floor and to work with your breath and pressure management within the body can help you have more ease during labor and reduce the risk of prolapse, diastasis recti, and severe tearing. In addition, practicing mindfulness and learning ways to lower your stress level can help when things get tough during labor and with a new baby.
Pregnancy and postpartum require a lot of support. It’s important to take advantage of all the new information that is available about preparing physically, mentally, and emotionally for a new baby. Moms play a huge role in creating our future, and I want you to feel your best on your journey!
-Written by FGF trainer Emily Aikins
