POSTPARTUM AND THE BABY

Recovery of the body through postpartum exercises

Exercise recommendations during the postpartum period

  • Training the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth decreases the rates of urinary and fecal incontinence and prevents the risk of prolapse (descent of the pelvic organs).
  • It is important to have a pelvic floor musculature assessed by a professional specialized in this discipline.
  • You can start Kegel exercises 48 hours after delivery, as long as you can do them, if there have been no episiotomies or tears. In this case, it is necessary to consult when you can start them with a professional specialized in pelvic floor.
  • The rest of the exercises described can be carried out after quarantine or puerperium, in cases of vaginal birth and, at 3 months, after caesarean section.
  • It is advisable to do the exercises in a comfortable space without noise.
  • The exercises can be done in cases of separation of the rectus abdominis (abdominal diastasis).
  • If during the exercises, you feel dizzy or unwell, stop them and consult your doctor.
  • It is recommended to carry out the exercises every day, 1-3 times a day,

Exercises during the postpartum period

KEGEL EXERCISES

slow kegel

  • Lying belly up with knees bent and soles of feet supported.
  • Inhale and, as you exhale, contract your anus, vagina, and urethra as if holding gas or holding urine, and bring your navel in and up, as if you were zipping up a pair of pants.
  • Resistance 5-10 depending on the contraction and relaxation. It is important not to contract the glutes, abdomen and legs during the exercise.
  • Repeat 10 times.

 

Quick Kegel:

  • Lying belly up with knees bent and soles of feet supported.
  • As you breathe in, quickly and strongly contract your anus, vagina, and urethra as if you want to hold gas or hold back urine. Resistance 1-2 depending on the contraction and relaxation. It is important not to contract the glutes, abdomen and legs during the exercise.
  • Do five repetitions of the exercise.

ACTIVATION OF THE CORE WITH ELEVATION OF THE LEGS
  • Lying belly up with knees bent and soles of feet supported.
  • Inhale and, as you exhale, contract your anus, vagina and urethra as if you want to hold gas or retain urine and tuck your navel in and up as if you want to zip up a pair of pants.
  • Holding the contraction and as you exhale, raise one leg with the knee bent to hip height
  • Self-lengthening (stretch the spine on its own axis to put its extensor and erector muscles in tension) the back while maintaining the contraction of the sphincters and the abdominal girdle.
  • Do 10 repetitions with each leg.

 

CORE ACTIVATION WITH ELEVATION OF THE GLUTI
  • Lying belly up with knees bent and soles of feet supported.
  • Inhale and, on the exhale, contract the anus, vagina, and urethra as if holding gas or holding urine, and tuck the belly button in and up as if zipping a pair of pants.
  • Keeping your sphincters and abdominal girdle contracted, raise your glutes.
  • Maintain a double chin and perform a self-lengthening of the spine.
  • Hold the position for 15-20 seconds and return to the starting position.
  • Do 10 repetitions of the exercise.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINAL GYMNASTICS STUDY
  • Lying on your stomach with your knees bent, place your heels hip-width apart and keep your toes pointing up.
  • Maintain double chin and self lengthening of the spine.
  • Place your arms “in a jug” with internal rotation, elbows and wrists flexed. The fingers must be stretched out pointing to each other.
  • We inhale, widening the ribs, and, on exhaling, when you see that you run out of air, block your mouth and nose to make the gesture of opening the ribs and generating an abdominal vacuum.
  • Hold in apnea for as long as possible without straining (minimum 20-25 seconds) exerting a small traction of the elbows outwards and notice how the shoulder blades separate from the spine.
  • Hold the pose and breathe.
  • Repeat each posture and breathing pattern by changing the height of the arms in all exercises 3 times.
  • These exercises are not indicated for hypertensive and pregnant people.
  • It is advisable to do them in the morning or in the afternoon. If it is at night, two hours before going to bed, since, in people with sleep problems, it can disturb the rest.
  • Do not perform the exercises immediately after meals.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINAL GYMNASTICS ON FOUR LEGS
  • On all fours, with your hands and knees on the floor facing down, place your knees parallel to your hips. Extend your arms overhead, elbows slightly bent, shoulders relaxed and palms flat on the floor.
  • We support the forehead on the ground.
  • We detach the back of the feet from the floor, supporting only the tip of the feet.
  • We inhale by widening the ribs and, on exhaling, when you see that you run out of air, block your mouth and nose to make the gesture of opening the ribs and generating an abdominal vacuum.
  • Hold in apnea for as long as possible without straining (minimum 20-25 seconds) exerting a small traction of the elbows outwards and notice how the shoulder blades separate from the spine.
  • Hold the pose and breathe.
  • Repeat the exercise three times.
  • These exercises are not indicated for hypertensive and pregnant people.
  • It is advisable to do them in the morning or in the afternoon. If it is at night, two hours before going to bed, since, in people with sleep problems, it can disturb the rest.
  • Do not perform the exercises immediately after meals.