Post Baby Kick Start
Post Baby Kick Start
Mummy Movement Patterns
When recovering from childbirth there is a lot of focus on your pelvic floor muscles and deep abdominals. This is great and absolutely the best starting point as these muscles form the foundations from which all other movement is based around. Most, if not all movement requires a high degree of stability and this comes from a fully integrated pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles to be functioning correctly.
During the postnatal period once you have gained a good degree of activation and built up a high level of control of your pelvic floor muscles, the next step will be to integrate this pelvic floor strength and control into movements that you do on a day-to-day basis.
As a new mum, you are constantly moving each and every day.
From running around at a thousand miles an hour to squatting down and picking things off the floor, to bending over to place your little one back in the cot, to bending, twisting and in some cases lunging to get the car seat into or out of the car.
Throughout the day you are doing a huge amount of fundamental movement patterns which unless you integrate and then strengthen your pelvic floor and deep abdominals (transverse abdominals or TVA) into these movements can cause you all sorts of overload patterns and potential injuries.
I like to call these movement patterns the Mummy Movement Patterns. If we break them down, they include:
Squat
The squat pattern is a key one which you use every day for example, when we go to the toilet, when you squat down to pick up your little one or even when you just sit down in a chair. Getting the pelvic floor and TVA working when you perform this movement is crucial as there is a lot of intra-abdominal pressure on your pelvic floor muscles.
Lunge
When you hear the word lunge, you may automatically thing about a lunge in the gym or during an exercise class. However, when you break the movement down, you will be using a lunge pattern simply when you put one foot in front of the other to bend down to pick something off the floor. Whether that be your little one’s clothes, toys or even that massively heavy change bag.
Bend
This is a pattern which you perform a lot as a mum. You are always bending over to pick up your little one, bending over a change table, bending to put your baby back into their cot. It is a pattern that you perform a huge amount and it also a pattern which can potentially cause a lot of harm. By integrating your pelvic floor and deep abdominals into the movement you can help to stabilise your pelvis and lower back and also prevent any abdominal doming from occurring.
Twist
This twist movement does happen on a daily basis although mostly in conjunction with other movements. For example, when you get your baby into a car seat, or lower them into their cot you are always doing some sort of twisting movement.
Push
The simple pushing movement such as pushing the pram will become a new daily activity as a new mum. This can be pretty challenging especially when it is loaded with that super heavy change bag and you hit a big hill. The more stable your pelvic floor and mid-section is with this movement, the easier that hill will seem.
Pull
Picture yourself pulling that pram and lifting it out of the car. Or lifting your little one out of the cot. These are all pulling movements which will done on a day to day basis. The heavier the object you are lifting the greater intra-abdominal pressure you will be creating, therefore the greater need for your pelvic floor and TVA muscles to be working efficiently.
Integration of all of these movements
One thing we must keep in mind is that in most cases you are doing a combination of all of these movement patterns in multiple moves every single day.
To pick something off the floor, you may do a lunge, a bend and a pull all at the same time.
To pick up your little one from their cot, you may do a bend and twist and a pull.
So, don’t think of these movements as isolated movements. Think of them as a breakdown of movement which is part of a bigger picture. Likewise, don’t think of your pelvic floor exercises as isolated movements, but think of them as how they connect with the rest of your body.
Good luck with everything and if you need any help at all, I can be contact via the links below.
Lyndon
This blog post was written by Lyndon Littlefair owner and creator of Yummy Tummies, the Postnatal Exercise Specialists.
Yummy Tummies was voted by Tatler as “The Best For Easing Back Into The Gym After Having a Baby”.
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