9 Months On, 9 Months Off

Written by Farel Hruska,
Rebounding from labor and delivery is a process. You think that you should lose the baby weight and be back where you were before. Here is the reality of the postpartum woman: It took nine months to gain the weight, allow at least that long on the way back.

In addition to your body housing a growing baby and the extra weight it took on for the job, many other changes occurred. The hormone relaxin was released in your body to loosen your joints. This hormone helped your pelvis adjust for your growing baby. Just because you delivered your beautiful bundle of joy, doesn't mean your skeletal structure returns to its previous position. Your hips bones may be wider, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Muscular changes are also apparent; a lengthened Trapezius, hand-in-hand with tightened pectorals, lead to forward shoulders. The weight of the breasts can cause discomfort as milk production begins, as well. The energy needed to care for a newborn can lead to fatigue and muscle pain. All that being said, go easy on yourself.

Beginning a workout after giving birth can be intimidating, but as you get in to a regular routine, you will start to see some very profound strides towards lean muscle mass and the reduction of fat. In addition, you will lower your resting heart rate, expand your cardiovascular threshold, sculpt your muscles and gain more energy along the way.

You may, in fact, be healthier now versus pre-pregnancy! How about that? So, you don't fit in your old jeans? So, the number on the scale isn't what it was when you were single? Great! Celebrate this change in life. Enjoy the beautiful and glorious gift of being able to bring a child into the world. Enjoy your health, your energy, your everyday victories and the moment by moment, overwhelming joy of being "Mom". Above all, go easy on yourself. It is about the journey!

Nine Months Off

Here are some month-by-month tips for getting back into shape after baby:

Month 1
Focus on reconditioning your core--abdominals and pelvic floor muscles--with gentle pelvic rocks and kegels. The pelvic floor can actually drop up to one inch just from pregnancy. These exercises can begin in the hospital bed (barring pain).

Month 2
Start gentle walking. Start with a 5 to 15 minute gentle walk and slowly increase time and intensity. Exercise at this point should be stress relieving not stress producing.

Month 3
Take baby out for a stroller workout. Include hills, intervals with changing your speed, and focus on good posture. Good stroller walking form includes leading with your chest, keeping hips close to the stroller handles, shoulder blades pulled back and down, abdominals engaged and wrists in neutral alignment with the arm.

Month 4
Use your baby as a weight and work out with baby. Try crunches with baby on your belly or hip bridge with he/she on your stomach as resistance. Even wearing the front carrier can be a workout. Try scapular retractions--pulling shoulder blades toward spine--with the weight of the carrier as resistance!

Month 5
Even if you're not nursing, continue to eat as if your food fuels your baby. Chances are you'll make better choices for your baby then for yourself. Remember to choose whole foods, fruits and vegetables

Month 6
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You should be drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water a day. Add another glass for each hour of activity.

Month 7
Make sure you're eating often enough...instead of a few big meals a day, try to eat five to six mini meals throughout the day.

Month 8
Consistency is key. You should be working out 30 to 60 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week. It doesn't have to be a traditional workout to count as activity.

Month 9
You're a role model mom. Focus on health and wellness instead of a size or a number on the scale. Children understand sooner than you think!

Farel Hruska has over 16 years experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. She is the National Fitness Director for Stroller Strides holding Stroller Strides certifications throughout the country and supporting hundreds of instructors nationwide.

Hruska is a national educator and presenter in pre/postnatal fitness education. She is also a CEC provider for the American Council on Exercise and Aerobics (ACE) and The Fitness Association of America (AFAA). farel@strollerstrides.com

Losing the baby weight

Have you reached a point in your post-partum weight loss where you've stalled out? The weight came off so easily at first and now that number on your scale just won't budge? You aren't alone!

Take a look at how the post-partum weight is typically lost:

• 10-13 lbs lost at delivery
• 11-12 lbs lost in the first week after delivery
• 2-3 lbs lost from 3-6 months

I'm no mathematician but that only adds up to about 28 lbs. What if you (like me) gained a bit more than that? Well, then it takes a little longer and a little more work but it is do-able!

You can lose your baby weight (and more) with consistently healthy eating habits and regular exercise! Need some company in your baby-weight loss journey? Join us for a Stroller Strides class- your first class is always free!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #10: Baby Blues

I've taken a 2 week hiatus from writing about "Post-Pregnancy Challenges" because I really wanted to do this topic justice and I just couldn't focus on it until now.

I don't have a deep personal story about postpartum depression- and for that I am SO thankful. What I can tell you is that after Monty was born I experienced what is commonly known as the "baby blues" and I'm not alone- it affects up to 80% of new moms within the first 3 weeks of having a baby. I cried for no reason, felt overwhelmed by new motherhood, and worried anxiously about every ounce gained and lost by my new baby, among other things. Sound familiar?

Up to 20% of new moms experience more severe symptoms (than those associated with the baby blues) of depression, anxiety, and worry. And an even smaller percentage may experience an even more serious mood disorder that includes obsessive, panicked behavior and possibly even psychosis. If this is what you're feeling then please get help. If you've entertained thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby- please get help NOW! Call your OB's office and tell them you need to be seen as soon as possible for postpartum depression. If you need even more urgent help call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Unsure if you need to seek help? If your symptoms interfere with your daily activities, disrupting your ability to sleep or eat, or if you are feeling hopeless or helpless then it is time to contact your doctor.
**Please also note the following resources at the end of this post.

More severe forms of postpartum depression require medication and therapy. But what can you do if you got a case of the relatively mild and very common baby blues? Here are some tips from Stroller Strides Founder, Lisa Druxman:

1. Chronic sleep deprivation and sheer exhaustion don't help- so nap when your baby naps and ask a family member or friend to take over the childcare for a few hours so you can get some uninterrupted rest.

2. Exercise! It has natural mood-boosting effects!

3. Get out of the house and socialize with other moms and babies. Find a moms group near you and get involved- try a Luna Moms Club playgroup, MOPS, or search for moms groups on Meetup.com. Even better when you can get your socializing and your exercising in at the same time at a Stroller Strides class!

4. Make nutritious food choices- fruits, veggies, and lean proteins!

Resources:
*Your doctor's office, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room
*In Raleigh: contact the Moms Supporting Moms group
*Elsewhere in the US: use the website at Postpartum Support International to search for a contact near you

If you have a story to share about your experience with this topic please feel free to comment- your experience may provide the glimmer of hope another reader desperately needs today!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #9: Tired All The Time

I have a confession to make. For the first 6 months or so of Monty's life I saw bugs that weren't really there. Do we have bugs in our 70+ year old house? Oh yeah, we do but these were imaginary bugs that I can only attribute to being sleep deprived! I can't express how much better I felt when he dropped his night-time feedings and starting sleeping from 6:30pm to 7am!

Exhaustion can make us moms feel like grumpy, loopy, clumsy, forgetful, crazy people- with bugs crawling up our peripheral vision! Though if our husbands called us out on it we would probably just start sobbing- don't they see how hard we're working?

So what can we do about it? Unless you plan on handing over your mothering duties and hiding under the covers for a month (which I don't recommend) there's not much you can do about replenishing the lost sleep. Since we can't catch up- how do we get through this time?

Here are some things I DO recommend to combat post-pregnancy sleep deprivation:
*Accept offers of help from family and friends. Babysitting, vacuuming, meals- whatever it is- say yes!
*Eat whole grains, fruit, veggies and lean proteins and drink plenty of water especially if you are breastfeeding.
*Exercise- you'll find you have more energy after doing so!
*"Lean Mommy" (by Lisa Druxman) recommends Mommy Meditations- taking a quiet moment to practice your deep breathing, visualize your energy, and mentally let go of your stress. And if you fall asleep and end up taking a nap- that is great too!

If you're looking for advice on how to teach your baby to sleep through the night or nap on a predictable schedule, I recommend "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. It worked for Monty and I hope it helps you too... but there are plenty of other sleep books out there that our friends have used with great success as well.

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #8: No Time to Eat Right or Take Care of Yourself

I can never seem to find enough hours in the day to do everything I want and need to do. If I get ahead in the laundry then I'm behind in the ironing. If I get the grocery shopping done I run out of time do anything beyond microwaving dinner. There really is never enough time to "do it all" and often the things I sacrifice are eating right and exercising. Does this resonate with anyone else? Please, please tell me I'm not alone (really- I'd love to see some comments)!

Here are some of Lisa Druxman's tips for overcoming this post-pregnancy challenge from her book, "Lean Mommy":
On eating right:
*Choose foods that are nourishing, fast, and easy to prepare. Toss a bag of almonds or walnuts or a banana into your bag when you're packing for baby and you'll be prepared with a healthy snack when the hunger pangs start.
*Plan ahead when you know you'll be eating out and make a healthy menu choice in advance. Most restaurants post their menus and nutritional information online.

On fitting in exercise (turning mothering into me-time):
*Turn your mothering duties into opportunities to exercise. Strap your fussy baby into a Baby Bjorn or sling and do some lower body toning exercises together while you sing or sweet talk your little one out of his or her fussiness. Some squats and lunges will gently rock your baby and firm up those glutes and quads at the same time!
*Give your baby a dose of sunshine and socialization by joining other moms for a Stroller Strides class or stroller walk around the neighborhood. You'll get some exercise and your baby will enjoy some impromptu playgroup time.

Years ago I saw an illustration that has stayed with me. The presenter had a big mason jar and next to it a collection of items. There were rocks, pebbles, sand, and a small pitcher of water. It seemed impossible but they swore they could fit all of these items in the jar at once. You know how they did it? They put the big things in first- the rocks, then the pebbles, then the sand, then the water. The lesson that has stayed with me all these years?

Put the big things in first and all of the smaller things will fit in around them.

(This is an old picture of my husband and I on vacation with our family in Bermuda... see you can fit a lot in if you try!)

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #7: Discomfort or Pain in your Wrists

Every couple of months I know my son is going through a growth spurt because my wrists and thumbs start to ache. What does one have to do with the other, you ask? When suddenly there's more of him to carry around my wrist strength seems to take about a week or so to catch up.

Many women experience carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy and others during the postnatal period. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition wherein swelling in the wrists puts pressure on the nerves and causes pain, discomfort, tingling, and even numbness.

Bending at the wrist can exacerbate the problem but we can't just not pick up our babies for a week until it subsides. So what can you do about it?

In her book, "Lean Mommy", Lisa Druxman suggests first trying to rest your wrists whenever you can if you're feeling any of the symptoms above. When you are using your wrists make sure you are maintaining proper alignment. Take a look at your wrists when you pick up your baby and his/her stuff, push a stroller, or feed your baby. If they are not in a neutral alignment with your forearm then readjust and try to be aware of your alignment throughout your day and make small readjustments whenever necessary.

Some pregnant women find it helpful to wear a wrist brace to alleviate carpal tunnel symptoms during pregnancy. Your obstetrician can advise you regarding that piece of equipment if you think you may need it.

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #6: Scrunched Shoulders

Well, I kind of wrote about this one already- so see this post for more details!

But I'll say it again anyway- stand up nice and tall, roll your shoulders back and down, and pull those abs in tight! Learn to recognize your slump and stop yourself! Hear your mothers' voice in your head: "If you keep doing that, you're going to get stuck like that!" I think she was talking about making weird faces at my younger brothers- but you can apply it here too!

Need some added motivation to stop slouching around? Your belly looks smaller, your boobs look bigger, and you appear taller and more confident when you're standing upright!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #5: Separated Ab Muscles

Have you ever been tested for Diastasis Recti? No- its not some nasty parasite you picked up on spring break so many years ago. It is simply a separation of the connective tissue in your outermost abdominal muscle (the rectus abdominis) that you might have noticed in your second trimester of pregnancy.

The split in your connective tissue and widening gap between the two muscles are normal and serve to make room for a growing baby during pregnancy. However, the connective tissue and muscle fibers don't necessarily knit themselves back together after you deliver- at least not without some work on your part.

There are varying degrees of separation and if you aren't sure how separated your muscles are you can ask your Doctor or your Stroller Strides Instructor to test for you. You can keep your clothes on for this test- so it can be done right before or after class- just ask! A normal separation is somewhere between one and two finger-widths. If you have wider gap than normal you should avoid twisting motions and oblique crunches or any moves that make your tummy bulge out at the separation.

Here are some basic core strengthening exercises that Lisa Druxman, Stroller Strides Founder and CEO, recommends in her book, "Lean Mommy".

1. Cinch the Corset: Imagine you are wearing an old-fashioned corset. Tighten the corset to bring in your entire waistline- front, back, and sides. Breathe throughout the exercises. Hold and release.

2. Button your Belly Button: Imagine you are wearing a tight pair of jeans and you have to suck it in to get them on. Now button in your belly button or your pants will come open- breathe! Hold and release.

3. Splinted Crunch: Lie in a regular crunch position on your back on top of a towel or scarf. Wrap the ends around your belly so that you are cinching in your waistline. Draw in your abs and do a small crunch by lifting your head and shoulders, raising only to the point just before you see your abs bulge. Release and repeat.

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #4: Uncontrolled Peeing & Leaking

Fortunately I have not had any personal experience with bladder control problems- yet. However, there are plenty of women out there with this issue- the data says 1 in 3 women will have bladder control issues and your risk of incontinence later in life increases the longer you experience it postpartum. Bladder issues come in many forms from a complete lack of control, to a constant urge to pee even if there's nothing there, to the occasional leak when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or pick up your stroller. This is a topic that no one likes to talk about (uncomfortable!) but more often than not someone in your group of mom-friends is dealing with it- maybe even you(?).

There are lots of products and interventions out there for women with uncontrolled peeing and leaking issues- from adult diapers, to surgery, to pessaries (google it- you'll be shocked), to bladder training, and so forth and so on. None of it sounds particularly pleasant.

I recently learned that there is a new product that is perfect for active and/or pregnant moms- pretty panties with built-in light leak protection. The product is called STRIDE Femme™ and if you're peeing your way through Stroller Strides class this might be the product for you.

But I digress... the real question is: how do we prevent or start to repair pelvic floor damage done by pregnancy, childbirth, and age?

For many new moms, doing pelvic floor strengthening exercises, or Kegel exercises, will reduce or eliminate incontinence! If you've never done them before- here is a brief description (some excerpted from Lisa Druxman's book, "Lean Mommy") and you can always ask your Doctor or Midwife to help you verify that you are exercising the correct muscles during your regular checkup too.

First we need to isolate the muscle that you should contract during this exercise. While you're peeing tighten up your muscles to stop the flow of urine. THAT is the muscle you should contract when you're doing Kegel exercises. OK- resume peeing because the toilet isn't the place to practice on a regular basis as it may irritate your urethra and cause other urinary issues.

So now that you know where the muscle is and what it feels like to squeeze it- it is time to exercise! Squeezing these muscles in 3 different ways will help you train all of the muscle fibers effectively.

1. Hold the squeeze without letting go for as long as you can, gradually working up to longer and longer time spans- but don't hold your breath!

2. Squeeze hard and then completely relax, turn some music on and squeeze to the beat. Breathe normally and work your way up to 20 reps. This would be an easy one to practice in your car at red lights- squeezing to the beat on the radio!

3. Speed up the contractions- do a lighter but faster squeeze-release.

As an added bonus- many women report enhanced sexual functioning- bring on the next baby!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #2: Aching Back

Is it me or does this kid just keep getting heavier? Don't get me wrong- its a good thing! The first few months of his life I agonized over every ounce he gained or lost and fought to get him back to his birth weight- which finally reached by six weeks or so. Now he's weighing in at about 28 lbs or so. I wish I could tell you more accurately but you try getting him to stand still on the bathroom scale long enough for it to read anything but "ERR"! Needless to say- my back aches on his clingier days and I don't think I'm the only one out there with a sore back... am I?

So what does our "Lean Mommy" author and fitness guru, Lisa Druxman, have to say about how to alleviate post-pregnancy back pain? She recommends safe lifting practices for everyday activities such as nursing and picking up baby and all of his/her gear. This means that when you are breastfeeding you should bring your baby to your breast and not the other way around. When picking up baby and all of their gear make sure you bend your knees and lift with your legs instead of your back.

Lisa also recommends exercises to strengthen your core (abs and back muscles) and keep your torso strong and stable. Here are a few that you can try at home:
1. Supermoms: lie face-down on your stomach with your legs straight and arms out overhead, tighten glutes and raise thighs and upper arms and inch or two off floor, hold, lower, and repeat

2. Plank: Lie on your stomach with legs extended and prop yourself up on your forearms, pull in abs away from floor to engage muscles in entire torso, raise hips and then knees off floor until you are up on your toes with your body forming a straight line from head to toe. Make sure your hips neither sag nor stick up in the air, breathe normally, hold, rest, and repeat!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #1: Poor Posture

There's no doubt about it- carrying that baby (and later the leftover baby weight) in your belly takes a toll on your posture. Our center of gravity shifts forward to make room for a growing baby which can lead to increased curves in our lower and upper backs, forward tilting of our hip bones and even a slight jutting forward of our head and neck. To make matters worse, mommies (myself included) tend to spend a lot of time hunched over doing things like feeding baby, taking baby in and out of the car seat, crib, or swing, taking things in and out of the dryer and dishwasher, and (ahem) catching up with old friends on Facebook! Our muscles can strengthen to support our mom-posture and if we don't do anything to rebalance ourselves we can become stuck with this poor posture for life!

If you know me, you know this is one of my big things, and I'm reminding myself as much as I'm reminding you: Stand up nice and tall, shoulders back and down, and abs in tight!

Additionally, fitness expert Lisa Druxman, in her book "Lean Mommy", recommends the following stretches and exercises to help reestablish good healthy posture:

1. Stretch the muscles in the chest (clasp hands together behind your back and pull away from your body until you feel the stretch in your chest).
2. Strengthen the opposing muscles in your upper back with a tubing row or a tubing lat pull down.

So stand up tall, roll those shoulders back and down and pull those abs in tight- and come on out and workout with some new friends at a Stroller Strides class near you!

Post-Pregnancy Challenge #3: Too much belly & too many pounds

I had been warned by many who had gone before me not to expect to be able to shimmy into my pre-pregnancy jeans for the post-delivery trip home from the hospital. But I wasn't prepared for how long it took to look and feel like myself again. I remember one particular day when I broke down in tears in my mother-in-law's kitchen because none of my clothes fit. My regular jeans didn't fit up past my thighs, my maternity jeans kept falling down, and my shirts were all too tight or short because of my giant nursing boobs- ahh! It felt like a bad dream- I couldn't even dress myself! Needless to say, sleep deprivation did not help!


Here is a picture of Monty and I a week or so after coming home from the hospital... I'm being vulnerable here people! This is the closest I came to being in front of the camera for several weeks.

The great news is that your stomach, like mine, will naturally recede as you lose your baby weight. Being active and making smart food choices are key to taking off those inches and pounds and following some of Lisa Druxman's tummy-tightening moves will help you do it easily, safely, and in a way that is more likely to result in permanent change. In her book, "Lean Mommy", she recommends the following exercises:
1. Isometric crunch: on your back, knees bent, feet on the ground, hands behind your head to support your neck, raise your upper body (concentrating on bringing your ribcage to your hip bones) and hold for 15 seconds, slowly working up to being able to hold for longer and longer, rest and repeat

2. Oblique crunch*: in same position, cross right ankle over left knee, lift and rotate your torso (leading with your left shoulder) to the right side and hold for 5 seconds, slowly working up to being able to hold for 10 seconds, rest and repeat

*If your doctor told you that you have a split in your abdominal muscles and you should be careful exercising, please inform and consult with your Stroller Strides instructor- we can give you safe modifications!*

10 Common Post-Pregnancy Challenges

1. Poor posture
2. Aching back
3. Too much belly & too many pounds
4. Uncontrolled peeing or leaking
5. Separated abdominal muscles
6. Scrunched shoulders
7. Discomfort or pain in your wrists
8. No time to eat right or take care of yourself
9. Tired all the time
10. Baby blues

Any of these sound familiar? Over the next few weeks I'll tackle them one by one- sharing my experiences with each and what pre and postnatal fitness expert, Lisa Druxman, has to say about how to overcome them!