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Hugging meditation, made famous by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, is rooted in the belief that a good hug can have transformative effects. 

Thich Nhah Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who now lives in France. His graceful and simple way of conveying his teachings has helped made Buddhism and meditation appealing throughout the world. 

"When we hug, our hearts connect and we know that we are not separate beings," Hanh writes. "Hugging with mindfulness and concentration can bring reconciliation, healing, understanding, and much happiness."

How the to do the ‘three hug’ practice:

1. Begin by recognizing the other person.

Start by bowing toward the other person as a way of acknowledging their presence. Then bring yourself fully into the moment by taking three conscious breaths.

2. Go in for the hug (and keep your breathing in mind).

A quick pat on the back won’t really do the trick here. Instead, hold the other person in your arms for three deep breaths. Hanh writes that the first breath should be devoted to you honoring your presence in the moment. The second should honor the other person, while the final breath should be focused on feeling happy and grateful for your togetherness.

3. End with gratitude.

After you release each other, finish the experience by bowing again to express thankfulness for the other person.

According to the practice, you have to really hug the person you are holding. You have to make him or her very real in your arms, not just for the sake of appearances, patting him on the back to pretend you are there, but breathing consciously and hugging with all your body, spirit, and heart. Hugging meditation is a practice of mindfulness. “Breathing in, I know my dear one is in my arms, alive. Breathing out, she is so precious to me.” If you breathe deeply like that, holding the person you love, the energy of your care and appreciation will penetrate into that person and she will be nourished and bloom like a flower.

“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.”

— Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

We have previously shared the benefits of mindfulness in motherhood and why it can be helpful to anyone. Each post shares a different strategy to use to bring you in to the present to calm your thoughts and engage you conscious being.

Support in bras is oh so important.

Did you know:

That a pair of D-cup boobs weigh in at 7 to 10kg. “That’s more than enough to pull your trunk forward, force you into a hunched-over running posture, decrease your stride’s efficiency, and up your risk of injury,” McGhee says.

If you haven’t noticed, pretty much the only thing keeping your breasts up during a run is your bra’s shoulder straps, which take a lot of weight. When straps are thin, the pressure can be so great they not only leave dents in your shoulders but hit the brachial plexus nerve group, causing numbness in the pinky fingers.

We recommend a razor back or full back and should support for high-intensity exercise.

How much your boobs bounce depends almost entirely on breast size and elasticity of the skin covering your breasts, McGhee says. However, skin tends to lose its elasticity with age and “excessive breast bouncing.” So, the more your breasts bounce, the more they will bounce during future runs. Add in breastfeeding or post breastfeeding and your lady friends could be dragging on thin ice mid run….

How much do breasts bounce? Measuring the bounce of both bare and bra-covered breasts during treadmill workouts, McGhee found the average 38D moves about 13cm from top to bottom during running. Smaller breasts bounce about 7.5cm, which can still be uncomfortable. And breasts don't just bounce in an up and down motion; some larger breasts bounce in figure-eight shapes.

While they can’t completely eliminate bouncing, high-support sports bras can cut the range of motion in half (approximately), McGhee says. The goal is for the breasts to move in unison with your torso and not bounce independently of one another.

During pregnancy there is evermore of a concern. When you're pregnant, your body has very high levels of oestrogen and progesterone, hormones that stimulate your breasts' milk glands and milk ducts, respectively. The result of all this can be a big change in bra size, but growth usually slows or stops at the end of the first trimester. No special foods, massages, exercises, or creams affect breast growth during pregnancy, so spend your money on a good supportive bra instead. 

Yes you read right....have you ever noticed that post pregnancy your bum seems like a flat pancake or you are having to hitch up those jeans more than ever...Well the good news is you are not alone. There is something called ‘mum bum syndrome’ and many suffer from it.

The truth is you’re probably a bum tucker.

In fancy anatomy terms this is called a posterior pelvic tilt – where your butt tucks in and your lower back flattens.

It’s super common for this to happen during pregnancy because there’s a lot of baby sticking out the front of you so – if you’re not working on corrective exercises throughout your pregnancy – the pelvis tucks under to balance that weight.

Fast forward post-pregnancy and your ligaments and muscles have become lengthened and weaker due to the extra weight...

The good news is that ‘Mum Flat Pancake Butt’ doesn’t have to stay forever and you can correct it. Below are some tips we found to help correct this area:

Stand Up

Sitting does nothing to build the glutes and everything to make it flat as a pancake and let’s face it, we spend a lot of time sitting these days don’t we? Minimizing the amount of time spent sitting is critical to maintaining a healthy backside!

Walk

To make up for the amount of time we spend sitting, many of us head to the gym to burn some calories while often choosing high-intensity activity that may not be well suited to our body, especially after having a baby.

One of the best exercises out there is walking, particularly hill walking. Walking is low impact and when you add in the incline of a hill, it really blasts those glutes into high gear along with revving up the cardio!

Bridges

One of the best glute exercises out there is the bridge and this can be done during pregnancy with a wedge and as early as the 2nd week postpartum.

As your strength increases you can also add some resistance with a sandbag on your pelvis and once your pelvic stability is on track you can also up the challenge by performing the movement with one leg off the ground and extended.

Hip Extensions

These can be done standing or on all fours (however I don’t recommend being on all fours during).

You don’t need a fancy piece of equipment – you can simply use your body weight or you can tie a theraband around your ankles to add some resistance.

Squats

Squatting is a great glute builder and is also a movement that will be done over and over and over as you bend down to pick up your babe or toddler (or their toys, or spilled food, or…).

Squatting can be done (and should be done) during pregnancy and within a few weeks postpartum. The range of motion can be modified but you want to aim for a nice deep squat with the tailbone un-tucked and your pelvis in neutral (keeping the small curve in your low back).

There are many glute exercises out there but these versions offer versatility both before and after pregnancy. They help maintain and build up the glutes while also encouraging the sacrum to stay un-tucked which is key to avoiding and curing mum bum syndrome!

So as you can see we like big butts post pregnancy so get those glutes moving and pelvis tilting....

Written by Joanne Shepherd for bodyandsoul.com.au

Can’t find the time to exercise? Make your newborn, baby or toddler, part of your routine, says this mum and personal trainer.  

One of the hardest things when you become a new mum is making time for you. Actually, in a way, it’s one of the more important things because if you don’t look after yourself then the rest doesn't function very well.

When you’re a brand new mum it’s important to get fresh air and get the main body systems working. It helps to increase the rate of postnatal recovery, improves muscle tone, circulation, digestion, mood, sleep patterns and so much more.

Once your doctor has cleared you to exercise there are a range of options. The opportunities are endless so depending on the age of your children here are some other ways to fit in some exercise with your little ones in tow.

NEWBORN

Putting the baby in the stroller and doing a bench to bench workout

At your local park or equivalent, complete an exercise then walk to the next park bench and complete a set of the next exercise. An example could be as simple as the following: static lunge whilst holding the pram (10 each leg), Bear crawl across 10m up and back, incline push-up, sprint, tricep push up, squat pulse, mountain climbers. (At each bench perform 10 -15 reps).

Make the most out of your baby carrier

Most newborns love the Baby carrier. I remember days where the baby was strapped to me 24/7 which made it hard to get anything done. But by placing them in the carrier you can still do a workout. It is a great way to ease back into exercise and can be done anywhere or anytime. Examples of exercises that you can perform are walking lunges, sumo squats, torso twist and punch, the chair dip, hip-raisers, wall sit, standing donkey kick (leg raiser).

Postpartum the most important thing is to listen to your body, work from inside out and focus on core, pelvic tilts and Kegel exercises.

BABY

As the baby starts to become more aware of the surroundings and enjoy the time outside there are a number of extra options that you can include into your daily workout schedule. Setting a positive and healthy example from the beginning is so important. Remember monkey see monkey do!

The stroller

You don’t need gym equipment to get you started - the stroller is a great option! You can include sit ups by keeping feet on the stroller and doing peek a boo, plank/reach and tap on either side of the stroller, side and back leg lift, squats to calf raisers, lunges, one leg flute bridge/lift, push-ups, knee lifts, back leg lift to front leg crunch.

The mat

A mat is another option where the little one can have tummy time or lay on their back kicking about while you perform a sequence of exercises. They particularly like the push up and planks as you can make it into a game. It is also a great bonding time as you have no other distractions and focus the attention on them (it also takes the pain of the exercise away.)

Examples of mat exercises are leg lifts, baby weight bridge hip thrusters, Russian twist with baby, superman, side plank, extended leg lift. Some higher intensity options include burpees, reverse crunch or high knees. Yoga and Pilates is also another good mat option to include the little one in.

TODDLER/OLDER KIDS

As children grow into the next stage they like to mimic and feel part of the workout. This is great bonding time and is also demonstrating a positive and healthy role model.

A partner workout

This is a great way to get them to burn off some additional energy. Doing exercises like squat jumps, incline push-ups, burpees, sit up hi 10’s, plank and feet taps. Your child may even have some creative ideas of their own! Anything to get the body moving.

The Park/Playground

Park and playground equipment offer great exercise options including: pull ups on the monkey bars or leg hangs and lifts. The slide is a good tricep dip option. You can use a curved ladder to do incline push-ups or hanging row. The swing can be used to do a plank tuck or Bulgarian split squat.

The options are truly endless, but the benefits from working out with kids gives you the well-deserved time for you, great bonding time (they pick up on the positive vibes from you doing something for yourself), you are setting a positive lifelong example and it can benefit their muscular and motor skills at the same time. Realistically it is ourselves who put the barriers up to exercising once we have children. Remember ‘the first step is often the hardest’ and ‘where there is a will there is a way’.

Joanne Shepherd is a personal trainer and founder of Mummactiv

Nearly 1 in 5 breastfeedingwomen are affected by mastitis. In these cases, it usually develops in the first three months after giving birth.

What is mastitis?

Mastitis is usually the result of a blocked milk duct that hasn't cleared. Some of the milk banked up behind the blocked duct can be forced into nearby breast tissue, causing the tissue to become inflamed. The inflammation is called mastitis. Infection may or may not be present. 

If you think you have mastitis, see your medical adviser. There can be infectious and non-infectious mastitis.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of mastitis can make you feel as if you are getting the flu. You may begin to get shivers and aches.

Some mothers who do not have any early signs of a blocked duct get mastitis 'out of the blue'. 

The breast will be sore like it is with a blocked duct, only worse. It is usually red and swollen, hot and painful. The skin may be shiny and there may be red streaks. You will feel ill. It is common for the ill feeling to come on very quickly.

Common causes

• Poor attachment to the breast
• Nipple damage
• A long break between breastfeeds
• Breasts that are too full
• Blocked milk ducts
• Stopping breastfeeding too quickly
• Overly tight bra
• A baby with tongue-tie who is having problems attaching to the breast

Treatment

It is important to start treatment at the first signs of mastitis.

• Continue to breastfeed or express from the affected breast.
• Place a heat pack or warm cloths on the sore area before feeding or expressing to help with your milk flow.
• Gently massage any breast lumps towards the nipple when feeding or expressing or when in the shower or bath.
• Continue to breastfeed or express your sore breast until it feels more comfortable.
• Place a cool pack, such as a packet of frozen peas wrapped in a cloth, on the breast after feeding or expressing for a few minutes to reduce discomfort.
• You can take tablets for the pain such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. They are safe to take while breastfeeding.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day (up to 8 glasses).
• Rest as much as possible.
• If you don’t start to feel better after a few hours, you should see a doctor as soon as you can.
• If antibiotics are prescribed by your doctor, take as directed. It is safe to continue to breastfeed when taking these antibiotics.

Info from www.thewomens.org.au and ABA

After the oxytocin wears off….

Let’s be real for a second. Let’s stop and reflect on what you’ve done. YOU GREW A HUMAN! So to me, you are in fact a Superhero! Whether you home or hospital birthed, whether your baby came out through the sunroof or not, whether you breast or bottle feed, your baby is here and earthside because of you. When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back for that?

From the shitty nappies and vomiting, to PND and sleep schools, to bizarre mothers groups and unsolicited parenting advice, mothering is a right of passage that stretches not just your belly but your soul to grow.

The oxytocin wears off, the delivery of home made meals and new baby gifts stop. You’re neck deep in forever washing and sleepless nights and right there perhaps some doubt about your life direction comes up. You stare in the mirror potentially at this new body you judge and loathe, resenting the biological privilege that just railroaded life as you knew it. And that’s the moment, right there where you can catch yourself, and the negative self talk. Where you connect and redirect with you again (just like you will with your toddler in the years to come, thanks Dr Dan Siegel!) because this is where it gets better.

Yes your pelvic floor will recover, yes they will in fact one day sleep through the night. Yes you will enjoy sex again, wear white, and even another babe if you choose to do so. You’ll be stronger, fitter, wiser and more full of love than ever before.

As a Mother you are the embodiment of grace under pressure. Alongside congratulating yourself for carrying and delivering your babe, celebrate the fact that you are keeping your babe alive! You’ve acquired new skills like being able to pick things up off the floor with the big toe hook and flick method and you now have this quiet understanding of women in a new way that you may not have experienced before.

This babe of yours took time to grow and it takes time for the body to recover and that’s ok. Thank your body. Be kind to her. Love her and celebrate her. The older, wiser me would go back to tell the young new Mum me exactly this today.

CATCH YOURSELF in the now. Be present to the sweetness and stillness of every moment, chaotic, wild and wonderful. Simply feel your feet on ground beneath you and become the witness to the sensations and flow of your breath. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Affirm and say…

I AM AMAZING.

I AM LOVED, HELD AND SUPPORTED.

I AM AN INCREDIBLE MOTHER.

I AM ENOUGH JUST AS I AM.

And remember the great mothering Mantra, this too shall pass.

BIO

Laura is a Mother, Lover, Seeker and Yogini. She wears lycra as part her living!  She is SAMA Studio’s Founder and Principal teacher,  facilitating Yoga classes, retreats, workshops and Yoga Teacher Training. Find and follow her on the below links or catch her teaching at Ekam Yoga Festival this year:

https://www.facebook.com/samastudio.yoga.healing/

https://www.instagram.com/samastudio_yoga_healing/

http://samastudio.com.au/

First introduced to Yoga around 10 years of age and has fond childhood memories of chanting the Gayatri Mantra, meditating, gazing at paintings of Hindu deities and playfully hanging upside down.

By 2007 Laura was a regular student of Yoga. In 2008 her interest in Buddhist philosophy and mindfulness practices led her to taking vows with HH 14th Dalai Lama. Teaching Yoga has been her full-time profession since 2013. She is a Yoga Australia Level 2 registered teacher.

Laura’s motivation to share the gifts the practice brings with others is in service to cultivating and strengthening a greater sense of Kula –Community of Heart. Having experienced first-hand the support a Yoga practice offers in times of trauma, illness and injury, Laura hopes to inspire and connect students to the wisdom and intelligence of their own bodies moving. To feel and know the resiliency and courage of one’s own Spirit.

Known for helping students connect to the intelligence of alignment, she progressively builds students to meet their edges – be it in a flow, alignment or restoration class. She shares in a fun and light-hearted fashion, without skipping the particulars, weaving mythological storytelling and philosophy throughout.

Sometimes trying to get that extra bit of fuel is troublesome so once a week we are going to share a recipe for a snack or meal that can be ready to go. Breastfeeding is quite time consuming so having something ready to go to enjoy is super important to help keep the right fuel going in.

This week we are sharing one of our favourite go to lunches that is a great source of protein. It can be prepped in advance and thrown together in between holding a newborn or dealing with the tantrums.

BOWLS are the answer to every lunchtime. They are packed with protein, grains and plenty of veggies. They heat up easily in the microwave with minimal clean-up or waste.

A week’s worth of lunch made in just 1 hour. This time-saving meal-prep chicken burrito bowls recipe will help you get healthy lunch on the table at work, school or home quickly without sacrificing flavor or your hard-earned money.

This weeks meal prep recipe is chicken burrito bowls.  The meat, rice, beans, and  veggies are all loaded in 1 bowl for easy heating up, and the cold ingredients are placed in a separate bowl. When you are ready to have a fresh burrito bowl, you simply heat up the chicken bowl then top it with the cold salad, guacamole, and sour-cream. 

Ingredients:

For the Chicken

• 4 small-medium boneless (or 1 pound) skinless chicken breasts, pounded (or thighs)
• 1 packet taco seasoning * or 2 tablespoons homemade or plain

Canned Corn

Canned black beans

Avocado

Chopped tomato

Salsa

Rice: 1/2 c brown or white

Squeeze of lime and maybe some fresh sprigs of coriander

Taking time to nurture your own development isn't selfish.  The well-being of mothers impacts the well-being of children and families in powerful and far reaching ways. We cannot pour from an empty cup.

Motherhood and stress, understanding your triggers and learning to respond rather than react. In mothering we are faced with screaming kids, tantrums, constant want for your attention, demands of breastfeeding etc. Mindfulness of emotions and getting clear on your values is extremely helpful to identify what is going on first rather than reacting. If we do become reactive to the external triggers/stress one of the ways to help yourself is to change the scenery. 

Karen Holmes explains it well in relation to Mums.

Mindfulness is probably the most scientifically investigated form of meditation to date, and to put it simply – it involves ‘training our attention’. Through this, we learn to focus on those things that are most useful and most helpful in our lives, allowing us to live more consciously and fully.

Given that a lot of mothering is done in automatic pilot mode, where we are literally multi-tasking the day away, living more mindfully can help us get on top of negative or worried thinking patterns – those pesky ‘what if…?’ scenarios.

A simple and quick mindfulness meditation:

Sit comfortably, preferably with your back firmly against a chair.

Place your feet on the floor and connect or root yourself with the floor.

Close your eyes, make sure your jaw is soft, and drop your chin a little.

Feel your breath and notice your belly rising and falling.

When you feel your thoughts wandering, simply notice this and return to the breath.

When you’re ready, lift your chin and open your eyes.

Bring your awareness slowly back to your surroundings.

Notice how you feel.

Breastfeeding is hard work and in those first few days, weeks and months you want to do all that you can to meet your baby’s needs.

Some woman struggle to get enough supply whilst others are like a leaking cow- it just keeps on coming! For some they are left on a solo journey to try and navigate their way through the jungle of breastfeeding.

The BREASTFEEDING ASSOCIATION offered the below advice which we found beneficial. Remember there are also lactation consultants that are only just a phone call away.

How to make more breastmilk: Demand = Supply

To build your breastmilk supply, the following ideas may help.

• Provided that your baby is correctly attached, you will find that the quickest and most successful way to boost your supply is to breastfeed more often. Offer a breastfeed every 2–3 hours during the day, for a few days, or increase the number of feeds by offering the breast in between your baby's usual breastfeeds.
• Here is an easy way to do this. If your baby does not settle after a feed, try offering another quick little ‘top up’ breastfeed. Those few minutes of extra feeding and cuddling may be all that is needed to soothe and satisfy him.
• Let your baby finish the first breast before switching to the second breast. 
• Or, you may find it helps to change sides several times during a feed, whenever your baby's sucking seems to become less strong. Some people find that this encourages the baby to suck more strongly and stimulates a good let-down reflex.
• You can also try massaging your breast. Stroke it towards the nipple on all sides as your baby feeds. Take care not to disturb the nipple in your baby's mouth.
• If your baby is awake you can offer little ‘snack’ feeds without waiting for baby to cry for them.
• You can try offering the breast to soothe your baby for a few days, instead of other comforting strategies (eg a dummy).
• You may find that your baby has fussy periods when he wants to breastfeed more frequently. There is more about this in the Fussy periods and wonder weeks article on this website.
• Although they vary greatly, many new babies need 8–12 or more feeds in 24 hours. Babies generally feed less often as they get older. Babies also generally feed more efficiently as they get older. 
• To increase your supply, you will need to fit in more feeds than is usual for YOUR BABY. Feeds do not need to be very long, just more often. In each 24 hours some feeds may be only 5–10 minutes long, others may be 30 minutes or longer, particularly when baby feeds to sleep slowly and contentedly.
• Help your milk to let-down quickly. Relax and enjoy feed times. Try to remove distractions (turn your phone off, put a ‘do not disturb’ sign on your door), then settle with baby into a comfortable chair. Breathe deeply, relaxing each part of your body separately as you may have learned to do at antenatal classes. Have a drink on hand, a book or a magazine, listen to the radio or watch TV. For more ideas, see the let-down reflex article on this website.
• Babies vary greatly in the amount of sucking they seem to need. There is no need to worry if your baby is contented with a fairly short feed. Some babies however love to continue sucking long after the flow of milk has dwindled to a trickle. This is fine too. Your baby will let you know how long his feeds need to be.
• A baby who is well attached and positioned is more able to drain the breast well. For more information, see the Attachment to the breast article on this website.

MORE FREQUENT FEEDING MEANS MORE MILK!

• Feed your baby more often than usual.
• Check that baby is well positioned at the breast.
• Allow the baby to decide the length of a feed.

Struggling with a low milk supply can be very upsetting and frustrating. Remember that any amount of breastmilk you provide your baby is valuable. If you have tried these ideas and are still finding low supply to be a problem, speaking with an Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor on the Breastfeeding Helpline , a lactation consultant or your medical adviser may help.

She is the founder of ADOFitness and is an accomplished fitness industry professional, personal trainer, nutrition/prep coach, posing instructor, competitor, endorsed athlete, NPC judge, and cover model. Although her career began in the financial business world, this transitioned to full time personal training after her introduction and newly discovered love for bikini bodybuilding competitions in 2010. After extensive misguided nutrition and training advice, she was left with an unhealthy relationship with food and a damaged endocrine system. Her real passion then developed into helping herself and others reach their fitness goals in a healthy and sustainable way. Knowing she wanted to have children, she decided to stop competing and seek out an endocrinologist and hormone specialist. She began healing and restoring her body to a healthy state through proper nutrition and exercise. While she and her husband still had unexplained infertility challenges, they were blessed to conceive their son via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Her miracle baby was born in December of 2016, which she proudly says is her greatest accomplishment to date! Her goal now with ADOfitness is to help others optimize their health with sustainable and realistic nutrition and exercise programs that focus on internal AND external health.

We wanted to check in with Amber and see what her pregnancy and Breastfeeding journey was like to help other Mums....

1.How did your exercise regime change in your pregnancy?

Due to some complications up front, I was on medical bedrest for about the first 14 weeks of my pregnancy. After that time, once I was cleared to workout, I didn't perform HIIT or direct core work any longer. I also lifted a little lighter than usual. Other than that it didn't change a whole lot. 

2.If there was a change, why? Energy, not sure about what to do etc

The only thing that held me back was fear of miscarriage due to complications with a subchorionic hemorrhage. Once that cleared up, nothing held me back other than understanding that direct core work and HIIT should be avoided part the second trimester.

3.What exercises did you do in your pregnancy?

Strength training, yoga, walking, and some jogging.

4.Number one top training tip for mums to be?

Listen to your body! Understand when you need to slow down, maybe eat a little more, or not push as hard!

5.Did you breastfeed? 

Yes, 30 months!

6.If so, do you think your active pursuits effected your supply?

No, I think a lot of factors affect supply but keeping water intake high, eating enough of the right foods, and properly bonding with your baby to establish your supply is key.

7.How did you balance feeding and exercise?? - tips

I would pump if need be and that way my son could be fed by our nanny or my husband if I was working out. I took it slow at first and made sure I didn't see a dip in my supply with my expenditure increasing. I noticed the biggest dip when my stress was high and when my water intake wasn't high enough. If I focused on those two things I didn't have any issues!

Wow what an incredible lady with so much knowledge in the fitness industry to share with Mums at all levels whether you want to get back into activity or you want to compete on stage.

If you want to check out more of Amber’s amazing journey head to https://www.amberdawnorton.com 

Push-ups are the best way to work that upper body while you're pregnant. Push ups are a great way to build strength so you are better equipped to hold and lift your little one.

Muscle Groups Trained & Benefits:

The push-up strengthens the muscles of the upper body including:

• core
• deltoids (shoulders)
• upper back
• chest
• triceps (back of arms)
• biceps

BENEFITS-

• Upper body strength may be utilized during labor and delivery for support and stability in some squatting positions.
• Upper body strength will most certainly be utilized postpartum as you care for baby!
• Upper body strength helps to maintain alignment and core stability.
• In combination with core activation and diaphragmatic breathing, TVA (transverse abdominis) and core are strengthened.

Some ask is it safe to do push ups during pregnancy or early postpartum?

Anytime your abdominal wall is “loaded” i.e. putting extra pressure on the tissues by doing pushups or planks, you can worsen your diastasis recti. We still do pushups, but in a functional way so as not to load the abs. Below is a general guide as to each trimester and then postpartum we suggest working backwards once you have the all clear.

First Trimester Push-Ups

• Start in a modified push-up position with hands and knees on the ground.
• Be sure your hands are directly under the shoulders as you lower down towards the ground.
• Push back and return to starting position and repeat.

Second Trimester Push-Ups

• Start in push-up plank position.
• Reach the right hand sideways during the push-up.
• Alternate sides bringing one hand to the center between reps

Third Trimester Push-Ups

• Stand facing a wall and extend your arms onto the wall just wider than shoulder width apart.
• Bend your elbows until your nose almost touches the wall.
• Reverse the movement and push your body back to the starting position. Continue for 15 reps.

*exercise in pregnancy should be checked with a qualified physician