Your Deep Core in Post Natal Recovery

Understanding Pelvic Floor, Multifidus, Diaphragm, and Transversus Abdominus Support During Postnatal Recovery

Congratulations, new mom! You have successfully brought your little one to the world and now you're in a stage of adjusting to the new chapter of your life. Among the things that you need to focus on is postnatal recovery, which primarily focuses on physical aspects. One of the most important aspects of postnatal recovery is restoring the pelvic floor, multifidus, diaphragm, and transversus abdominus muscles' support.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the significance of each of these muscles, how they work together, and how to strengthen these muscles as part of your postnatal recovery journey.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor muscles - Pelvic floor muscles are the muscles stretching from the pubic bone to the tailbone. These muscles help support pelvic organs, control bladder and bowel movements, and provide stability for the lower spine. During pregnancy and labor, the pelvic floor muscles experience significant stress, which can cause them to weaken. Weakness in the pelvic floor muscles can lead to incontinence, prolapse, and other complications. To strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, kegel exercises, and other pelvic floor exercises like bridges, leg slides, and clamshells are recommended.

Multifidus - The multifidus is a group of small muscles located along the spine that helps stabilize the vertebrae and maintain balance. During pregnancy, these muscles become overstretched and weak. To strengthen these muscles, gentle spinal extensions and cat-cow poses are recommended. These exercises can help prevent back pain and improve posture.

Diaphragm - The Diaphragm is a muscle that stretches across the bottom of the ribcage and helps with breathing. During pregnancy, the Diaphragm is often pushed up, which can cause shortness of breath. To restore the Diaphragm, deep breathing exercises and gentle stretches are recommended. These exercises can help improve breathing and reduce stress.

Transversus Abdominus - The Transversus Abdominus is a deep abdominal muscle that plays a crucial role in supporting the spine. These muscles often become weak during pregnancy, leading to back pain. To strengthen Transversus abdominus muscles, exercises like pelvic tilts, wall squats, and deadlifts are recommended. These exercises can help strengthen the core and improve posture.

Postnatal recovery exercises - Postnatal recovery exercises are designed specifically to help restore strength to the pelvic floor, multifidus, diaphragm, and transversus abdominus muscles. These exercises are gentle but effective and can easily be done at home. A few simple exercises include pelvic tilts, kegel exercises, abdominal bracing, and diaphragmatic breathing.

Postnatal recovery is an essential part of the journey to motherhood. While there are many aspects to postnatal recovery, restoring strength to the pelvic floor, multifidus, diaphragm, and transversus abdominus muscles is crucial. By understanding the significance of these muscles and incorporating targeted exercises into your daily routine, you can help prevent complications and improve your overall physical health and wellbeing. Remember to consult your healthcare provider to see which exercises are best for your current stage of recovery. Remember that the most important thing is to maintain consistency and dedication to the exercises, to achieve the best results.