Comments on: Postpartum fitness http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:03:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Christie Lawson http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-4813 Christie Lawson Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:28:35 +0000 #comment-4813 Great article. I just want to say that I worked out my whole way through pregnancy. I did mostly weight training and HIIT, but yes, I brought the weights and the intensity level down quite a bit. Regardless, maintaining an exercise program while pregnant was the greatest thing I could have done. I worked out prior to getting pregnant, which most likely helped me throughout my pregnancy as well. I am 5 months post-partum and I am stronger than ever and my recovery time was super fast. I only gained a minimal amount of fat and lost all my fluid pretty quickly in my first weeks of recovery. I had a c-section but began working out 5 weeks post. I love that you are encouraging women to stay fit and healthy while pregnant. No one should have to sit around or be confined to kegel exercises while pregnant. I was doing weighted back squats with the barbell 38 weeks pregnant! You can do much more if you would like without harm, as long as you are smart about it. Anyways, love your site! Great article. I just want to say that I worked out my whole way through pregnancy. I did mostly weight training and HIIT, but yes, I brought the weights and the intensity level down quite a bit. Regardless, maintaining an exercise program while pregnant was the greatest thing I could have done. I worked out prior to getting pregnant, which most likely helped me throughout my pregnancy as well. I am 5 months post-partum and I am stronger than ever and my recovery time was super fast. I only gained a minimal amount of fat and lost all my fluid pretty quickly in my first weeks of recovery. I had a c-section but began working out 5 weeks post. I love that you are encouraging women to stay fit and healthy while pregnant. No one should have to sit around or be confined to kegel exercises while pregnant. I was doing weighted back squats with the barbell 38 weeks pregnant! You can do much more if you would like without harm, as long as you are smart about it. Anyways, love your site!

]]> By: Christine http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-4798 Christine Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:22:13 +0000 #comment-4798 I am not sure what kind of labor coaching you are doing, but if you are going to support women in labor I definitely second Ida's recommendation to do some research on evidence based birth practices. As mentioned, there is a difference between an episiotomy and tearing naturally, and there are many other interventions that take place in modern obstetrics that can lead to complications in the birth. If you haven't seen it, Ricki Lake's documentary The Business of Being Born gives an overview of the issues facing birthing women today. http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ Christine certified labor doula I am not sure what kind of labor coaching you are doing, but if you are going to support women in labor I definitely second Ida’s recommendation to do some research on evidence based birth practices.

As mentioned, there is a difference between an episiotomy and tearing naturally, and there are many other interventions that take place in modern obstetrics that can lead to complications in the birth.

If you haven’t seen it, Ricki Lake’s documentary The Business of Being Born gives an overview of the issues facing birthing women today. http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

Christine
certified labor doula

]]> By: Mistress Krista http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-3071 Mistress Krista Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:21:43 +0000 #comment-3071 Moonlady: A C-section means a longer recovery time for sure. The advice for rehab would be the same as any major abdominal surgery. Generally this is about 8 weeks before you can return to the basics of exercise activity; probably 3-4 months before you can start any serious strengthening work. Start with work on abdominal bracing and endurance, and increase the resistance slowly. Moonlady: A C-section means a longer recovery time for sure. The advice for rehab would be the same as any major abdominal surgery. Generally this is about 8 weeks before you can return to the basics of exercise activity; probably 3-4 months before you can start any serious strengthening work. Start with work on abdominal bracing and endurance, and increase the resistance slowly.

]]> By: Charlotte http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-2772 Charlotte Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:26:00 +0000 #comment-2772 Thank you Mistress Krista! I have enjoyed reading your advice for years, and this is very timely for me, as my son is 3.5 months old. I have been back to work since the beginning of January, and am in the middle of carving out new workout times, as crack of dawn workouts don't work so well right now. I credit strength training that I only gained 12 lbs during my pregnancy, and I am already down 25 below my pre-pregnancy weight. (only 100 more to go! go me!) Your philosophy of weight training has been awesome, and has allowed me to fight off the sea of bad 'advice' that I get from all directions. Thank you. Thank you Mistress Krista! I have enjoyed reading your advice for years, and this is very timely for me, as my son is 3.5 months old.

I have been back to work since the beginning of January, and am in the middle of carving out new workout times, as crack of dawn workouts don’t work so well right now.

I credit strength training that I only gained 12 lbs during my pregnancy, and I am already down 25 below my pre-pregnancy weight. (only 100 more to go! go me!)

Your philosophy of weight training has been awesome, and has allowed me to fight off the sea of bad ‘advice’ that I get from all directions. Thank you.

]]> By: moonlady http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-2072 moonlady Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:54:50 +0000 #comment-2072 Krista, I gave birth to my son by cesarean a week ago. I'm not even allowed to drive for two weeks, so it will be a little while before I can do any lifts again. Do you have any recommendations on how to recover after a cesarean? Would that incision through my abdominal muscles require a change in the routine you posted here? Thanks! Krista,

I gave birth to my son by cesarean a week ago. I’m not even allowed to drive for two weeks, so it will be a little while before I can do any lifts again. Do you have any recommendations on how to recover after a cesarean? Would that incision through my abdominal muscles require a change in the routine you posted here?

Thanks!

]]> By: beth http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-1788 beth Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:05:59 +0000 #comment-1788 Although episiotomies are rightly going out of style, natural tearing is pretty common. (In fact, one of the reasons for not cutting an episiotomy is that tears heal better than cuts). Even at my midwife's practice, where they avoid episiotomies as much as possible, only 30% of women keep an intact perineum. Thanks for this post! I'm 38 weeks pregnant now, and will be bookmarking this to use later. Although episiotomies are rightly going out of style, natural tearing is pretty common. (In fact, one of the reasons for not cutting an episiotomy is that tears heal better than cuts). Even at my midwife’s practice, where they avoid episiotomies as much as possible, only 30% of women keep an intact perineum.

Thanks for this post! I’m 38 weeks pregnant now, and will be bookmarking this to use later.

]]> By: Mistress Krista http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-1611 Mistress Krista Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:03:15 +0000 #comment-1611 Ida, I've been at two births, and there were stitches involved both times. I wouldn't say it's normal, but as a labour coach with a crotch-eye view I've seen some very exciting loss of perineal integrity. Ida, I’ve been at two births, and there were stitches involved both times. I wouldn’t say it’s normal, but as a labour coach with a crotch-eye view I’ve seen some very exciting loss of perineal integrity.

]]> By: Ida http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-1607 Ida Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:32:20 +0000 #comment-1607 Tsk, episiotomies are an antiquated & interventionist technique with no clear benefits to the mother or baby in the vast majority of cases, and make about as much sense as flouncing about with pink dumbbells and "toning". I'm nipicking, but seeing episiotomy stitches mentioned as a perfectly normal result of giving birth is frightening. I love your evidence-based take on exercise and fitness; perhaps try some of the same with childbirth? Henci Goer put together a pretty impressive collection of research on obstetric myths vs research realities, here's the free online chapter from a book by the same name on episiotomies: http://www.hencigoer.com/obmyth/epis.html Tsk, episiotomies are an antiquated & interventionist technique with no clear benefits to the mother or baby in the vast majority of cases, and make about as much sense as flouncing about with pink dumbbells and “toning”. I’m nipicking, but seeing episiotomy stitches mentioned as a perfectly normal result of giving birth is frightening. I love your evidence-based take on exercise and fitness; perhaps try some of the same with childbirth?

Henci Goer put together a pretty impressive collection of research on obstetric myths vs research realities, here’s the free online chapter from a book by the same name on episiotomies: http://www.hencigoer.com/obmyth/epis.html

]]> By: Dave N http://www.stumptuous.com/postpartum-fitness/comment-page-1#comment-642 Dave N Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:38:14 +0000 #comment-642 I just love your weblog! Very nice post! I just love your weblog! Very nice post!

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