Questions from moms IMMEDIATELY POSTPARTUM

So do you really have to wait 6 weeks to do ANY kind of exercise after having a baby (or 8 weeks for C section moms)?   Does every muscle HAVE to atrophy during this time period?  These are valid questions!  And since I am 2 weeks away from my due date – my posts certainly reflect that aspect of the Tupler Technique®
The answer is YES there is definitely something you can do immediately postpartum!!
WITHIN 24 HOURS:  After vaginal birth you can start doing Seated Tuplers within this time period (I even do it BEFORE 24 hours).  Why?  First of all they are great to get all the gunk in the pipeline out – very gently and instrinsicly.  It speeds up the cleansing process.  It also starts getting the abdominal area that has turned into a big ball of JELLY back to its mind-body connection it had pre-baby.  It speeds up the time it takes to get back into pre-pregnancy clothes and get back to how you were.  GRANTED – its not going to happen right away.  That first week or two (or more), you belly will still look like jelly.  But the sooner you start, the sooner your diastasis will close, the sooner your waistline will shrink, and the sooner your abs will lay flat.
WITHIN 24 HOURS:  You can start doing Kegels.  This will speed up the mind body connection that was shot during the vaginal birth process, and the pregnancy itself.  During pregnancy, you have all 30 lbs (more or less) on the pubbococcygeus muscle (the one that controls urine flow) ALONE.  That poor muscle has had so much stress upon it during this time!  So during pregnancy the muscle is weakened. During the actual birth, that muscle is FURTHER weakened.  And if you had an episotomy or tearing, that muscle is FURTHER weakened!  Its no WONDER many women suffer from leakage – incontinence, etc.  So the sooner you start Kegels the better!!
The best way to go?  WORK THE SLOW TWITCH AND THE FAST TWITCH MODE OF THE MUSCLE!!  Close the muscle that controls the urine flow as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine – hold for 10 seconds – then release slow and close back in slowly 10 times – end with the muscle closed.
 GRAVITY does affect this muscle – so don’t do this one standing – a squatting position is great, as it sitting with legs relaxed and slightly apart.
WITHIN 1 WEEK:  Those women that have had a C section  can start doing the Seated Tuplers within 1 week.  This will allow for a bit of time for healing, but will help promote BLOOD FLOW to the area.  This will help the mind-body connection to the muscle as well.  I can’t tell you how many women who lost feeling in the area they had a C section – some 20  years later who are still NUMB!  They were told not to do anything – even intrinsic – so blood flow was not brought to the area, mind-body connection was lost, and numbness ensued.  This is SO avoidable! 
So take heart ladies – you don’t have to let your body go dormant and passive – you can start to intrinsicly strengthen the abs and “kegel” muscles within 24 hours to 1 week depending on what kind of birth you have.  Its so nice that you can do SOMETHING – and it feels refreshing to the muscles to give them a task to do during this time!

2 comments on “Questions from moms IMMEDIATELY POSTPARTUM

  1. Bonnie Wayne on

    The best time frame is during those 8 weeks of initial healing. Having said that, I would definitely start now to help establish the mind body connection which will HELP to get the feeling back. The sooner you start the better. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be to reestablish the full amount of feeling.

    Reply

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