So many people ask me if they can do the Tupler Technique while pregnant! YES!!! In fact I wish EVERY Pregnant Mom would do these while pregnant! It would sure prevent a lot of the distressed looking abdominals and diastasis I see POSTPARTUM!!
This is my THIRD pregnancy doing the Tupler Technique – my FIFTH one in all!
USUALLY people show sooner and sooner with each subsequent birth. Why? Because the diastasis DOES NOT close on its own. With each birth, if you don’t close the diastasis in BETWEEN births, you will show sooner and sooner with each pregnancy becuase of the weak connective tissue and the diastasis being wider and wider with each pregnancy.
So I get asked – Why don’t you show? When are you doing to show? Do you not show because of your “exercises” you do? YES!! Its ALL ABOUT PREVENTION!!!!!
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| 6 weeks pg with #5 |
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| 12 weeks pg with #5 |
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| 19 weeks pg #5 |
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| 5 1/2 months pg with #5 |
So what if you are in the MIDDLE of your pregnancy and you haven’t been doing the Tupler Technique all along? NOT A PROBLEM!! They are very intrinsic exercises and can be started at ANY point in the pregnancy. I had a lady in one of my classes start when she was 7 1/2 mo. pregnant. The class ended when she was 9 mo pregnant and she had totally closed her diastasis AS the baby was growing quickly and the belly was expanding quickly. I have another pregnant lady in one of my classes that just closed hers as she is 6 1/2 mo pregnant after only 3 weeks!!
The ONLY DIFFERENT TO the Tupler Technique when you are pregnant? DONT WORK THE KEGEL MUSCLE AT The SAME TIME (which naturally wants to work!) While working the trasnverse muscle, you MUST RELAX the pelvic floor so you have the mind body connection for PERFECT PUSHING when it comes time for labor.
BACK ACHES? Keeping strong recti muscles are SO key to preventing pregnancy backaches! If I ever find an achy lower back during pregnancy, then I bust out a set of Seated Tupler Contractions – and DONE! Taken care of!
LAST THING – SPLINT SPLINT SPLINT while pregnant. I can’t emphasize enough how much this has helped me! I splint most nights and at various times during the day. My diastasis is still closed BUT, it helps keep the recti together and keeps a strong mind body connection as the belly expands. You will also show much less!
Here’s to one more pregnancy with the Tupler Technique!!!
What kind of splint can one use while pregnant? Especially if one wears L/XL clothing?
It depends on your waist size. I find i can personally get away with my stretched out splints from prepregnancy until the 3rd trimester – then I go one size up. If you let me know what your regular waist size is i can give you a recommendation.
Feel free to email me bonniewayne1177@hotmail.com
I have diastasis from my first pregnancy that I was unable to close. Now I am 10weeks with my second. Will these exercises still help me? Also, what type of splint should I get if I have a 28 waist and when do I wear it?
Where and when do you have classes? I won’t be able to make the first yorkville class.
Hi Sarah! YES! They will absolutely help you – now is the perfect time in your pregnancy to start the exercises! I would get a medium splint knowing that you can wear it for probably the full pregnancy (though it might be a bit big for the first few weeks) and then after pregnancy. You will wear it at night and during the day. Its great for support also during the pregnancy as well as keeping the recti approximated for a better back, and perfect pushing during labor.
I tried my splint on and my belly btuotn and lower belly hang out the bottom. I was wondering if I need a second splint. It does cover my back, so if I got a second one it would wrap around my hips. Is one ok or do I need a second one?
You may to get a 2nd splint if you want extra coverage.
Hi Anonymous! I am wrapping up my classes I teach until April due to the pregnancy and timing of everything. I have the workshop in November (MAAAAAAYBE one in January!) and I also do private training. Feel free to email me bonniewayne1177@hotmail.com to go over how private training works. Even cheaper if you have friends to do it with!
Congratulations Bonnie! I’m 7 months preggo right now.. had a diastasis before and had just closed it briefly before my belly started to grow again. Trying my best to keep it under control (currently a 2-3 finger separation). Splinting seems to help, but I sometimes just need a break from it (I wear it EVERY night though)… Might be a silly questions.. but are you sure I’m not squishing my baby or putting pressure on it that I shouldn’t be? It seems to get very active when I wear the splint!
Hi Lori!
First of all congrats!!
Not a silly question at all! I get that question from my pregnant moms all the time. The baby is very protected with lots of safety mechanisms – bag of waters, amniotic fluid, uterus, placenta – lots of things to cushion them and make their womb-growing experience safe and secure. The splint or Tupler exercises will feel like a fractionally smaller but still safe and pleasant environment.
So they will often kick to manipulate it. We often joke that Tupler babies have the strongest legs!!
Also keep in mind that if you splint at night, that is usually the baby’s active time anyway because they are not being swayed by your walking and daily activity movements. The splint will help keep the baby in a better position because your muscles are in a better position and doesnt allow for unoptimal compensations. Good luck with your delivery!!
Hi Bonnie!
Another quick question regarding splinting during pregnancy. I’m 32 weeks and baby is lying sideways. My doula has recommended inversions like on spinningbabies.com website. I read somewhere on there NOT to wear a support belt until after baby is in proper position — do you think this applies to the splint as well?
Hi again!
The splint is not a “support belt” it is a splint to approximate the two halves of the recti. However, it does offer “support” as well. In terms of waiting until baby is in the proper position, I can definitely see the merits of that. If you are trying to reposition your baby – I would defer to them for their techniques and protocol.
Did TT about 6 months after c section. Helped a great deal but can’t say it closed.
Now for #2 I’ve tried to splint. I can’t. I’m feeling sickness or heartburn all the time and when I use it I feel worse.