After you give birth, you enter a period of transitions. You transition into becoming a mother and a caretaker. Your body transitions into milk production. You have to transition into finding some level of mental and physical stability, all while maintaining a chaotic and sporadic sleeping schedule. A lot is happening! Mothers all too often forget to, or feel they don’t have time to take care of themselves.

For women, hormones are always the culprit, right? This is something we’re used to, to some extent. But, be prepared for the rollercoaster of hormones that your body will experience during pregnancy and postpartum.

Right after giving birth, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop dramatically, which can contribute to postpartum depression. Another time we feel this drop in hormones is before our monthly cycles when we experience PMS. At the same time, oxytocin increases, which is the hormone that creates a bond between you and baby. This is a good, helpful hormone. However, it also turns on your mothering instincts and may make you a bit hyper-vigilant of your child’s well-being. So be aware of some anxiety that might be present once baby is home and everyone is settled in.

Remember that everything you’re feeling is normal, so go easy on yourself. Don’t be afraid to talk it out with a close friend or family member. Always seek help if you feel you no longer want to care for your baby.

Depending on your personality, it might be hard to accept help as it is. But with a child, it will become even more difficult. As stated before, your hormones will be messing with your anxiety levels. It might be difficult or nerve wracking to allow someone else to care for your baby while you go sleep, or eat, or shower.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take advantage of help when it’s offered, and care for yourself. You will be sleep deprived, stressed, and juggling the things you normally have to take care of, plus more, all while carrying a baby too. This is all a perfect set up for a very stressed momma! This can result in a decreased immune system, and even more messed up hormones. This can lead to even bigger problems. So I urge you, accept help where it is offered.

Throughout your pregnancy, your baby stretched and stretched your abdominal muscles, and essentially kept you from using them all that much. Now that you’re transitioning back into a flatter belly, you need to strengthen these muscles. You also need to learn how to use them properly.

Studies have shown alterations in thickness and symmetry in abdominal muscle tissue after pregnancy. These can cause muscle deficits and alterations in the way that fascia glides. If you allow this to continue, it will result in dysfunction and pain over time. It can also lead to general abdominal or scar pain in the case of C-sections.

This is why it is so important to rehab these muscles. Exercises to strengthen your core DAILY will be very beneficial in the long run. Research shows that the muscle that wraps around your core and provides lumbar support as well ( the transverse abdominis muscle), restores its contractility at about 4 months post-delivery. Your “ab” muscles (rectus abdominis) recover very quickly at 1 month post-delivery.

Start with small, simpler movements to restore that connection from your brain to your muscles. Work your way up to more complicated, strengthening exercises when you feel more coordinated and connected to your body. Seek additional therapy and care from a professional to get some focused and personalized care for you and your body. Inertia offers a postpartum program specific to these needs. The next session of MommaFit starts soon, so sign up on our website!

This is a highly stressful time for your whole body and mind. It’s easy to neglect yourself when you now have this new, beautiful addition to shift your attention and focus to. The moral of this story is that you need to take the appropriate measures to recover; mentally, emotionally, and physically.

This post is written by Dr. Madilyn Seyller, certified chiropractor at Inertia Health. Her goal is to help empower people to take control of their health through encouragment and providing resources needed to stay healthy, strong and pain-free.

Inertia Health Center is located in Rolling Meadows. They believe in understanding how the body functions and identifying the root cause for why it may not be working properly, to find the most effective treatment. Learn more here.