por María
La llegada de un bebé es un momento increíble. Es el comienzo de una nueva historia y una nueva vida, pero también representa dar la bienvenida a una etapa en la vida de una mujer de la que pocas veces se habla con claridad y que a veces puede resultar complicada: el postparto.
Hoy vamos a hablar de la recuperación postparto y de uno de los mejores ejercicios para recuperar la forma tras el parto: el spinning. ¿Qué beneficios tiene para la mujer? Antes de empezar, entra aquí si quieres conocer cuáles son las mejores bicicletas para hacer spinning. ¡Quédate, comenzamos!
Tanto el cuerpo como la mente de una mujer se enfrenten a multitud de cambios después de un parto. La mujer debe adaptarse a la nueva situación, mientras su cuerpo no deja de sufrir transformaciones e intentar recuperarse de todo lo que ha experimentado durante los últimos 9 meses.
Es una etapa difícil y aunque casi todo el tiempo acabará dedicado al cuidado del nuevo miembro de la familia, también es importante dedicar un poco de atención a comprobar si nuestro cuerpo se está recuperando correctamente.
El ejercicio durante el postparto es una de las mejores cosas que una mujer que acaba de dar a luz puede hacer por sí misma. Y no solo con el objetivo de perder los kilos extra o de recuperar el peso que tenía antes del embarazo.
La práctica regular de ejercicio después de un embarazo, además de los múltiples beneficios para la salud física, también ayuda a reducir el estrés, mejorar la calidad del sueño y a prevenir los síntomas de la depresión postparto.
Hay que esperar un tiempo prudencial antes de comenzar cualquier rutina de ejercicio para que el cuerpo se recupere de los inmensos cambios sufridos durante el embarazo y el parto.
No se debe realizar ejercicio inmediatamente tras el parto, independientemente de que éste haya sido por cesárea o vaginal.
Lo más recomendable es esperar unas 4-6 semanas, la conocida como cuarentena, para realizar ejercicios de intensidad suave y de bajo impacto e ir aumentando en frecuencia e intensidad según la respuesta del cuerpo y el estado físico.
Consulta siempre con tu ginecólogo o matrona, quien podrá revisar tu estado de salud e indicarte el mejor momento para volver a la «normalidad», sin correr riesgos innecesarios.
El spinning es una de las prácticas deportivas actuales más en tendencia. El secreto de su éxito es debido, en gran parte, a los grandes beneficios que aporta a las personas que lo practican.
Pero ¿qué es el spinning? Sí, puede que tengas en mente esa imagen de una persona sudando sobre una bicicleta estática, pero analicemos bien en qué consiste.
El spinning es un ejercicio aeróbico y cardiovascular que se realiza sobre una bicicleta especial, normalmente al ritmo de la música, y en el que se trabaja todo el tren inferior, piernas y glúteos. Sirve para perder peso, mejorar la resistencia, aumentar la resistencia y tonificar los músculos.
Aunque lo más habitual es acudir a clases grupales de spinning en un gimnasio o centro específico, también puedes disfrutar de los beneficios de esta práctica deportiva en tu propia casa.
Para ello solo tienes que comprar una bici de spinning o bicicleta de ciclo indoor. Estas bicicletas tienen unas características que las diferencia de las clásicas bicicletas estáticas, con un diseño más deportivo y que las hace adecuadas para la práctica de este tipo de ejercicios.
El spinning es una deporte que casi cualquier persona puede practicar, por ser un ejercicio de bajo impacto.
El riesgo de lesión es bajo y es un deporte que incluso se puede practicar, con moderación, durante el embarazo.
Por eso esta actividad puede ser de gran ayuda en la recuperación postparto y ayudar a las mujeres que acaban de dar a luz a perder peso, tonificar sus músculos y a volver a su estado previo al embarazo.
1. Quema calorías y ayuda a perder peso
En una solo sesión de spinning se pueden llegar a quemar más de 500 calorías, lo que es ideal para tonificar los músculos y perder peso.
2. Mejora el estado cardiovascular
El spinning es un ejercicio de cardio que ayuda a mejorar la salud de nuestro corazón y sistema circulatorio. Ayuda también a disminuir los niveles de presión arterial y los niveles de colesterol, dos cifras que es frecuente que aumenten durante el embarazo.
3. Tonifica todo el cuerpo
Aunque los músculos que más trabajan son los inferiores, la tonificación tiene lugar en todo el cuerpo.
El spinning también ayuda a perder la barriga postparto y mejora el estado de los abdominales.
4. Ayuda a reducir el estrés
Al ser un ejercicio de alta intensidad ayuda a liberar tensiones y a reducir el estrés. Después de una sesión de spinning te sentirás menos estresada y más relajada. Es un ejercicio que resulta muy adecuado para mejorar el estado de ánimo y reducir el riesgo de sufrir depresión postparto.
5. Mejora la autoestima
Como en cualquier deporte, el ir alcanzando retos y metas, ayuda a subir la autoestima. Una mamá reciente cuando se nota con fuerzas, más ágil, mejor fisicamente se encuentra más animada y con más energía para afrontar su nuevo estado.
Cambios físicos que nos ayudan a sentirnos mejor psicológicamente. ¡Todo son beneficios!
Ahora contadme, ¿has practicado spinning alguna vez? ¿Lo recomiendas? ¿Qué ejercicios te ayudaron a recuperarte en el postparto?
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Durante el embarazo, nuestro cuerpo experimenta muchos cambios importantes que van transformándolo en una nueva versión de nosotras mismas. Hay diversos motivos por los cuales retomar el ejercicio tras el parto, ya sea para bajar los kilos que nos quedaron del embarazo o para volver a activarnos.
Una de las dudas más frecuentes acerca de la actividad física tras tener un hijo, es el momento en el que podemos iniciar. Te decimos cuándo y cómo volver a hacer ejercicio después del parto.
Sobra decir que cada mujer es un mundo, pero en todas hay que esperar un tiempo prudencial hasta recuperarse del parto, ya que no se puede hacer ejercicio inmediatamente tras haber dado a luz, independientemente si tuvimos parto natural o cesárea.
Después del nacimiento del bebé tiene lugar la cuarentena o puerperio, un periodo que dura de seis a ocho semanas, y en el cual nuestro cuerpo se recupera lentamente de todos los cambios que vivió durante el embarazo y el parto.
En este tiempo, no es recomendable hacer ejercicio intenso, ya que debemos permitir que nuestro cuerpo pase por este proceso de recuperación, en el que además de estabilizarse habremos de esperar a que se curen las heridas.
Una vez que haya transcurrido este tiempo después del parto y cuando notemos que ya nos sentimos preparadas, podemos comenzar a activarnos físicamente, sin embargo debemos continuar escuchando las señales de nuestro cuerpo para estar atentas y evitar movernos o forzarnos más de lo que se puede.
Aunque ya pasó la cuarentena, nuestro cuerpo sigue estando delicado, por lo que un ejercicio inadecuado o demasiado intenso podría ser contraproducente y ocasionar otros problemas, como incontinencia.
Por ello, la vuelta al ejercicio debe ser de forma gradual y progresiva.
No podemos empezar al mismo ritmo que lo dejamos antes del embarazo e incluso antes de dar a luz, porque el cuerpo ha sufrido muchos cambios y la distensión muscular en la zona pélvica es importante, así como la debilidad de los músculos de las piernas.
Además de progresiva, la actividad física ha de ser suave al principio. Por ejemplo, en lugar de maratón, algunos minutos de carrera suave; en lugar de diez largos en la piscina, un par de ellos; ejercicios como el aerobic o spinning los cambiamos por pilates o yoga. Y poco a poco aumentaremos el ritmo.
Recuerda que antes de comenzar cualquier rutina de ejercicios después del parto, deberás consultar con tu médico, quien te dará el visto bueno para que puedas comenzar poco a poco a activarte.
Una vez que lo hayas consultado con tu médico y te haya dado permiso de hacerlo, comienza por ejercicios suaves y ligeros.
Si eras activa durante el embarazo hasta antes del parto, seguramente te será más fácil retomar el ejercicio.
Uno de los mejores ejercicios para volver a activarte tras el parto es la caminata, que puedes hacer en un parque cercano e incluso puedes llevar a tu bebé en su cochecito para que te acompañe.
Algo que debemos tomar en cuenta una vez que haya pasado la cuarentena y retomemos la actividad física, es que debemos trabajar en fortalecer el suelo pélvico, para lo que podemos hacer ejercicios para esto, que nos ayudarán a fortalecer la zona pélvica interna.
Después de que tu cuerpo se vaya acostumbrado a retomar la actividad física tras el parto, podrás ir aumentando la frecuencia e intensidad de ésta. Una gran opción para hacer ejercicio son los entrenamientos en casa, pues así podremos acomodarlos a nuestra rutina diaria y sin necesidad de transportarnos o conseguir niñera.
Ejercicios como yoga y pilates son ideales en este punto, pues ambos son de bajo impacto y nos ayudarán a mejorar nuestra postura corporal mientras nos ejercitamos de manera suave.
Más adelante podemos comenzar a trabajar en fortalecer piernas y abdomen, y una vez que los hayamos fortalecido y tonificado, podremos complementarlos con ejercicio aeróbico suave, como la bicicleta, tanto indoor como de calle, o la elíptica. Después de esto, podremos incorporar rutinas y entrenamientos más intensos y extensos, en los que trabajemos el cuerpo de una forma completa.
Una de las maneras más placenteras y sobre todo más prácticas de volver a hacer ejercicio tras el parto es realizarlo junto a nuestro bebé. Está claro que la falta de tiempo va a ser un obstáculo para que hagamos ejercicio, si no nos lo planteamos de una manera diferente a como lo hacíamos antes de ser madres.
La práctica de ejercicio con el bebé es una opción estupenda para no separarnos del pequeño y empezar a ponernos en forma. Evidentemente, no vale cualquier deporte, pero el yoga, pilates y la caminata son perfectamente posibles acompañadas del niño.
Cuando crezca, podemos sumarlo a la bicicleta.
Hacer ejercicio en grupo con otras mamás recientes también puede ser una experiencia positiva. Tu pareja también puede sumarse al ejercicio en familia y de este modo animarte a ser constante y a sentir el momento de la actividad física como algo placentero al poder compartirlo. Además vamos a reforzar el vínculo con el bebé realizando esta actividad sumamente beneficiosa para ambos.
Además de conocer cómo y cuándo retomar el ejercicio después del parto, es importante mencionar otros datos que deberás tomar en cuenta para hacerlo de forma segura:
Foto | senivpetro – www.freepik.es
En Bebés y más | Recuperación postparto: todo lo que necesitas tener en cuenta para cuidarte en esta etapa
The birth of a child is an important, but also a happy period in a mother’s life. At this time, a woman feels both physiological and psychological changes in herself.
The task of a fitness trainer is to help you successfully live through the period of pregnancy and recover from childbirth by doing exercises, support and give the right recommendations.
If a client asks to resume training already a week after giving birth, do not rush to make an appointment in the fitness room. Within 6-8 weeks it is not recommended to resume physical activity except for breathing exercises. During this time, the uterus returns to its previous size and natural postpartum discharge stops. After 6-8 weeks, the woman goes for a postpartum examination to the gynecologist, and he gives permission to exercise. And breathing exercises can be performed already 2 hours after birth.
In this case, the recovery period will be longer than 6-8 weeks. You can do fitness only after the fabric over the seam begins to move so that there is no adhesive process. The seam must be examined by a doctor and then gives permission.
Training can be done with a trainer online or in a personal mode at home. In this case, you need to deal with a specialist who knows the features of postpartum recovery. If this is not possible, a woman can independently master breathing exercises by consulting a gynecologist.
If the pregnancy is going well and the woman is doing well, she can continue to do activities she enjoys until the last day of her pregnancy. But taking into account the load that is allowed in all three trimesters. She can perform exercises on all muscle groups – these should be antagonist muscles, and consciously control the muscles of the pelvic floor. Such training creates favorable conditions for the progression of pregnancy and successful recovery after the birth of a child.
After childbirth, it is better to start with breathing exercises that will help restore the function of the abdominal muscles. But it is also recommended to perform exercises for the muscles of the foot and work with the muscles of the face (oral diaphragm).
Breathing exercises help contract the uterus and return it to prenatal size. They help to return innervation to the rectus, transverse and oblique muscles of the abdomen and consciously control them. Stretching the abdomen will be helpful. To do this, take a deep breath, while exhaling, pull the navel to the spine, hold for 2 counts and then exhale smoothly. Advise doing this exercise every time you have free time, up to 10 repetitions per day. You can perform it in any starting position and anywhere: at home, on a walk, sitting on a bench, etc.
Exercises for the muscles of the feet will stimulate the work of the ankle joint, increasing the venous return and unloading the muscles of the foot. After all, she works 12 hours a day. Oral diaphragm exercises will relax the chewing muscles and correct the position of the temporomandibular joint.
It is possible to return to the physical activity that was before childbirth after the cessation of postpartum discharge.
The woman then goes to the doctor for a postnatal check-up, and he issues a permit. At the same time, you need to start with the load on which the client stopped before giving birth in the 3rd trimester. During this period, avoid exercises associated with straining the abdomen: squats, jumps, push-ups in a horizontal position, throws, shock and stress loads.
Pilates, yoga, water aerobics and swimming in the pool can help in the early stages of recovery. It is not recommended to attend high-intensity group training. Advise the client on personal training or at least a consultation with a competent trainer.
A woman can return to her favorite fitness activity not earlier than 5-6 months after giving birth. If this is done earlier, health problems may arise. Before giving birth, changes occurred over 9 months, and in 2-3 months it is impossible to recover without damage to the body. After all, a woman does not know what is happening in her body. It may seem to her that she feels good, but her internal organs are not yet ready to withstand jumping, straining, running, etc.
It is in six months that the ability to perform its functions returns to the muscles. In addition, the recovery process can be affected by the presence of previous pregnancies and chronic or previous diseases during pregnancy.
The recovery period after childbirth is a careful and important period in a woman’s life. This is a natural process and there is no need to rush it. Therefore, the best physical activity for a woman at this time is walking with a stroller, breastfeeding, breathing exercises and exercises that bring pleasure.
The main and main recommendation is a regular full and varied diet. Recommended 5-6 meals a day every 3-4 hours. Such a scheme will reduce the load on the gastrointestinal tract. Food should be in small portions in the form of heat. You also need to drink enough clean water and green tea. In addition, the doctor may recommend teas that increase lactation.
There are no foods that must be included in the diet.
Only those to which the woman was allergic before pregnancy, and obviously allergenic are excluded: citrus fruits, seasonal products (strawberries, berries), etc. It is also not recommended to eat raw fish, sushi, sea kale – they may have a high content of lead and mercury. Farm-raised fish should be added to this list, as it contains antibiotics, and dried fruits, which are treated with substances that prevent rot.
In children of the first year of life, colic may appear, which accompanies the process of maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, there is no connection between the mother’s diet and the presence of colic in the child. But a woman can adjust her diet and refuse certain types of products if she has any suggestions that this may affect the condition of the child.
During breastfeeding, a woman should get all the amino acids and minerals from normal food. Excess consumption of refined carbohydrates: baked goods, condensed milk and white flour products will contribute to the accumulation of excess fat in the woman’s body and adversely affect the child.
During the period of postpartum recovery, a woman is more sensitive, so the trainer needs to pay attention to her. During breastfeeding, her prolactin hormone is elevated. It stimulates lactation, but also affects the psycho-emotional state – sudden sadness, mood changes, emotional background, etc. may appear. Therefore, it is important for the coach to take into account the condition of the woman when she comes to training, and give an adequate load that the client can handle. If a woman is in harmony with herself: not anxious, informed and has the psychological support of relatives or a psychotherapist, she will be able to track her conditions herself and cope with them.
If there is no support, then these states will intensify. Then the trainer should be ready that the client will come to the lesson not for the training itself, but for psychological support. A woman may refuse to exercise because she will have a greater need to share her condition than in physical activity.
In this case, it is important for the coach to ask the woman how she feels, why she needs these workouts, why she is ready to spend so much time going to the gym and with whom the child is staying. Perhaps it would be better to recommend a specialist who will help her deal with her psycho-emotional state, and only then return to training. This kind of support will mean a lot to your client.
In order to work with women during pregnancy and postpartum recovery, a trainer needs to know which exercises and activities are beneficial and which are contraindicated. You will receive this information at the training seminar “Pregnancy and fitness training” from the methodologist of the “Academy of Fitness – Ukraine” Svetlana Bondar.
This is a translation of an article from the Spinning Babies website. I tried to make it close to the original text, so in some places the Russian language is crooked.
The original article has pictures for some of the exercises that might help you understand what to do (I’ll take my own pictures for each one someday). The original also contains a large number of links to other materials on the Spinning babies website. While I will give links to the original texts in these places, as I translate, I will replace them with Russian ones.
You have already learned the three principles of Spinning Babies, now let’s find out what actions will help you achieve them.
Do you want to help your baby get in the front view? Then start with these daily exercises. Want to avoid posterior view or breech presentation? Then add to these exercises weekly.
These exercises will not turn your baby from head to breech, nor will they change anterior to posterior. You can start practicing them as early as you like.
Be patient and considerate. All of these actions are non-invasive. You are more likely to succeed in achieving balance if you follow the recommendations daily, rather than trying to compensate for years of overstressed muscles in just one month of exercise, and even more so on the very day of delivery.
Perhaps, in the process of exercising, you will find a tense or twisted muscle, or a displaced pubic bone. Any of these conditions, in combination with a large child in the posterior, makes instant success from exercise very unlikely.
Rebalancing is not instant coffee for you))
So, the actual recommendations (check with your doctor / midwife before starting)
Action 1. Walk every day.
Why? Vigorous walking lengthens our psoas (a pair of “inner wings” running from the spine to the hip) and strengthens the lower back while maintaining pelvic mobility. The lumbar muscles are important for us for greater mobility, flexibility, emotional stability, and also for the optimal position of the baby in the stomach. Walking is a great exercise for maintaining our health.
Who to do? Everyone
How much? Do not start abruptly, so as not to cause unnecessary tension. But aim for at least 4-5 kilometers.
How often? Daily!
Do not do this if: your doctor has ordered bed rest; if you feel pain in the area of the pubic symphysis (in this case, use a bandage while walking, or start by doing exercises to restore your pelvis)
Step 2. Exercise forward bend over.
Why? This exercise stretches (and can also untwist) the ligaments that support the lower uterine segment and the cervix. Regular performance of this exercise helps to cope with spasm and asymmetry in the lower segment of the uterus and allows the baby’s head to move better in childbirth.
Who should do it? Do the first few times under supervision. Use an assistant if you feel insecure or have balance problems. Use a secure surface (bed, sofa, steps). Do this exercise even if you practice dog yoga every day – they are similar, but have a different effect.
How long? Within 30 seconds (that’s three breaths)
How often? Daily
Do not if: you have heartburn, glaucoma, hypertension, or risk of stroke.
Also don’t if you have extreme polyhydramnios causing your doctor to worry and measure the amount of water weekly. If you have sinusitis, then the inverted position can cause a strong pulsation (or, on the contrary, it can be calming). Be sure to watch the video before and after the exercise, because it is often performed incorrectly.
Note: when we stand upside down for the first time, our body signals this to us with a pulsation in the head (suddenly we did not notice that we were upside down). After 3-6 times the body will understand that this is not a random position and stop. If this happens, get up early and then try again. It will pass.
Learn more about the exercise here.
Action 3. Correct position of the mother.
Jean Sutton, co-author and technical teacher, recommends sitting like this:
Keep your knees and elbows at a 45 degree angle and let your wrists “float” over the keyboard More about the correct position of the mother during pregnancy.
Step 4: Stretch.
Stretching every day improves your circulation, metabolism and your well-being. Stretch every day. Remember what condition your muscles in the upper body are in, the muscles below are in the same condition. Try these exercises!
Relax the jaw.
Close your jaws and find those large muscles that you use for chewing. Now relax your jaw and press your fingers on the muscle for 2 minutes (or you can stretch the muscle down a little). Do this stretch while sitting on your buttocks, or standing up. Breathe slowly and calmly. If you do not like to look at the clock, do the exercise for 5-6 breaths. Do it 2-3 times a day.
Lengthen the neck.
After relaxing your jaw, do neck exercises. Raise the back of your head (or, equivalently, lower your chin). Roll your head in a circle to the right, then to the left, 2-3 times. During the day, keep your chin lower than the base of your skull, thereby lengthening your neck muscles.
Opening the shoulders.
Stand and sit with shoulder blades apart. Perform circular movements with your hands, bring your hands behind your back, join your hands in a lock behind your back over your shoulder (one hand on top, the other on the bottom), make a variety of movements with your arms and shoulders.
We especially recommend the Windmill exercise. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, chin below the base of the skull, buttocks relaxed. Lean forward with a straight back and place your straight arms on some suitable surface (chair, yoga brick, floor—whatever is appropriate to keep your back straight). Look at your hands and as you inhale, raise your right hand to the side and up behind your head, accompany it with your eyes and turn your head. Don’t reach too far – you should be able to see the palm. Now, as you exhale, come back. It’s okay if your hips change position, but when you put your hand back in place, your hips should return to their original position. Repeat the same with the left hand. Do this exercise 10 times on each side (start with 5 times). It’s so good for your lower back and buttocks that you might not be able to live a week without it now. Include it in your daily complex.
Stretching the calves.
Place the toe of your foot on a rolled mat, towel, or half of an exercise roller and your heel on the floor.
Stand straight, but bend your knee very slightly. Bend and unbend your knee, just a little. Change your leg. Then do the exercise on both legs at the same time. Do it 5-10 times on each leg. Daily. This exercise lengthens the hip so that your sacrum and gluteal muscles become more mobile as you lower your baby into the pelvis. Thanks Cathy Bowman for teaching me the importance of this stretch for labor and squats. Your hips will thank you.
We do lunges.
After the calf exercise, lunge forward to consolidate our progress in stretching the hips and freeing the sacrum.
Doing squats.
And then we do squats. You can use an assistant or hang from the handles of the open door. The bottom line is that your shins are strictly vertical during the squat process (while the feet are parallel, looking forward, and the butt is set back). Kathy Bowman can teach you the squat in more detail.
Step 5. Relax your psoas.
Why? Tight psoas may prevent baby from lowering. Long labors and epidurals can relax this muscle, but why not help yourself a little in pregnancy? A long elastic psoas muscle is one of the important factors that help the baby to take a good position for a period of 38 weeks .
Who does? Mom herself
How? Lie on your back, put your feet on a chair so that your thighs are strictly vertical and your shins are strictly horizontal. Lie like this for at least 5 minutes. Then turn on your side and slowly stand up. One day you will realize that the bottom of your back (where there is usually a deflection) has touched the floor. Do not speed up this process in any way, just wait until it happens by itself. And when that happens, do another psoas exercise.
How long? 5 minutes
How often? Daily
Do this if: you are constipated, your baby is not heading in at 38 weeks, you have had a long labor in the past, you have experienced emotional or sexual trauma, you have a sedentary job, or you simply have a sedentary lifestyle.
Do not do it if: at any time you feel that you cannot lie on your back – roll over to your side if you feel unwell during the exercise.
Step 6 Open your hips.
Exercise 1. “Hands through the hole”
Why? This exercise balances the pelvis and opens the hips, making it easier to lower the baby in labor.
Who? Mom alone. This exercise can be learned in yoga or with a physiotherapist.
How? Lie on your back, bend your knees so that your feet are completely on the floor. Take a few breaths. Raise your right leg (still bent at the knee) and place your ankle on the bent knee of your left leg. Insert your left hand into the hole formed by your legs, and grab the shin of your left leg (for this, you will have to tear your leg off the floor). Lie down for a while in this position, and then with your right hand gradually push your right knee away from your head.
You will feel a stretch. Take a couple of breaths. Then put both feet on the floor and breathe some more. Do the same for the other leg.
How long? Start with a couple of minutes and in three weeks bring your comfortable time to 5 minutes.
How often? Daily (well, at least 3 times a week, otherwise there is no point)
Don’t do it if: you can’t lie on your back
Exercise 2. “Open your hips in 3 steps”
For what? For hip flexibility and pelvic balance.
Who does? Mom alone. This can be learned from yoga.
How? To perform the exercise, you will need a rebozo (this is such a special scarf loved by all midwives), you can use a regular scarf, a Pilates belt, just a belt or even a sock. Lie on the floor, wrap the scarf around the toe of your right leg and lift it up at a 90° angle. The leg should be straight, but not “locked” (apparently, you do not need to extend the knee to the stop).
Now you need to align the pelvis, returning the right thigh to the same level as the left one (most likely, after lifting the leg, the right thigh “creeped” up). Relax, but keep your hips symmetrical. Pay attention to the breath, let it be free. Now pull your leg with the scarf towards your head. Don’t hurt yourself. It takes several weeks of doing this exercise to become more flexible. Return your leg to a vertical position. Then hold the scarf only with your right hand, move your leg to the right and put it to rest on some kind of support (wall, chair, etc.). The leg is straight, but not “blocked”. Relax your leg, breathe calmly. The third element – take the right leg to the left (as if throwing it over the body) and put it to rest on the other side on the support.
Do the same with the left leg.
How long? A minute or two per element, two sets for each leg.
How often? At least three times a week
Don’t if: you can’t lie on your back
Step 7.
Rock your pelvis.
Why? This exercise relaxes the hips, sacrum and lower back and relieves back pain after a hard day. Do this exercise every evening.
Who does? Mom alone. No professional help needed
How? Use a rolled up yoga mat or a suitable towel to protect your wrists and knees. If your wrists won’t allow you to do this exercise, you can lean on an exercise ball, sofa or chair seat, or lean on your elbows.
Starting position: emphasis on hands and knees, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, back straight. Then focus on your lower back and try to lift and round it. Return to starting position.
How long? 20-40 times, that’s 2-3 minutes.
How often? Daily – for the comfort of your back. In childbirth within 20 minutes.
Do if: the lower back is tired or sore, after balance exercises to help the baby turn to the front, in labor for several contractions for the same purpose.
Do not if: Wrists or knees are weak or injured. How to modify the exercise for such cases is described above.
It is generally very good to rest/sleep on your stomach in a baby position (with emphasis on elbows and knees). But don’t expect this exercise alone to help turn your baby. Exercise rarely works in isolation. In order to turn the baby in the front view, this exercise works better in contractions. And during pregnancy, it helps to keep the mobility of the sacrum and comfort in the back.
By the way, an important note. This exercise is not part of the Spinning Babies complex.
Step 8: Rest properly.
Correct (in terms of gravity) position of the mother is the second principle of Spinning Babies. Here are some examples of such correct positions for resting during pregnancy. You can use them in childbirth too. In general, think about your stomach being such a hammock for your baby, in which it would be comfortable for him to lie on his back.
Suitable resting positions are just the ones where the baby will be comfortable, like in a hammock. While resting or sleeping, make yourself a nest of pillows around your stomach. Pillows will take your weight, and you will not put pressure on the child. You can use regular pillows, a nursing pillow, or, for example, a semi-deflated bathing circle.
Try to lie with one thigh directly over the other. Do not lie on your back – this can cause muscle spasm. And change the side on which you lie often – this way you will help your uterus become more symmetrical.
Which side do you sleep on?
In general, falling asleep and/or waking up on the left side can protect the baby from sudden intrauterine death (one study from New Zealand showed). But you probably don’t have much control over the position you wake up in. So you can learn to fall asleep on the left side, then you will quite fulfill the recommendations of that study (after all, it talks about “falling asleep and / or waking up”).