The get your body back attitude is a surefire way to actually make things worse. It takes 10 months for your body to change and things like your abdominals to separate. It may take way more than 6 weeks for them to heal and be ready for intense exercise. Try taking it slow and look for postpartum yoga poses or exercise that will work toward healing and nurturing your body. Things that effect most new parents are:
- Exhaustion
- Sore neck and shoulders (from holding and feeding baby)
- Weak Core
- Weak Pelvic Floor
Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
This pose helps open the chest. It encourages you to take deeper breaths, and aids relaxation and rejuvenation. Get your juicy bum as close to the wall as you can with your legs out to the side. Then slowly swing your legs up onto the wall. Put your arms out to the sides, in a T shape and then just breathe. Hold for two minutes.
Cobra (Bhujangasana)
This pose opens the upper back and chest, and strengthens the lower back, inner thighs, and pelvic floor; it also helps relieve stress and fatigue 
Lie with your belly to the floor, your toes extended, and your palms flat and shoulder width apart. Press your thighs and pelvis into the floor and inhale, pressing your palms into the floor and extending your arms to create a slight bend.
Child’s Pose (with kegels)
This pose rests the upper back and releasing the neck. It is a true resting pose that reduces stress and fatigue
Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and place your bum on your heels. Separate your knees about as wide as your hips.
Exhale and lay your body down between your thighs. Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor.
The key to maintaining a healthy abdomen after birth?
You may be tempted to do crunches and planks to strengthen your abdominals postpartum, but I urge you not to! Make sure to ask your doctor before starting any ab work: the standard recommendation is to wait four to six weeks after a vaginal birth, and eight weeks after a cesarean birth. (but, please note above waiting longer can be beneficial to healing) It is also important to strengthen your pelvic floor before starting abdominal work. You don’t want to create too much pressure in the pelvic floor, which could lead to pain and complications.
Pelvic Rocking
Starting gently and moving slowly. Lie on your back and tucking your belly button in toward your spine; exhale and tilt your pelvis up, inhale and tilt your pelvis back. Continue to rock your pelvis back and forth for gentle strengthening of the abdomen. Work up to 20 times. Proper form is more important than quantity.
Written by our Labor Doula and resident health nut Christine
