How long are you post natal?

If I asked you this question, what would you say? 6 weeks? 6 months? 12 months?

It may surprise you, but once you have had a baby, you are ALWAYS post natal - yes, until the day you die - your body has gone through significant changes and needs to be trained differently. Your GP should be checking your body at your 6 week post birth appointment, but many times the new mum is not checked for abdominal separation, pelvic floor weakness or psychological wellness. If these areas go unchecked and untreated, it can cause further issues for the new mum into the future.

Pelvic Floor dysfunction and abdominal separation is quite common and neither is driven by pain. If females are not educated correctly, they will go back to doing what they were doing pre-pregnancy, which may not be suitable as a post natal female.

So trainers need to be asking specific female and post natal questions before training females, regardless of how many years ago they gave birth.

The pelvic floor is an internal muscle which supports your internal organs - if it is weak, this is the reason why you may feel the need to pee a little when you sneeze or jump. If the pelvic floor muscle is not strengthened adequately after birth, not only can it be an inconvenience when running around, but further weakening can lead to more severe conditions, like a prolapse.

As a Women’s Health & Performance Coach, I ask all females specific questions relating to their pregnancies, births and post natal conditions, regardless of their age or how long ago they had babies. This allows me to seek out specific conditions, refer to specialists if needed, and program each female according to their specific needs.

If you feel like you have pelvic floor issues and need to strengthen them, then watch out for my next blog on pelvic floor exercises you can do at home.