Post-Natal Fitness

Exercise you might have sailed through before you were pregnant, can actually damage your joints and ligaments if you attempt them too soon after the birth. High-intensity workouts are not the answer. Your body needs time to adjust to the changes that have taken place during pregnancy.

Weakening of the pelvic floor is common after childbirth causing a problem called stress incontinence when you jump, cough or sneeze. Not good news, but for most people regular pelvic floor exercises cure the problem.  Also weak abdominal muscles may have caused the rectus muscle to separate which is referred to as diastasis recti.  This condition sounds more serious than it is but it can be troublesome leading to increased likelihood of backache during and after pregnancy.  The condition is quite common and occurs in 66% of women in the third trimester.  Gentle specific abdominal exercises are vital in encouraging the muscles to re-align themselves.

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