Body After Baby

This is going to be a series on the Simply Lulu Simply blog - Body After Baby (or babies in my case).  You've heard the comercial, "having a baby changes everything."  Well, it certainly does.  

I was huge when I was pregnant (no really, see below... and this picture is 3 mos before I would give birth)  I am vertically challenged at 5'1" and I have a fairly small mid-section so when I had one 5 lb, 15 oz baby and another 6 lb, 11 oz baby in me?  Let's just say it was a lot for my little body.  After I had the twins I had no idea how to get myself back into shape.  

Oh my gosh, I'm huge!  Nothing fit me, it was awful.

So here's the low down.  As you might know and figure, when you have a baby your stomach muscles stretch out because of your growing uterus.  Dah, Lulu...  Well, this stretching is call diastasis.  Diastasis is a separation of the two halves of the rectus abdominis muscle in the middle of your belly that can separate during preganancy.  You can check for it by lying on your back with your knees bent.  Place your fingertips 1 to 2 inches below your belly button, fingers pointing toward your feet.  Lift your head as high as you can and see if you can feel a separation.  If you have trouble with this, a professional trainer should be able to help you.  My trainer, Dani "S" of MommyFit (here) helped me with this, to understand it and to bring my diastasis to close, almost completely.  

To close the diastasis you must work your inner abdominal muscles.  This is not done by crunching your way to a slimmer stomach.  The moves below will help you work your inner abs (transverse abdominus & lumbar multifidus).  These muscles are often neglected but are SO important.  They support posture and control deep breathing during physical work-outs.  They build a stronger abdominal section (your CORE), relieve back pain, and help you train even better.  Have I convinced you to work your inner abs?  Let's get started!

#1 - Stretch - As with any exercise, begin with stretching.  I'm not going to go through that now, you can use your own stretching technique.

#2 - Warm up, Lie on your back with your legs bent, feet so that your finger tips just touch your heels.  Lay your arms beside you palms up.  Suck in your belly button, while you suck in breath out slowly for 5 seconds.  Continue sucking in that belly button!  Breath in quickly, then breath out for 5 seconds.  Do not let out that belly button!  Each time you breath in, try to suck in your belly even more.  Do this for 60 seconds.  It can take some time to get the hand of the breathing thing.  It feels strange in the beginning, but you'll get used to it!

#3 - Wrap yourself in love - In the same position, now take your arms and wrap them around your stomach, pulling in tightly.  Do the same breathing technique, suck in your belly button, breath out 5 seconds slowly.  Breath in quickly, pull tighter, breath out 5 seconds.  Do this for 60 seconds.  While you are doing your breathing, imagine your stomach muscles coming together and how great your going to look in a swim suit this summer!

#4 - I am a genie pose - In the same position, cross your arms and touch your arm to the opposite shoulder. And yes, you got it, suck in your belly button and breath out for 5 seconds.  Breath in quickly, breathe out for 5 seconds (and keep that belly button sucked in!) for 60 seconds.  For this move you can feel your lower abdominals working!

#5 - Push & Pull - From the Genie pose, lift  your right leg so that your calf is parallel to the floor and relax your foot.  Bring your left hand to the middle of your thigh keeping your right hand on your shoulder.  Push with your left hand on your leg while pulling your right leg giving resistance.  Use the same breathing techniques for 30 seconds and build up to 60 seconds.  Each time you breath in, push and pull harder!  Switch!

#6 - Dead Possum Pose -  I know, crazy name.  Now, lift both legs so that your calves are parallel to the floor.  Straighten your arms, palms facing each other.  Do the breathing technique for, you got it, 60 seconds.

I recommend doing this at least 4 times a week.  Can you handle it?  It only takes about 15 minutes, including stretching.  You can also add this on to a work out you alreay do to improve your core.  Now to lose the baby weight and baby "pounch", you will need to do additional exercise, cardio, and watch your calorie intake (in a later post).  But these moves are simple, something you can do at home, and take very little time.  If you've just had a baby, please make sure you talk to your doctor about when it's an ok time to begin an exercise plan.

Good luck and keep posted on more "Body After Baby!"