Journal Tag: postbirth

How to rehab your stomach muscles after birth

rehab your stomach muscles

Have you just had a baby, and are you looking for an easy way to rehab your stomach muscles and pelvic floor? When I say easy, I don’t mean no work. Any form of rehab takes work, but I mean easy, like a simple exercise that is easy to remember and fun.

This eight-minute video will change the way you think about rehabbing stomach muscles. After all, post-baby, most of us are not aiming for a six-pack but rather stomach muscles that are strong and stable and coordinated with the pelvic floor—functional stomach muscles so they switch on and support our bodies at the right time.

How to Rehab your Stomach Muscles After Birth

* Use this 6 weeks after birth *

How often to do this stomach exercise?

As a rough guide, I recommend starting this exercise only six weeks after birth. If you have just had a baby and are looking for something to start immediately, it is best to start with this breathing exercise. It is gentle and can be started straight away.

Breathing Exercise

* You can do this immediately after birth *

Whole Core Rehab – include your Pelvic Floor

I find that a lot of people that have had a vaginal birth are very good at working on their pelvic floors, and people that have had a caesarian are very good at working on their tummy muscles. The truth is, though, that it doesn’t matter which way you gave birth – pregnancy alone puts pressure on both your tummy muscles and your pelvic floor. So, no matter which way you birthed your baby, it is essential to spend some time doing some rehab on your whole core.

My six-year-old still comes to me every morning to be picked up and cuddled while his eyes adjust to the light. If I hadn’t worked on my core, I might not be able to give him those morning cuddles.

For Practitioners

This video should be given to every postnatal woman except perhaps someone with a grade three or above prolapse who has not been treated.

It is beneficial for anyone complaining of abb separation, sore back, Pelvic floor dysfunction such as urinary incontinence, Pelvic Floor Weakness, Stomach muscles Weakness, Prolapse grade 1 or 2 and constipation. It is going to help with lifting babies as they grow bigger and improve daily functioning.

Written and recorded by Bonnie Maplestone, Fertility, Pregnancy and Postpartum Osteopath at Fertile Ground Health Group

Book Osteopathy with Bonnie

Head to bookings > Osteopath

Buy a gift voucher for someone special

 

Springtime Raspberry Lime Smoothie Bowl

Raspberry Lime Smoothie Bowl

As we launch ourselves into Spring, let’s let our cells and microbiomes sing with dietary delight and variation – and what better way to do that than putting your feet up with a Springtime Raspberry Lime Smoothie Bowl and bringing the essence of beachside Bali to your living room. Organic frozen berries are a beneficial and nutritious addition to your plate, bowl and drink all year round. Spring heralds the bonus of using fresh berries, with fresh raspberries starting to hit the shop shelves in the third month of Spring in Australia (early November). This recipe is safe and delicious at all stages of your fertility journey, whether you are trying to conceive, pregnant, or have already birthed your bub.

(1 serve = 250mL)

INGREDIENTS – Springtime Raspberry Lime Smoothie Bowl

  • 1 cup frozen raspberries
  • ½ frozen banana
  • ¼ raw zucchini
  • ½ cup raw almonds
  • 1-2 tablespoons protein powder
  • ½ cup Greek, natural or coconut full-fat yoghurt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • To serve: ¼ cup each of toasted nut, seed and coconut mix and fresh berries

METHOD: 

  • Add all ingredients to blender and blitz until well-blended.
  • Serve with yoghurt and toasted nut, seed and coconut mix and fresh berries sprinkled on top.

NOTE: 

If you’re in the postpartum stage, add in 1 serve of collagen powder along with your protein powder for tissue healing support.

This Springtime Raspberry Lime Smoothie Bowl recipe is brought to you by senior fertility naturopath and nutritionist, Georgia Marrion. Keen to get some dietary support in your fertility, pregnancy or postpartum journey? Book in with Georgia for a free 10 minute telehealth consult to find out what’s possible for you > navigate to heading Naturopathy – Fertile Ground > 10 minute Free Naturopathic Introduction

Zou Yue Zi – Postpartum from a TCM Perspective

Zuo Yue Zi

Zuo Yue Zi is a long-documented practice in China supporting women/new mothers after birth. It literally translates to “Doing the Month” – this is more commonly known in Western culture as the Golden Month after birth.

What is Zuo Yue Zi?

In China, this special time is characterised by 40 days of total rest with a heavy focus on Chinese diet therapy, hygiene and behavioural precautions. This allows for the birthing mother to rest and replenish her strength, while laying the foundation of her health as mother and care giver.

Why Zuo Yue Zi is crucial in postpartum recovery?

Sufficient postpartum care can provide the healthy foundation for the mother and the newborn but also pave the way for healthy pregnancies in the future. Zuo Yue Zi is even said to help the transition into menopause later in life.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, Zuo Yue Zi is crucial for the recovery of the birthing mother. Childbirth requires tremendous amount of energy, resulting in an imbalance of yin, yang, qi and blood. Due to the expenditure of energy and yang the mother is vulnerable to invasion of cold and wind which can cause illness or possible chronic health issues.

Rules of Zuo Yue Zi

Zuo Yue Zi is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine to protect the new mother and prevent illness. During the 40 days it’s crucial for the mother to prioritise rest, do no housework, limit visitors, stay warm, minimise time spent outside and focus on a nourishing diet that replenishes and harmonises. Traditionally, new mothers are forbidden to wash their hair, go outside, watch TV or read and have zero visitors as it could deplete their energy and unnecessary drama could affect the new family.

How you can implement Zuo Yue Zi in your postpartum journey

Zuo Yue Zi is still practiced in China today and traditionally a care giver, aunty or mother would live with the new parents. They would cook, clean and assist in maintaining the household while the new parents spend time to rest and bond with their newborn. Translating these principles into postpartum life is difficult, which is why many women turn to Traditional Chinese Medicine while implementing Chinese diet therapy.

Diet Therapy during Zuo Yue Zi

Food is one of the most important aspects of “doing the month” with ingredients and herbs carefully selected for their warming and blood building properties while strengthening qi and yang. The meals consumed during this time are always abundant in nutrients, slow cooked, energetically warm, and easy to digest. This is to replenish blood, qi and yang lost during childbirth but also and gently correct any disharmonies. Raw and cold food and drink are to avoided during this time as they are hard to digest and deplete the energy of the already vulnerable mother.

Acupuncture, Herbs and Moxibustion

During this time Traditional Chinese Medicine can be extremely beneficial as it can help to balance emotions, improve energy, help with sleep patterns, promote lactation and perineal healing. It is recommended that acupuncture can be used 2 weeks after childbirth – ideally with a home visit session if possible. Once completing the month and feeling ready to leave the home, treatments in the clinic can commence.

If a home visit for acupuncture is not possible but you still want to follow the principles and access the benefits of a nourishing treatment  – here are some ideas. Try to get someone to take you to your session so you don’t have to drive, make sure you are warmly and snuggly dressed, plan to come directly to the clinic and go home again (no ducking into the shops!) and take time to rest (with a warm bath or warm cup of  your Chinese herbs or breastfeeding tea) afterwards.

In clinic, moxibustion (moxa) is used to stimulate the points and meridians to improve circulation, relieve pain, boost energy, dispel cold and warm the body. After childbirth the moxa is used on the abdomen to warm the channel, stop bleeding and help treat postpartum urinary retention. Moxibustion (moxa) is dried mugwort and is commonly referred as Mother Warming during postpartum period. The use of moxa helps energise the mother and facilitate recovery.

Meghan Smith AcupunctureWritten by Fertile Ground registered acupuncturist, Meghan Smith.

Are you in the postpartum period yourself, or do you know someone who would benefit from this style of care and treatment? Book with Acupuncturist, Meghan, by navigating to bookings > Acupuncture > Acupuncture INITIAL (60 mins)