How do I get my abs back after baby? It’s the most common question I hear from new moms about their postpartum body. The answer, unfortunately, is not all that simple but with a little patience, awareness and guidance for appropriate corrective exercises, your abs can come back after baby.
Patience
You have heard it and read it…it takes just as long to restore your body after the baby is born as it did to create that beautiful being. It’s true. Unless you are genetically gifted, nine months is the average time for a mom to return to pre-pregnancy shape.
Awareness
How’s your posture? Sitting and standing tall requires you to engage one of your most important abdominal muscles and other supporting core muscles of your torso. Good posture is the first step to help engage those underused muscles.
Appropriate Corrective Exercise
Your body has undergone a traumatic event of creating AND birthing a child. Ideally a new mom eases back into an exercise program and has guidance on how to effectively do so. The pelvic floor muscles, lower back and abdominals muscles, (otherwise known as the ‘core’) need to be re-engaged and strengthened for synergistic function.
- Did your healthcare provider check for an abdominal wall separation – also known as Diastasis Recti – at your six week check up?
- Did you have a long and hard labor?
- Did you child enter the world via surgery? If yes, did you receive any physical therapy?
These are all important factors and questions to address as you seek out those post baby abs. AMC addresses these questions and provides professional guidance for new moms via our group class “From the Core: Postnatal Recovery”, and with our new one-on-one Post-Baby Body Express Training. Let us help you get your body back after baby.
Other related Active Moms’ Club posts:
Diastasis Recti: From How to Assess to Safe Exercises to Heal – A Few of My Favorite FAQs
Brand New! Post-Baby Body Express Training Package
3 Steps to Flatten Post-Baby Abs