This post is primarily to share with you some really great stretches and releases as well as some core connection and breath exercises to help your body move again.

Regardless of how your labour went and the type of delivery you had, you should always get assessed by a womens health professional before returning to exercise.

The exercises below are fantastic gentle exercises to commence with, especially for new mummas as we sit for hours feeding our bubs. The core exercises are about re-establishing brain to muscle connection, especially of the transverse abdominals (think of those muscles being like a corset around your mid section) as well as the pelvic floor.

CAT/COW

On hands and knees. Tuck your chin and draw belly button towards spine as you lift your upper back towards to ceiling. Focus on pulling your shoulders blades apart and creating space. Then Lift your chin as you look up and lift your tailbone towards the ceiling as you lengthen through the front of your torso.

SNOW ANGELS

This stretch is amazing to do after feeding bub and to open up the chest and shoulders. Super relaxing position as well.

Lying on a rolled up towel for foam roller so that you head and length of your back to your tail bone are supported.

Take arms out to the side by your hips. Palms facing up towards the ceiling. Slowly , keeping your arms relatively straight, take your arms up over your head. Think of creating a snow angel pattern. You can time your breath to inhale as you reach the arms up and exhale as you return arms back beside your hips.

KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

From a kneeling position, step one foot forward. Maintaining alignment of ribs over hips, gently squeeze the butt cheek of the leg that you are kneeling on. The stretch should be felt down the front of the hip of that leg. To increase the stretch you can raise your arms above your head (as pictured) and/or think about drawing your public bone up towards your nose. Try and prevent leaning forward into a lunge as this puts pressure on your lower spine.

Great to do after sitting for long periods of time.

KNEELING TWIST STRETCH

This stretch is performed in a kneeling position but if this is uncomfortable for you, you can also do seated in a chair.

Inhale as you interlock your hands and reach both arms up. Exhale as you release your hands and rotate your chest towards one side. The hand closest to your knees can be resting on the outside of your knee to gently push against to increase the rotation. You want to focus on rotating from your chest. Return to centre and repeat to twist to the other side. Notice if one side is tighter than the other and repeat again on this side.

Another great exercise to do after feeding baby.

CORE CONNECTION BREATH

Laying on your back. Knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip width apart. Place one hand on your ribs and one hand on your lower belly. As you inhale you want to focus on expanding your rib cage laterally (out to the side). Try to avoid any tension or lifting as you inhale in the shoulder/neck area. You will also feel a gentle lift under the hand on the lower belly.

As you exhale, breath out through your mouth with pursed lips as if you were blowing into a balloon. As you exhale you want to feel the ribs closing in and belly gently lowering away from your hand – similar to a balloon deflating.

I recommend focusing on a few breaths like this without any pelvic floor engagement to begin with.

With pelvic floor engagement:

The exhale breath is when we want to connect to the pelvic floor muscles. To help connect to your pelvic floor, you want imagine the action would be like drawing liquid up a straw through your vagina or you are gently trying to draw a tampon up inside. The focus is on a close and lift up/in. The tension should only be small and a lift rather than a squeeze and tighten or bearing down. You may also feel a little be of tension between your hip bones as you activate your transverse abdominals. In order to achieve this, think about drawing your hips bones towards each other like an accordion. On the inhale, both and pelvic floor and transverse abdominals should be relaxed.

This is a really nice exercise to do if you are feeling really tired to help bring some oxygen in and remove any tension in the body.

These exercises are fantastic to do daily, after feeding bub and as a way of taking time out for yourself if things all get too overwhelming. All you need is 5 minutes. If anything feels particularly tight, you could always go back and repeat that exercise.

*If anything feels painful or uncomfortable, stop and see your women’s physio.

Enjoy 🙂

Kat x