Motherhood demands everything from us—physically, mentally, emotionally. During pregnancy, the focus is rightly placed on nurturing a healthy pregnancy and ensuring the safe arrival of the baby. This emphasis is both natural and necessary. Yet, once the baby is born, the spotlight shifts again. Conversations, appointments, and support systems quickly center on the newborn: feeding schedules, weight checks, sleep patterns, and milestones. But something less obvious is happening along side. Support to mothers dwindle in comparison to the priorities of newborn life.
So, the fourth trimester often leaves a profound gap in care for the mother. Her body has just undergone one of the most intense physical transformations imaginable—nine months of profound change followed by the immense demands of labor and delivery.
This month I want to give you the ultimate mothers day gift by clearing up common misconceptions around rebuilding after baby and feeling yourself again.
Top Three Myths
Myth #1 Crunches Will Flatten Your Tummy
They can actually make things worse when you have an ab separation. Ab separation (diastasis recti) is normal and occurs to accommodate a growing belly. It is the widening, thinning, and lengthening of the linea alba, which is the connective tissue between your six pack muscles. When this connective tissue isn’t as tight as it should, the muscles begin to separate. Surprisingly, this isn’t a weakness issue, it is a pressure regulation issue. When your deep core system cannot efficiently regulate and distribute this pressure due to pregnancy stretching, poor breathing habits, or suboptimal posture—the force pushes outward against the weakest point: the already thinned linea alba. Over time, this repeated outward pressure further stretches and weakens the connective tissue, widening the gap and causing doming or bulging. Crunches are putting more stress on that connective tissue before we have managed the pressure put upon it, adding to the potential bulge. Here’s how to add strength and repair things:
Retrain intra-abdominal pressure with 360 breathing. How to: Sit in good posture, fully expand the diaphragm by breathing fully and then exhaling completely slowly. Be sure you’re not chest breathing.
Strengthen the core and check for ab separation. How: Extending one leg at a time keeping your heel lightly on the ground, slowly bring it back in with and exhale. Repeat. Next check for separation.
Abdominal separation check: Test the width and tension of your separation. Lay on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Exhale and raise your head about 1″ above the ground. Don’t crunch. With the head raised, with your palm facing you and using your index and middle finger, gently press downward. While poking your stomach from your sternum towards your belly button and ending near your pubic bone. You’re looking to feel any ridges on each side of your fingers if your index and middle finger fit in between the ridges felt, you have an ab separation.
Next feel how easily your fingers sink into the body. This measurement is more telling about how compromised your core could be. To gauge tension, push your fingers into your belly tracing the same area. If your fingers sink in easily and deeply like the squishiness of your cheek, this indicated a more compromised core. You want it to feel like the side of your neck when the chin is slightly tilted upwards. Modify all abdominal exercises and avoid crunches, but don’t avoid core strengthening altogether. Your body’s favorite moves right now: incline planks, pallof presses, farmer walks, 360 breathing to name a few.
Myth #2 Incontinence Is Normal After Having Children. It’s Just Part Of Mom Life
This is actually a signal that your core and pelvic floor need some rehab. Your pelvic floor needs training to be responsive and balanced again. Frequently heard advice is to Kegel. However, it doesn’t fully address all the musculature of the pelvic floor. Sorry, kegeling is missing the mark. Do these instead:
360 breathing and pelvic floor activations—the new Kegels (see above description of how to do 360 breathing). To incorporate the pelvic floor, dont just Kegel. The pelvic floor is a hammock and it attaches to four points in the pelvis so all four points need to be included in the exercise. Breath in, and then squeeze four areas when you exhale. Gently squeeze the stopping of pee (front), stopping of gas (back) and the sides by squeezing the glutes slightly (left and right sides) (See my Instagram for details, or email me with questions) The pelvic floor activation and your 360 breathing is best begun by sitting down to practice both parts together. Only progress when doing this seated feels easy. Progress to laying down then on all fours.
Myth #3 After Baby Just Ease Back Into Things
I think this phrase is suppose to mean listen to your body, which is always good to do, but ‘easing back in’ lacks direct action. Easing back in expects a compromised body to perform as it used to without any practice. When our body feels weak and disconnected, we should offer it strength and connection. Those are very specific goals.
The most concerning time for a woman to hear this is after major abdominal surgery by way of a cesarean birth. Im not a doctor, so I can’t say for certain, but C-Section is the only major surgery where therapy isn’t required or part of the process post operatively after acute phase is complete.
These evidence-based programs aren’t about “bouncing back.” They’re about training like the athlete you already are so functioning in daily life is pain free, pregnancy feels easier, and motherhood more energized. While flowers and brunch steal the spotlight each Mothers Day, give yourself or a mother you know longer lasting support that keeps showing up long after the holiday. Grab hold of strength, health, and function.
Get my free guide all about building a strong body during pregnancy and it can be used post-partum. Please visit my website for the freebie. And if you’re a woman craving to start (or restart) a fitness program—easy, quick and effective packages are deeply discounted for Mother’s Day! These are also on my website, instagram, or take a picture of the QR code to take advantage of these deals.
Like me to expand more on any of these concepts? Email the editor brad@growingupinsc and let him know how much you appreciate the information and what you’d like to hear more about. Visit me here @ Defined Fitness/Mothers Day Deals
