How Having A Baby Can Mess With Your Core
It is no secret that having a baby can change your body forever.
Why do you think the term ‘Mummy Tummy’ was coined?
We all know what a mummy tummy is. And you might even have one yourself and be seeking the magic formula to restore your core!
You might even have tried exercises to strengthen the area. Unfortunately though, unless you are making the right movements, you probably haven’t seen much success.
So, what is it about pregnancy that changes your core?
And will you ever be able to get it back to the way it was before?
Let’s answer both those questions now…
How Pregnancy Impacts Your Core
Becoming a Mum will change you forever, but it will also change the physicality of your body.
Pregnancy moves a lot of stuff around!
As your belly grows, your abdominals will stretch and your back muscles will shorten. The ligaments and joints in your pelvis become a lot more fluid to accommodate the growing baby. But, it doesn’t stop there!
Your pelvic floor muscles are put under stress as they support the baby. This process may weaken them. Even your rib cage will slide backwards slightly, to make way for the baby.
As you can imagine, these body parts don’t simply snap back to the way they were before when your baby is born. There is a significant postpartum recovery phase that is made more difficult by needing to nurse, carry and lift a baby.
What does it all mean?
Well, pregnancy causes big changes in the way that your muscles interrelate and how you coordinate them. This can result in poor core stability.
Will My Core Ever Be The Same Again?
The good news is that you can restore your core. And it doesn’t take hardcore crunches or mega sweat sessions at the gym.
It simply takes the right kind of movements to improve strength, stability and coordination.
You can begin to restore strength to your core during all your movements throughout the day. It is all about being mindful of your body, sitting and standing with good posture and alignment. Every movement can potentially be a core exercise if done consciously.
So, will your core ever be the same again?
Fortunately, with the right rest, strategy and movement, you can strengthen your core after pregnancy.
Exercising Safely
Traditional forms of core strengthening exercises can be incredibly dangerous to a postpartum body.
Crunches, burpees and planks are the most popular form of core strengthening. However, crunches can damage the delicate abdominal muscles and worsen pregnancy issues such as diastasis or pelvic floor dysfunction.
It is far better to complete exercises designed specifically for a postpartum body. These exercises should be demonstrated by a professional, rather than scouring the data banks of YouTube!
One of those amazing professionals is Kirstyn from KC Fit. Kirstyn is a personal trainer that is not interested in sculpting bikini bodies. Rather, she is about teaching Mums to love themselves from the inside out. Part of that is helping you create a fully functioning post-pregnancy body, regardless of how long ago you had your baby!
The cool news is, here at Gobstoppoerz, we have partnered with Kirstyn and KC Fit to offer you some amazing fitness programmes. So, if you are ready to strengthen your core safely and effectively, check out more info on how they can help you do it.
for all the details.