What To Do Now That You Are Postpartum

Congratulations!!! Giving birth is no small feat and you just crushed it! So, now what? You might already be feeling a shift in your hormones, sleep deprivation or aches and pains in your lower back, neck and hips. This is all completely normal, however, there are things you can do make yourself feel better physically, mentally and emotionally!

“Embrace the pace of your own journey.”

I say movement, not exercise for a reason. In the first weeks postpartum, your body is still healing and moving back into place. Breathwork and light inversion movements are designed to awaken your pelvic floor, destress your body and eliminate those aches and pains. Take it slow and if you feel any pressure in your pelvic floor or experience any incontinence, stop. This is a sign your body needs more time to heal so wait a few more days to a week and try again.

Pelvic Tilts – Lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor. You should not feel any pressure on your hip flexors. If you do, try widening your legs a bit. Take a deep breath in and on the exhale, lightly connect your deep core and lengthen up through the top of your head. Remember, the connection in your pelvic floor should be light! If you can’t feel the connection, that is absolutely ok!! Visualize your pelvic floor lightly connecting and soon enough you will begin to feel it!

Hip Rolls – Lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath in and on the exhale, complete your pelvic tilt. Begin using your hamstrings and glutes to slowly peel your hips off the ground. You don’t want to go very high because the goal is to awaken your pelvic floor and take the stress off your lower back. This inversion work allows gravity to take over and begins to slightly pull your pelvic floor towards your core.

Inversion Hip Rolls – While you are doing your hip rolls, you can place a pillow or two under your hips to help create that inversion. Again, this will allow gravity to slowly begin pulling your pelvic floor toward your core.

As long as these movements feel good on your body, begin incorporating them into your daily routine. Once you have been fully released by your doctor, you can begin Phase 1 of your Core Rehab journey!

Always consult your doctor prior to beginning any new movement or workout routines.

“The best eraser in the world is a good night’s sleep.”

This is always a struggle for all new parents and often causes stress, irritability and anxiety. Since your new bundle of joy will need to eat and/or be changed every few hours, your ability to fall into the deep cycles of sleep is limited, if not eliminated. Come up with a schedule with your partner or ask a friend or family member to come over for a few hours so you can get some good quality sleep. This can be a complete game changer when it comes to managing a newborn and life as a busy mom!

“Slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.”

Getting outside and breathing in the fresh air can help rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. If you feel up to it, go for a gentle walk. This can allow you to get your body moving, decrease stress and breath life back into your body. Fresh air does wonders for the body so don’t be afraid to get outside and enjoy it!

“Life can be uncertain. Work can be unpredictable. But by surrounding yourself with great friends, support is guaranteed.”

Life as a new mom is full of second-guessing yourself and endless questions. The best thing to do is to find a community of like-minded women to talk to. There are a variety of mom groups out there ranging from professional mom groups to stay-at-home mom groups. Where ever you fall on the spectrum, make sure you find a support group that is right for you! Inside Erica’s Core Rehab Program, we have an amazing community of women who answer questions, provide motivation and help support you through every step of your postpartum journey! They are all truly incredible women who have been through the same journey or, like you, are in the thick of it now. Don’t be afraid to join and check it out!

“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give other people.”

It’s hard to maintain a healthy body image, especially with everything posted on social media these days. BUT… you CANNOT compare yourself to anyone else because everyone’s bodies are different. It took you 10 months to create this amazing bundle of joy so give yourself some grace and allow yourself to be present with your baby. Once you and your body are ready to start moving again, Erica’s Core Rehab Program is waiting. Don’t stress about getting back into your pre-baby pants because all that will do is cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. We are all here for you every step of the way so come join us when you are ready!!

Not all exercise is created equal! For women who are postpartum and beyond, Erica has designed her 6-phase program inside her Core Rehab Program that focuses on strengthening your deep core, rebuilding your fascia, improving your posture all while creating space throughout your entire body. Inside the membership, there are workouts, tutorials, guides, nutrition information, meal plans and more to help set your body up for success.