A strong pelvic floor can lengthen and relax, as well as contract. Like any set of muscles, weak or tight pelvic floors aren’t going to function optimally. In fact, it will probably lead to health issues that may impact your daily life. 

Is My Pelvic Floor Weak or Tight?

Pelvic floor dysfunction refers to when the pelvic floor muscles don’t function properly. There are differences between a weak pelvic floor and a tight pelvic floor.

 A tight, hypertonic or overactive pelvic floor refers to when the pelvic floor muscles become too tight and are unable to relax. Underactive pelvic floor muscles are weak or too overly-lengthened to function properly.

I recommend seeing a pelvic health professional for a diagnosis. In the mean time, you can do some self-assessment by looking for the following signs and symptoms.

Tight pelvic floor symptoms:

• Painful sex
• Urinary incontinence or difficulty starting or stopping the flow of urination
• Chronic lower back, tailbone, or hip pain
• Pelvic pain
• Chronic constipation

Weak pelvic floor symptoms:

• Bladder or bowel leakage
• A feeling of heaviness in your pelvis
• Pelvic prolapse
• Low back, pelvic, or tailbone pain

How to Relax Tight Pelvic Floor Muscles

Research shows one in 10 people with pelvic floor dysfunction have hypertonic (tight) pelvic floor muscles. So if you fall into this category, you’re not alone. You can perform relaxation techniques to help release a tight pelvic floor.

Start by adjusting the way you breathe. Yoga and mobility exercises will help relax the pelvic floor and surrounding muscles.

Check out this blog post for more pelvic floor relaxation exercises. 

How to Tighten Pelvic Floor Muscles Quickly

Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix to strengthen a weak pelvic floor. 

You can do 9,293 Kegels a day… but that’s not the whole answer. A Kegel squeezes the muscle one way. To build true strength, you need to learn to take the pelvic floor through its full range of motion, lengthening and releasing it.

Picture this: your diaphragm and pelvic floor are like a piston. They work together. As you inhale, the diaphragm pushes air down into the body. When you exhale, the pelvic floor relaxes and releases.

Deep abdominal breathing promotes optimal muscle function and can help decrease pain.

1. Practice Full Belly Breathing Daily:

o   Sit comfortably in a chair or lay on the floor with your knees bent and feet up on a chair. Place a hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.

o   Inhale down into your body, expanding your rib cage like an umbrella. Overflow air will flow gently into your tummy. You should feel abdominal muscles move, while the hand on your chest remains still.

o   As you exhale, your pelvic floor will naturally recoil and release.

2. Strengthen Your Core With These Exercises:

Work on strengthening your deep core and glutes with functional exercises that target those muscle groups: 

• Bodyweight Squats

• • Inhale as you squat down, thighs parallel to the ground.
  • Exhale, lift pelvic floor as you stand, and squeeze glutes at the top.
• Bridges

• • Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Inhale through your nose down into your body while your back is on the ground.
  • Exhale out your mouth as you rise, lifting your butt off the ground and squeezing your glutes at the top. (Don’t overextend at the top or arch your back!)
  • As you relax down, inhale and reset.
• Bird Dogs

• • Get on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders, hips and knees aligned.
  • Inhale down into the body as you gently let your tummy relax. Lift your left leg and right arm away from your body center.
  • Exhale out your mouth as you extend the opposite arm and opposite leg. Be sure to keep a neutral spine. Alternate arms and legs.

Final Thoughts

Get Mom Strong was created with a focus on total body workouts to heal your core and pelvic floor. SLAM programs are not just for moms (and not just for women). They help all people with pelvic floors at all stages.

Check out our foundational program, Core Basics, on the SLAM app to learn proper breathing and how to manage your pelvic floor.

The app offers a continuum of strength and fitness programs, challenges and tips designed for every stage.

The post How to Know if Your Pelvic Floor is Tight or Weak appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Try not to be alarmed. Even though it’s a literal pain in the butt  – pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is likely not a serious issue. 

Let’s talk about it, and ways to relieve discomfort.

What is Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)?

Sometimes PGP is called symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). It refers to pain or discomfort in the pelvis, pelvic bones, lower back, and hips during pregnancy. 

It may even extend to your upper thighs and perineum. PGP is common – estimates say 20-25 percent of people experience moderate or greater pelvic pain during pregnancy.

What Causes Pelvic Girdle Pain?

Typically, pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy is caused by changes going on in your body. Hormonal shifts, joint stiffness, and the growth and weight of the baby and uterus can all contribute to PGP.  

You may feel pelvic pain at the beginning of pregnancy or at any point throughout the second and third trimesters. Fortunately, it is not harmful for the baby, and over the long term, PGP typically heals on its own.

Tips to Help you Cope with Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy:

How Do I Ease Pelvic Girdle Pain?

There are some things you can do to help ease pelvic and lower back pain in daily life:

1. “Move like a Mermaid”
Keep your knees and thighs together as you get in and out of bed, the car, etc.

2. Sit When Getting Dressed

To avoid standing on one leg, try to sit as much as possible when getting dressed. Engage your deep core muscles as you transition from one position to another.

3. Use a Pregnancy Belt

A pregnancy support belt can also help stabilize the pelvis. The Serola Scroiliac Belt was designed to fit snugly around the hips to provide external ligament support, mimicking your body’s biomechanics.

4. Wear Supportive Shoes

We put together a list of supportive shoes to wear when healing your pelvic floor.

5. Sleep on your Side, with a Pillow Between your Knees

A pregnancy pillow can help support good sleeping posture.

6. Incorporate Low-Impact Exercises

Focus on low-impact exercises – yoga, recumbent biking, and swimming can take some of the pressure off your pelvic region. Additionally, the SLAM Pregnancy program was designed specifically to support growing and changing bodies. Check out this post for more stretches to help relieve back pain during pregnancy.

7. Incorporate Pelvic Floor Release Exercises Into Your Routine

PGP and a tight, or hypertonic pelvic floor, often go hand-in-hand. Movements such as holding a deep squat, cat-cow, and reclined figure four stretches can provide needed relief. Check out this post and this video to learn how to do these stretches for pelvic girdle pain.

8. Proper Core Breathing

Focus on proper core breathing and building a supportive abdominal system with core exercises.

Can I Exercise with Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy?

Yes! When it comes to exercise, the most important thing is to remain active, but also rest as needed.

What Should I Avoid?

In general, avoid anything that is high impact and/or increases the pain you’re experiencing.

• High-Impact Exercises
  Avoid high-impact exercises like running or tennis. If your pain worsens with activity, stop, and rest.

• Sitting or Standing for Too Long
  Try not to sit or stand for long periods. Movement keeps the joints limber.

• Stairs
  Minimize going up and down stairs. If you need to go up them, try walking up the stair sideways and take small steps.

• Heavy Objects
  Try to avoid lifting heavy objects if you notice that it aggravates the pain. 

When Should I be Concerned About Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy?

If the pain or discomfort is unbearable or impacting daily life, talk to your OB or midwife. Additional treatment or physical therapy may be needed.

When it’s time for delivery, most women experiencing pelvic girdle pain can deliver vaginally. Talk with your provider in advance so they can better help you during labor and delivery.

Check out Get Mom Strong’s SLAM Stretch and SLAM Pregnancy programs for great pelvic floor relaxation and release work.

The post How to Relieve Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

When I used to shop for workout shoes, I never even thought about the impact my shoes had on my pelvic floor. Instead, I focused on the fun aspects of shoe shopping!

You were probably just as surprised as I was to learn that the shoes you wear play a critical role when training your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscles play a crucial role in overall health and well-being. For mamas like us, strengthening these muscles helps with bladder control and preventing pelvic organ prolapse. 

In this article, we’ll dive into the best shoes to wear when strength training as well as why it’s important to wear minimalist shoes when training your pelvic floor.

What Kind of Shoes Should I Wear When Strength Training? 

When choosing workout shoes, ditch the fluffy sneakers with tons of cushion. 

Instead, make sure your shoes are bendable, have a wide toe box, and minimal (to no) heel drop. This is especially applicable when lifting weights. 

Why it’s Important to Wear Minimalist Shoes When Training Your Pelvic Floor 

1. Relaxed Pelvic Floor Muscles

Flat, minimalist shoes encourage a barefoot-like walking pattern, reducing strain on the pelvic floor and allowing the pelvic muscles to stay naturally relaxed.

2. Improved Kinesthetic Sense

Traditional shoes with thick soles and arch support can reduce your body’s awareness of its movement in your feet (known as your body’s kinesthetic sense). 

3. Greater Sensory Feedback From Ground

Minimalist shoes with thinner soles and wider toe boxes offer stronger sensory feedback from the ground, encouraging your feet and core muscles to actively engage. This heightened awareness can lead to better control and activation of your pelvic floor muscles during exercise and daily activities.

4. Promotes Natural Foot Strength

Our feet are designed to be strong and flexible, acting as the foundation for our entire body. Traditional shoes with extra cushion and support can weaken the muscles in our feet, which leads us to rely on external support.  Minimalist shoes allow your feet to move naturally, encouraging these muscles to work harder. This ultimately contributes to a stronger core and pelvic floor.

5. Enhances Gait Efficiency

The way we walk can impact our pelvic floor health. Studies have found that minimalist shoes may promote a more natural gait, reducing stress on the knees and hips. This improved gait can also lead to better engagement of the core muscles, including the pelvic floor, for better stability and support.

6. Bonus: Minimalist Shoes Improve Running Speed and Longevity

If you’re a runner, this study also found that minimalist shoes are the best type of shoe to wear to maximize speed and longevity. 

Final Takeaways

Minimalist shoes can be a valuable tool, but they shouldn’t replace dedicated pelvic floor exercises. Pelvic floor training is still key. 

Join me at Get Mom Strong to get in the best shape of your life, maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle (without gross dieting), and strengthen your pelvic floor.

The post Why Wear Minimalist Shoes When Training Your Pelvic Floor appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Because of the glute/pelvic floor connection, you may have noticed your backside became flatter than usual during pregnancy, giving a “pancake butt” appearance – also known as “mom butt.”

Doing glute exercises like these can help!

And if you really want to make that booty strong, join my Glutes Maximized Challenge for only 15 minutes per day! Available in the SLAM app. The challenge is 15 days and can be done any time to help bring strength, lift, and shape to your glutes. Let’s get poppin’!

Why are Strong Glutes Necessary for your Pelvic Floor?

Strong glutes act as bodyguards for your pelvic floor. They are the stabilizers that prevent your pelvis from tilting forward, reducing stress on the delicate pelvic floor muscles below.

When your glutes are strong and your pelvis is better aligned, you will have improved bladder control, less back pain, and better posture. Strong glutes also help improve mobility and prevent injuries.

What Causes “Mom Butt”?

As your belly grows during pregnancy, moms with a weaker core often compensate by tightly gripping and tucking their glute muscles. After giving birth, tucking the butt is even more common as the core muscles are compromised. Squeezing your glutes will make them become weak, leading to that “pancake butt” appearance.

Top 5 Exercises for Strong Glutes (that also benefit the pelvic floor)

1. Glute Bridge (Beginner)

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Heels should be close enough that you can graze them with your fingertips when your arms are by your sides.
• Engage your core by pressing your lower back into the ground. Imagine pressing your belly button towards your spine.
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement, and avoid arching your back.
• Hold the bridge at the top for a second, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.

Aim for 10-12 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

You can gradually increase the difficulty by adding weights or a resistance band once you can perform the exercise comfortably.

2. Hip Extension (Beginner)

• Position yourself on all fours on a yoga mat.
• Drop down to your forearms to take pressure off your wrists. This also puts your spine in a better position.
• Keep your hips square and your gaze down, looking just over the top of  your fingers.
• Inhale while your knee is down, then exhale as you lift your foot straight towards the ceiling, lifting your pelvic floor and scooping your stomach in.
• Stop the motion while your foot is in the air to feel a nice squeeze in your glute muscle.
• Don’t get too high up as you don’t want to arch your lower back.
• Repeat on the other side.

3. Hip Thrust (Beginner/Intermediate)

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Position your upper back against a sturdy bench or platform, so the edge sits just below your shoulder blades.

If using a barbell, place it across your hips with the weight plates balanced. Hold the bar lightly with your hands to keep it secure, but avoid using your arms to lift the weight.

For dumbbells, position one in each hand resting on your thighs just below the crease of your hips.

• Brace your core by engaging your abdominal muscles and pressing your lower back into the bench.
• Take a deep breath and exhale as you squeeze your glutes and drive your heels into the floor.
• Lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keep your chin tucked and avoid arching your back.
• Hold the squeeze at the top for a second, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Aim for 10-12 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

4. Romanian Deadlift (Beginner/Intermediate)

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.

• Hinge at your hips and grasp the weight(s) with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms straight and shoulders back and down.
• Maintain a natural arch in your lower back and engage your core by bracing your abdominal muscles.
• Take a deep breath and exhale as you slowly push your hips back, lowering the weight(s) down your shins. Keep your core engaged and back straight throughout the movement.
• Focus on hinging at your hips, not bending at your knees excessively. Your knees should have a slight bend, but avoid squatting down.
• Lower the weight(s) until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, typically reaching somewhere between your knees and mid-shin. Aim for a controlled descent, not a freefall.
• Once you reach your desired depth, reverse the movement by driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes to bring the weight(s) back up to the starting position.
• Inhale as you return to the starting position.

Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. Avoid rounding your back or sticking your chest out excessively.

Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form throughout all repetitions. Start with lighter weights and gradually increase as you get stronger. Keep the weight close to your body throughout the entire movement. Focus on using your hamstrings and glutes to lift the weight, not your lower back.

5. Split Squat (Intermediate/Advanced )

Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.

• Take a large step forward with one leg, planting your foot firmly on the ground. Your front shin should be roughly vertical, and your front knee shouldn’t extend past your toes.
• Extend your other leg back, resting the ball of your foot on the floor or a slightly elevated surface (like a bench) for added challenge. Keep your back heel lifted.
• Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine and maintain a tall posture with your shoulders back and down.
• Take a deep breath and exhale as you slowly lower your body down by bending both knees. Your front knee should track over your ankle, and your back knee should bend towards the ground but not touch it.
• Aim to lower yourself until both knees form roughly 90-degree angles.
• Push through your front heel and squeeze your glutes to drive yourself back up to the starting position.
• Inhale as you return to the top.

How often should you do glute exercises throughout the week? How many glute exercises should I do per workout?

Training your glutes 2-3x a week is a great goal. I recommend doing 1-2 glute exercises per workout.

Glute Results with SLAM: Before & After

The SLAM program includes exercises that work your glutes so you can have a strong foundation and support your core and pelvic floor. Around here, the results are affectionately known as the “SLAM booty.”

Check out some SLAM moms’ glutes transformations in these before & after photos:

The post Top 5 Exercises for Strong Glutes appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Why Do I Have Postpartum Hip Pain?

Have you been dealing with hip pain since giving birth? If so, you’re not alone. Women can experience chronic hip pain for a few different – but common – reasons:

• Pregnancy can cause muscle imbalances. If a muscle or group of muscles is stronger on one side, it creates an imbalance. This can mean potential pain.
• Weak hip flexors may be to blame. During pregnancy, your hip muscles sort of “check out”. You tuck your butt to compensate, which tightens hip joints. (Cue muscle imbalances.)
• Radiating pain from the pelvic area is called pelvic girdle pain (PGP). Also called symphysis pubis dysfunction, the pelvic girdle is a ring of bones found at the base of the spine. Inflammation and pain in the pelvis/pelvic bones can affect other areas, including the hips, lower back, or thighs.
• Hormones (it always goes back to hormones!) might be at the root of your hip pain. During pregnancy, your body produces relaxin, a hormone that helps relax and loosen ligaments around the pelvis in preparation for birth. This hormone sticks around postpartum, especially if you are breastfeeding. It’s important to keep muscles in the hip area strong to help combat elasticity and potential injury.
• Sleep positions – try fixing your sleep posture. Ok, but how can you control how you sleep…when you’re asleep? More on this below.

How to Relieve Hip Pain Postpartum

Now that you know what’s causing your hips to hurt, let’s focus on getting rid of the pain. Initially, you might think of stretching to ease pain. While this might help, it won’t stop pain from coming back.

The real fix occurs when you take steps to strengthen your hips. Here are a few quick pointers on stretching versus strengthening:

Strengthen Your Hips and Surrounding Muscles

Work on rebuilding the muscles in your glutes, core, pelvic floor, and inner thighs. These muscle groups “turned off” during pregnancy to make room for the growing baby. Rebuilding them postpartum means less pain (in the hips or elsewhere).

Start with foundational healing work. Learn how reconnecting with your breath can help your core and pelvic floor. It is also important to understand how to properly engage your core.

Add in exercises that support hip strength, focusing on the following muscle groups:

• Glutes: See how to fix your butt after pregnancy.
• Core: Focus on proper core engagement, completing exercises like heel slides, side planks, dead bugs, and bridges to improve core stability. 
• Pelvic floor: In addition to breathing, learn to strengthen and relax your pelvic floor muscles (no, this doesn’t mean Kegels!)
• Inner thigh: Strengthening your inner thighs, in tandem with your glutes, keep you balanced and support instability.

Manage Pelvic Girdle Pain

While pelvic girdle pain or SPD, differs from hip pain, it can still make day-to-day life hard. The goal is to restore hip stability and combat elasticity caused by the stretching and hormonal shifts of pregnancy.

If you have pain in the pelvic region, think “like a mermaid.” Keep your knees and thighs together as you get in and out of bed, the car, etc.

Focus on regular, low-impact exercises. Avoid high-impact exercises like running or tennis. If pain worsens with activity, stop, and rest. Over the long term, SPD typically heals on its own.

There’s no shame in wearing a support as you heal and regain strength and muscle balance. Pelvic support belts (NOT waist trainers!) have been shown to help as your body heals.

Sleep with Good Posture

Adjusting your pillows to better support your joints will lead to a good night’s rest. It will also minimize pain you feel during the day.

• If you sleep on your side, add a knee pillow to better align your hips and spine.
• Stomach sleepers avoid using a pillow under your head. Instead, put it under your hips to prop them up.
• Back sleepers should place a pillow or bolster under their knees to ease pressure on the hips and low back.

As always, please see a doctor or a pelvic floor physical therapist if you’re in constant or severe pain. A physical therapy plan tailored to your needs may be necessary.

Take the Next Step

If you’re ready to heal your core and pelvic floor, and ease issues like postpartum hip pain, check out the Strong Like A Mother program. All of this, and so much more, is covered in SLAM’s total body workouts.

The post Managing Postpartum Hip Pain appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

If you feel radiating pain, tingling, or numbness starting in your lower back or deep glutes that travels down the leg, you might have sciatic nerve pain.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the body. It begins in your lower back and splits into two, down the back of each leg. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or pinched. It is a common condition. The Cleveland Clinic reports that about 40% of people in the U.S. experience some form of sciatica during their lifetime.

What is Postpartum Sciatica, and Will it Go Away?

When you’re pregnant, hormones cause a loosening of ligaments and connective tissue. This makes your body more flexible and prone to problems like pinched nerves. And since the body makes adjustments during pregnancy and the postpartum period, you’re more likely to experience sciatica.

Fortunately, most mild cases of postpartum sciatica usually improve on their own within the first few months after delivery. Self-treatment options include stretching and strengthening the muscles around the painful area.

However, if left untreated, sciatica can lead to serious problems in the long-term, including permanent nerve damage or muscle weakness.

As always, please seek treatment from a physical therapist or other medical professional if your pain or other symptoms are severe.

How to Relieve Sciatica and Pelvic Pain after Birth

Following are tips to improve and help prevent a *literal* pain in the butt.

Stretching

Complete each of these stretches for 30 – 60 seconds on each side. Push yourself, but don’t HURT yourself. This should provide pain relief, and not be painful.

• Pelvic area: Complete pelvic tilts and circles while sitting on a chair or exercise ball. This helps you relax and connect with the pelvic floor and helps with posture.

• Hamstrings: Lay on your back, with your butt against a wall. Stretch your legs up the wall to feel a gentle stretch along the back of your thighs. You can gently pull one leg at a time toward your head for a deeper stretch.

• Piriformis (deep side butt muscle): Sit on a chair or lie on your back and bring your ankle to the opposite knee to forma figure four. Bend forward if you’re sitting or pull the knee and ankle in toward your shoulder to feel a stretch in your side glutes.

• Calf Stretches: Stand with toes facing forward, one leg forward, one back. Lean into the wall to feel a stretch along your lower leg. Switch sides.
• Lower Back: Lay on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Exhale and relax, rocking side to side to release your lower back.
• Nerve Glides/Nerve Flossing: Lie on your back and wrap a strap around the bottom of one foot. Stretch your leg up so it’s perpendicular to the floor and slowly point and flex your ankle several times. You should feel a gentle pull along the back of your entire leg.

Preventing Sciatica with Movement and Strength

Stretching will help with sciatica symptoms, but you can also work on strengthening and connecting with your core, pelvic floor, and lower body to prevent sciatica pain in the future.

• Improve Your Posture: Find a good, neutral spine while sitting, standing, lifting heavy objects, and sleeping. This allows you to properly recruit your core muscles and prevents misalignment, muscle fatigue, and puts less stress on the lower back. Check yourself:
• Make sure your shoulders are over your hips when sitting. Your hips should be over your ankles when standing.
• If you’re standing, tripod it! Think about staggering your stance to form a stable “tripod” shape. You can also use a step or low stool under one foot to help stagger your weight.

• Strengthen Your Core: Rebuilding abdominal muscles after having a baby is important for so many reasons. Take time to learn to properly breathe and engage your core using the FREE Core Guide. 
• Stay Active: From stretching to strength training, movement will help with sciatic pain. As the saying goes, “motion is lotion.”

Check out SLAM Stretch for more tips and information on moving your body during early postpartum days, reducing pain, increasing mobility, and helping support muscle strength.

The post Finding Relief From Postpartum Sciatica appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Many of us start sucking in long before having kids. It often starts in adolescence as we become aware of society’s expectation for women to be thin. We feel self-conscious about our bodies, so we begin sucking it all in. But, sucking in your stomach is not helpful.

Why Is Sucking in Your Stomach Bad?

You might think sucking or holding your stomach muscles in makes it look flatter. When you grip your abs frequently, you can end up creating a tummy pooch and pelvic floor issues.

The core is a pressure system. Imagine a balloon; if you squeeze or put a kink in the middle of it, air will be forced up or down.

Your core works in a similar way. Sucking it in creates a kink, pushing pressure downward, which can cause pelvic floor dysfunction. Or, it pushes pressure upward causing acid reflux, indigestion, neck and back pain. Your breathing gets out of whack because you can’t breathe well if suck in your stomach.

Side Effects of Holding in Your Stomach

If you’re sucking in, you’re most likely “breathing backward.” This means you’re filling your chest up with air rather than breathing down into your body. Over time, this can lead to neck and shoulder pain, headaches and even an increase in anxiety.

Look at how your kid breathes, especially if they’re young. You’ll see their little tummies gently rise and fall with each breath, which is how we were designed to breathe.

Stop Stomach Gripping

If you grip your stomach a lot, your upper abdominal muscles become tighter and your lower abdominal muscles become weaker. Physical therapists call this “Hourglass Syndrome.” It puts extra pressure on your pelvic floor. This increases the likelihood of pelvic organ prolapse.

Gripping for an extended period of time can cause incontinence, urine leakage and pelvic floor tightness. You may inadvertently be creating a lower belly pooch.

Sucking in can also cause or lead to:

• Pain during intercourse
• Constipation/lowered motility because you cannot take a proper deep breath. Proper breathing massages your insides and keeps things moving.
• Muscular imbalance: people frequently grip their upper abs in an attempt to improve core stability, but they’re not engaging their core correctly. This leads to imbalances.

Let’s Fix It: Stop Sucking In Your Tummy

Catch yourself. Sucking in can become a subconscious habit, especially if you’ve been doing it for years. Check in with yourself and if you’re doing it, stop!

Relax and breathe. Breathe in through your nose, fill up your rib cage, and let the overflow go down into your belly. Remember: we have uteruses, our bodies aren’t designed to have flat abs!

Now you know you shouldn’t suck in, but how is sucking in your tummy different from engaging your core?

They’re two very different things. Stomach gripping can lead to a variety of health issues. Activating your transverse abdominals engages your core. A strong core supports your spine, pelvis, and pelvic floor muscles and helps protect you from injury.

Practice Activating Your Core 

Are you ready to ditch the habit of sucking in your stomach? Remember that breathing is your hidden superpower. Take time to learn to properly breathe and engage your core using the FREE Core Guide. It will make a big difference in both your appearance and how you feel.

The post Is Sucking In Your Stomach Bad? appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

The truth is, every woman and her postpartum recovery is different. Some women can begin running after 12 weeks, but for others, it may be many months postpartum.

Risks of Running Too Soon After Birth

It is important to wait at least 12 weeks after giving birth to begin running. While you might be eager to lose the baby weight, running too soon can set you back long-term.

• Your body went through very real physical trauma during pregnancy and birth. (Even if you had a C-section!)
• Your ligaments are looser due to pregnancy and postpartum hormonal changes.
• Your core needs to be rebuilt after all the stretching and shifting it did as you GREW A BABY.
• The weight of the baby shifted how you carried your weight. This often results in weaker glutes, especially in the gluteus medius (side butt).
• More than 2 out of 3 postpartum women deal with pelvic floor dysfunction. Symptoms include: abdominal separation, musculoskeletal pain, leaking and incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Running too soon can result in longer term pelvic floor problems. Running before your body is ready may increase your likelihood of pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence.

Wait 12 weeks, at least, to let your body heal. Listen to your body. Work on breathing and slowly incorporate walking and gentle, low impact exercises. It’s best to focus on exercises that support core and glute healing and strengthening.

How to Get Back to Running Postpartum

A group of pelvic health therapists developed a set of guidelines to help women return to running safely. The goal of this report is to educate doctors and runners about returning to the sport. Each person should adapt it to their individual needs.

Running is a very high-impact activity. Your legs need to absorb impact AND stabilize your body as you transfer weight from one foot to the other. Also, your pelvic floor has to be able to absorb the impact with each stride.

7 Exercises to Help You Return to Running Postpartum

To check if you’re ready to run postpartum, you should be able to do the following without pain, pressure, or leaking:

1. Walking

Walk for 30 minutes without any pain or heaviness in your vagina. Pay special attention to your core and pelvic floor, but also make sure there’s no pain in your glutes, legs, and so on.

2. Single Leg Balance

Hold a single leg balance for at least 10 seconds (both sides).

3. Single Leg Squat

Go from sitting in a chair to standing using a single leg 10 times (both sides).

4. Jog In Place

Jog in place without any leaking or heaviness for one minute.

5. Forward Bounds

Leap forward, landing on one foot, alternating legs, 10 times.

6. Hop In Place

Hop in place for 10 repetitions on each leg.

7. Single-Leg “Running Man”

Stand on one foot, reach out your opposite arm and leg (knee bent), 10 times on each side.

Once you feel confident with these exercises, start by trying a walk/run combination. This is a great way to recondition your body and help ease you into that first run after giving birth.

How Running Form Affects Your Pelvic Floor Postpartum

Most of us aren’t going to be able to jump right back to running as we did pre-baby. Thanks to all the changes resulting from growing and birthing a baby, it’s imperative to also look at your form. Taking some time to “get back to the basics” is going to help you out long-term.

Common Postpartum Running Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes when it comes to running form (and how to fix them):

·     Don’t: Run with a flat-footed heel strike. This forces the pelvic floor to absorb a very hard shock. It can weaken the pelvic floor muscles.

·     Do: Land on the ball of your foot. Aim for a gliding, soft landing motion.

·     Don’t: Run upright without using your glutes. Your chest puffs out, and ribs flare. This can also lead to leaking/incontinence, overusing your thighs and underusing your hamstrings.

·     Do: Check your posture, especially if you leak while running. Lean forward slightly to drive with your glutes and activate your pelvic floor.

·     Don’t: ONLY run. Running is done on the sagittal plane, AKA a forward and backward motion. Without incorporating different forms of exercise, you’ll likely end up with imbalances, poor thoracic rotation or other injuries. Poor thoracic mobility can affect the shoulder, neck, low back, and hip.

·     Do: Add in strength training. Specifically, work on lateral, or side to side, movements. My SLAM program incorporates tons of movements using all planes of motion.

One of the best ways to improve running posture postpartum is to run uphill. Practice running up a hill and then walking back down. This will help activate the front of your pelvic floor and cue glute activation.

Can You Run with Diastasis Recti?

The good news is there is no evidence that you can’t, or that it’s bad to run with diastasis recti. Experts agree that running before 12 weeks postpartum may exacerbate symptoms, since your body is still healing. But once you’ve reached 12 weeks, you can begin running if your diastasis is functional.

A functional diastasis recti means there’s still a gap, but you can manage pressure and move without doming or sinking in your midline.

Can You Run with Prolapse?

It depends on the severity of your prolapse after childbirth. If your doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist diagnosed you with a grade 3 or 4 prolapse, you’ll want to avoid running or jumping for now.

If you have a milder case, it is okay to run with a few considerations.

You’ll want to ensure that your running form is good. Think about leaning forward slightly and driving with your glutes.

Be sure you’ve done the prep work mentioned above. You need to be sure you have strong hips and calves, and good balance.

Lastly, use a pessary if needed. A pessary can add internal support, helping reduce prolapse symptoms when running.

Can You Run with Incontinence?

If you are dealing with incontinence while running, it can be because your pelvic floor is weak or too tight. Either way, it is a sign your body isn’t managing core pressure while running well. Improved posture, glute strength and pelvic floor release work can improve incontinence while running.

Need Help Returning to Running Postpartum?

The Strong Like A Mother (SLAM) program helps you build total body strength, while healing your core and pelvic floor. You don’t have to settle for postpartum side-effects. Let’s get you back to running and more!

The post Postpartum Running: How to Get Back on the Road appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Gentle yoga for the pelvic floor can support the bladder and other pelvic organs, which helps prevent incontinence, build strength and stability, and aid in postpartum healing and recovery.

The good news is that you can practice these yoga exercises in the comfort of your home, with little to no equipment. So, take a deep breath, prioritize your self-care, and let’s explore the benefits of yoga for pelvic floor and how you can get started.

Both Strengthening and Relaxing Your Pelvic Floor Are Important

Approximately one out of every three women experiences pelvic floor dysfunction. This number is likely underreported, as some women may find it embarrassing to report these issues to their primary care physician.

A strong pelvic floor can both lengthen and relax, and contract.  The focus is often solely on strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles, but learning to relax these muscles can help with a host of issues including:

• Painful sex
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Back pain
• Hip pain
• Constipation

The Kegel Myth

It is common advice for pregnant and postpartum women to do kegels, but that’s not the whole story. Kegels aren’t the most effective way to improve pelvic floor health. And, if your pelvic floor is already too tight, kegels can actually worsen pelvic floor dysfunction like incontinence and pelvic pain.

A healthy pelvic floor can both strengthen and relax. Yoga can be a great tool for in improving pelvic floor function.

Pelvic Floor Yoga Exercises

Pregnant and postpartum women who practice these yoga poses can often improve their pelvic floor function. These poses both relax and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles when done properly.

Listen to your body, especially if you feel that you’re straining yourself or adding too much tension to your pelvic floor.

Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

Lay down with your back flat on the floor. Gently bring your knees up to your chest, and grab the out edges of your feet. Feet should be flexed, toes pointed toward face. You can also wrap you fingers around your big toes to further open up your hips.

Inhale down into your rib cage allowing breath to overflow into your tummy.

This pose focuses on relaxation, while also stretching your hips, inner thighs, and groin, and activates the core muscles.

Seated Bound Angle (Butterfly)

Take a seat on the floor. Bring the soles of your feet together in front of your body while holding your feet with your hands.

This is a great seated-hip opener, allowing the body to relax and be open. The Butterfly pose gently stretches your inner thighs, hips, and groin.

Child’s Pose

This is a favorite amongst yoga practitioners. First step is to kneel on the floor. Then sink your torso down and towards your thighs. You can place your arms straight out in front of your body or have your hands resting at your sides.

This restorative and calming yoga pose stretches your back and hips.

Cat Cow

Get down on all fours with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees directly underneath the hips (table top position). Inhale and lift your chest and gently look up. Make sure that your tailbone points towards the ceiling so that your back is arched (Cat Pose).

Next, exhale and press palms into the floor, drawing the belly button towards the spine. Lower your head and tailbone to round your upper back (Cow Pose).

Flowing Cat Cow stretches your spine and engages your core muscles, neck and shoulders.

Reclined Figure 4 (Thread Needle or Reclining Pigeon)

Lie on your back and cross one leg over the other in a figure four position. Reach through the opening you’ve just created with your opposite hand and “thread the needle.” Make sure to inhale deep breaths down into body.

This calming pose focuses on your hips, glutes, and lower back.

Open Book Stretch

For additional support, grab a yoga block or pillow to use for this exercise and place it on your side. Lie on your back, inhale, and gently twist your spine so that one leg is parallel with the floor and your other knee is resting on the block or pillow. Exhale, and, as if opening a book, stretch your arms out to your sides with palms facing down.

This pose encourages the spine to twist and open.

Bridge Pose With Yoga Block Squeeze

Lie on your back with your feet hip distance apart. With your butt on the ground inhale down into your body.

Exhale and push your hips upwards, and drive your knees into the block. Be careful not to hyperextend your back. Hold and focus on your breath.

This pose strengthens the spine, glutes, and thighs.

Wide-Legged Squat (Malasana)

To start, stand with your feet wider than hip distance apart. From here, bend your knees to lower the tailbone towards the ground. Keep your back straight, and press through the feet while engaging your inner thighs and pushing them out to the sides. Make sure to concentrate on your breath.

If you have prolapse, place a block under your butt.

This pose helps to stretch your inner thighs, groin and lower back.

Supported Legs Up The Wall

First, lie on the floor with your hips close to a wall. Then, extend your legs up the wall. Feel a stretch but not so much that you’re uncomfortable. Just breathe here – inhale and exhale.

This pose helps to stretch the hamstrings and calves.

Put a pillow under your butt for gravity assistance if you have prolapse.

Yoga Poses That May Not Be Beneficial for Your Pelvic Floor

Many yoga poses are safe for women with diastasis recti and prolapse. Some yoga poses, however, may cause more strain on the connective tissue of the abdomen.

For example, yoga exercises with twisting and back bends, as well as double leg lifts and flexion core exercises should be avoided if you have diastasis recti.

Take the Time for You

Being a mom is work, and the stresses of mom life can cause you to hold your pelvic floor tight.  When you have bladder leaks, your gut reaction is to hold your pelvic floor tighter, but in reality, it wants to be released. Yoga pelvic floor exercises can help you manage issues like this safely. Check out the SLAM Stretch program for a variety of pelvic floor safe yoga flows.

The post Yoga for Pelvic Floor: Relax & Strengthen appeared first on Get Mom Strong.

Learning to relax your pelvic floor is just as important as learning to contract it. Yet many women don’t understand the importance.

A tight pelvic floor can lead to a host of issues. Symptoms include pelvic, hip, or back pain, incontinence, constipation, leaking or trouble emptying your bladder, pain during sex, and even anxiety.

Why Does Pelvic Floor Relaxation Matter?

A tight, or hypertonic pelvic floor means the pelvic floor muscles are overactive, maintaining tension even when they should relax. This can lead to the health issues mentioned above, which can be disruptive to everyday mom life. While data is limited, it suggests that one out of every ten people with a pelvic floor dysfunction have a tight pelvic floor. You are not alone.

Fortunately, you can improve signs and symptoms. So, how do you relax your overactive pelvic floor muscles?

Pelvic Floor Relaxation Exercises

You can start with adjusting the way you breathe – a simple but important change. You should also incorporate functional movement, like yoga and mobility exercises, into your routine to relax the pelvic floor and stretch the muscles surrounding the pelvis and abdomen.

Like any muscle, the pelvic floor functions best when it can both relax and contract.

It can be hard to learn to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles, but it’s worth it.

Here are some of my favorite exercises to help with the condition:

Pelvic Floor Breathing Exercise

How you breathe ties directly to pelvic health. Many people have a habit of breathing into their chests, often because they are trying to suck in their stomachs. This is the opposite of how our bodies are designed.

Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together much like a piston on a train. As you inhale, the dome-shaped diaphragm pushes air down into your body. When you exhale, your pelvic floor relaxes and releases.

Proper diaphragmatic breathing promotes optimal muscle function and can help decrease pain:

1. Sit comfortably in a chair or lay on the floor with your knees bent and feet up on a chair, for example. Place a hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
2. Inhale down into your body, expanding your rib cage like an umbrella. Overflow air will flow gently into your tummy. You should feel abdominal muscles move, while the hand on your chest remains still.
3. As you exhale, your pelvic floor will naturally recoil and release.

Practice full belly breathing daily – check in with yourself. Ideally, you will get into the habit of breathing down into the belly all the time. I can’t stress how important this is.

Diaphragmatic breathing has numerous other benefits. In addition to helping the pelvic floor go through its full range of motion, it also helps you poop! It can relieve constipation by massaging your intestines and moving things along.

Slow, deep breathing promotes muscle relaxation and can help reset your nervous system and improve anxiety.

Practice Visualization

The mind-muscle connection with the pelvic floor is so important. As you inhale down into your body, try one of the following cues to help bring your pelvic floor to its resting state.

Imagine:

• A flower opening
• A trap door opening
• A wave rolling out
• An elevator going down

Child’s Pose

1. Kneel with legs spread wide, then relax your body forward toward the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor or on your hands if it cannot reach.
2. Sit your hips back and let your low back naturally “open.” You can also use your hands to actively open and release your glutes.
3. Take slow, deep breaths. Imagine your tailbone spreading apart as you inhale.

Deep Squat

1. Set up a yoga block(s) or a couple of pillows under you. Take a nice, wide stance and sit down, to relax.
2. Keep your chest as upright as you can. Let your tummy go!
3. Inhale deeply through your nose and feel the breath go down as your pelvic floor “opens” into the pillow. As you exhale, your pelvic floor will naturally recoil.

Happy Baby

This is a great movement to do one side at a time because we all have imbalances. Your pelvic floor can also be tighter on one side.

1. Lay on your back and pull one leg up, knee aiming toward shoulder, and foot flexed parallel to the ceiling.
2. Grab your foot and pull it down to open your hips. Breathe in slowly through your nose and imagine your pelvic floor opening.
3. Repeat on the other side.

Cat Cow

1. Get on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders, hips and knees aligned.
2. Inhale through your nose into your body as you let your tummy relax, looking toward the ceiling.
3. Exhale audibly as you press your palms into the floor, arch back, and tuck your pelvis.
4. Relax and repeat.

Reclined Figure Four

1. Lie on your back and cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Grab a hold of your left hamstring, pulling the leg up toward your body.
2. Keep your right foot flexed to protect your knee, as you begin to – you guessed it – breathe in deeply through your nose.
3. Use your right arm/elbow to help push your right knee out as you gently pull the left leg in for a deeper stretch.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Should I Seek Care?

Be patient – it takes time to improve the symptoms of a hypertonic pelvic floor. But no one should have to suffer from pelvic pain. If the symptoms you’re experiencing are unmanageable, please see a doctor or seek out a pelvic floor physical therapist in your area. Also, check out our SLAM Stretch program for some great pelvic floor relaxation and release work.

The great news is that learning to relax your pelvic floor can help relieve pain with sexual intercourse, improve your bowel movements, relieve hip and back pain, and even remedy incontinence.

The post How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor Muscles appeared first on Get Mom Strong.