The Rise of the Active Mom Movement

If you're reading this, chances are you're part of the powerful movement of moms committed to exercising through pregnancy and beyond. You should feel empowered and proud to be part of this growing revolution. I recently presented at a global conference for the fitness industry and shared information on trends, challenges, and opportunities. I thought you might be interested to see what’s happening in Mom Fitness too!

A Glimpse at Mom Fitness Today

I’ve been fortunate to witness just how many moms are prioritizing physical activity and fitness during and after pregnancy. At Active Mom Fitness in Philadelphia, PA we use functional strength and core training as a tool so that moms can comfortably adapt to the body’s changes during pregnancy and safely return to physical activity after having a baby. It’s evident with apps like Peloton adding natal options, and the number of elite athlete moms competing during and after pregnancy, that exercise and sport during and after pregnancy is here to stay.

Unfortunately, the fitness industry hasn’t quite caught up with this demand. Maternal exercise researchers are moving us forward, but we’ve gone years without sufficient prenatal or postpartum-specific studies to inform exercise programs, especially when it comes to more vigorous activity and sport. There is a recent study that I hope fitness professionals get their hands on. Researchers show that both the mother and the fetus can tolerate high-intensity exercise (they did 10, 1-minute intervals at 90% or more of their maximum heart rate). Of course, every pregnancy is different, and your individual fitness level, abilities, and pelvic floor muscle tolerance matter. But isn't it motivating to see more evidence backing this up so you can feel safe doing the activities you enjoy?? I hope maternal researchers continue to push this field so that moms have evidence-based exercise programs to follow through motherhood.

A stat that I hope improves is that up to 60% of pregnant mamas aren't getting adequate exercise guidance from their doctors. Although doctors are not trained in exercise prescription, with collaboration between obstetricians and qualified pre/postnatal exercise specialists this gap can be closed. Moms don’t deserve to feel overwhelmed and alone navigating exercise through motherhood, we have enough on our plates! The increased awareness through professional athletes competing and moms like yourself demanding more support will help our cause, but there is still work to be done.

It’s Not Easy

Despite this movement toward more exercise and activity through the stages of motherhood, moms face very real barriers. You may have to deal with mixed messages about exercise. One day it's "put your feet up," and the next it's "slay your bounce-back goals!" You have misguided influencer narratives to contend with and old-school thinking to debate.  

One element that I always educate fitness professionals about in my continuing education courses is the fear factor. If you've ever felt intimidated, anxious, or confused about working out during or after pregnancy, you're not alone. For many a difficult conception journey, traumatic birth experience, or even mom guilt can enhance anxiety and fears around exercise and you may need support to navigate those feelings.

And of course, there are always the obvious challenges like fatigue, aches, nausea, and the whole life-changing experience of new motherhood thing. That is where a community like Active Mom Fitness can be helpful. You’re motivated not just by your personal trainer, but getting practical suggestions and support from moms going through the same experience. Additionally, every exercise class or session is designed with those factors in mind. Trust me, as a mom myself and after working with hundreds of moms, “I get it” and I want to help you get through it so that you can exercise until your due date, and feel confident getting back to physical activity after having your baby!

What Was The Point of This Article

I just wanted to let you know that: 

1. If you’re continuing to set goals, seek support, and keep moving then you’re part of this amazing growing movement of Active Moms and you should be proud. 

2. Based on the research, the field of pre/postnatal exercise and sport is growing, but we’re not where we need to be. However, when it comes to healthcare and fitness, work with people who are seeking updated evidence so they can provide you with the best support

3. There will always be challenges. Know it’s a journey through motherhood and it doesn’t have to look perfect. Find someone who can help you navigate the challenges and sift through the noise.

Let’s keep moving, moms! 

If personal or group training doesn’t work for you, know that the self-paced library is building and I’ve taken the approach that I use in the studio and put it into digital step-by-step programs so moms in or outside of Philadelphia, PA have access to quality programs designed just for moms!

If you’re just getting back to exercise after having a baby (6 weeks to 6 years out!) try this self-paced core progression. If you’ve just finished pelvic floor PT, transition back to exercise with this program (2 coaching sessions included!).

How To Start Working Out: Framework for Moms

Whether you’re pregnant and want to begin exercising to have a more comfortable pregnancy or a new mom ready to focus on fitness again, with all of the apps and internet clutter it can be hard to figure out where to begin. That is why I’m sharing the method I developed and have used with hundreds of moms and moms-to-be. It’s called Core, Function & Fitness (CFF). CFF is an approach. It’s a strategy. It’s a guide to help you determine where to begin your fitness journey and a framework to help you prioritize what to focus on during your workouts.

Whether you’re pregnant and want to begin exercising to have a more comfortable pregnancy or a new mom ready to focus on fitness again, with all of the apps and internet clutter it can be hard to figure out where to begin. That is why I’m sharing the method I developed and have used with hundreds of moms and moms-to-be. It’s called Core, Function & Fitness (CFF). CFF is an approach. It’s a strategy. It’s a guide to help you determine where to begin your fitness journey and a framework to help you prioritize what to focus on during your workouts.

The Foundation

During and after pregnancy, the foundation of your fitness program should be core strength and function. Core refers to the 360-degree cylinder from your diaphragm to your pelvic floor, including both abdominal and back muscles. A functional core means that your deep stabilizing muscles activate to support your spine before any movement. A functional core also means, you know how to breathe (exhale on exertion) with movement, and that you’re treating any pelvic floor concerns like tight pelvic floor muscles or urinary incontinence. A strong and functional core will enhance your ability to advance in exercise and will make daily life more comfortable.

If we look at CFF as a pyramid, “core” is the base layer and what you’ll prioritize when you begin an exercise program. This doesn’t mean that core needs to be your only focus, but if you’re short on time or searching for workouts, this will help you strategize and select the correct exercises. If time and energy aren’t an issue you can certainly do workouts that are more than core, but keep in mind that if your core isn’t yet strong and functional, you’ll want to ensure any other formats of exercise you’re choosing don’t require more core strength then you presently have.

For example, if you’re pregnant and beginning an exercise program, you can focus on breathing and engaging your abs with each movement you perform. So if you’re doing squats, lunges, and arm exercises, rather than just going through the motion, you’re exhaling on exertion or engaging the deep abs as you curl the dumbbell during a biceps exercise.

Middle of the Pyramid

So now that you’ve spent some time activating your pelvic floor, deep abs, and using your breath, you’re ready to shift your focus to “function”. The term functional training is a bit trendy so I’ll provide you with my simple definition. Functional training is performing exercises that help you meet the physical demands in your life. This means factoring in the type of job you have, the workouts you plan to do, or the physical demands of caring for your child at different stages. During pregnancy functional training can be performing exercises that help you better adapt to the changes your body is experiencing, like strengthening your back because you’re being pulled forward due to the weight of your breasts and belly. Function is the next step in my model because you should be able to feel good moving through your daily life before setting more lofty fitness goals (for example if your back hurts every time you lift your child, doing an hour spin class maybe shouldn’t be your priority). Functional training also means addressing pain and specific weaknesses. It is easier to attain function when you have a strong core, so for that reason “function” sits on top of the “core” layer in my pyramid.

Top of the Pyramid

You’re ready to move up the pyramid when you have a solid core foundation and you’re functionally moving well during the day and your workouts. “Fitness” is the top piece and refers to goals such as muscle definition, weight loss, sports performance, and running. This is the last step along the CFF progression because you’ll have a better chance of achieving fitness when you effectively know how to engage your core and you know how to perform exercises correctly and without pain. I’ll reiterate that it doesn’t mean that you have to wait to set your fitness goals, but increasing your run distance shouldn’t be the priority before you’ve spent time on the other components. When you move to the top of the pyramid, the idea is that you’ve already set yourself up to achieve your specific fitness goals.

For example, if you do have a goal to run postpartum, you can first focus on making sure your core can support proper running form, and that your pelvic floor muscles can handle the impact and load. Functional training might include single-leg strength activities so that when you do run, your body is better prepared. 

Summary

I developed the Core, Function and Fitness method to help you prioritize your efforts, and make workout selection less overwhelming. The pyramid can also be explained as a pie chart with the percentages of core, function and fitness components shifting as your needs are being met. Maybe you’re starting with core being 80% of the chart because you just had a baby, but after a few months of training, core might then become just 30% and fitness taking the majority. This pie chart is a good visual because it emphasizes that you’re never solely focusing on just one thing. All components are important and will be integrated into your plan.

Whether you like the pyramid or the pie chart, the main point I'm making is that this is a tool that can keep you active through all 40 weeks of pregnancy, and help you feel stronger than ever after having a baby.

Have You Been Cleared for Exercise?

If you’re currently pregnant and have been consistent with exercise, you’re probably already planning your return to exercise postpartum, especially if exercise has always been a part of your life. I know most of my clients who have continued to stay active during pregnancy have goals to return to fitness as soon as their doctor gives the OK postpartum.

If you’ve recently had a baby, you may be awaiting your postpartum appointment to find out if you are “cleared for exercise”. Getting cleared for exercise can feel liberating if you’ve been missing that sense of control over your body. However, it’s important to understand what being cleared means as well as how to return to physical activity after pregnancy.

What Does "Cleared for Exercise" Mean?

Being cleared for exercise is your doctor’s medical opinion that you are physically ready to start increasing physical activity, or that it’s generally safe for you to exercise. This typically happens at your 6-week postpartum check-up, but if you’ve had complications like tearing or are recovering from a c-section, that may happen a bit later. 

In other words, your doctor will either tell you it’s safe, or that it’s not. Which, don’t get me wrong is important information. You shouldn’t begin to increase physical activity or exercise if you have contraindications. However, the trouble with the yay or nay approach is that it’s one size fits all. Postpartum exercise clearance usually comes with the advice that you should ease back into it and listen to your body. This is not inherently bad advice, but it’s pretty subjective and doesn’t educate you on what a proper progression looks like, or why easing back into it is essential. Fortunately for you, if you’re reading this, you probably already have an understanding that there are important considerations when returning to exercise after having a baby. In the rest of this article, I’ll provide you with tips and strategies to guide you in your return to fitness.

What do the postpartum exercise guidelines say?

At the time of this article (12/2023), postpartum exercise guidelines have not been published. BUT, there is encouraging news that they’re finally in the works and should be released soon. I’ll link to them when they come out, but in the meantime, I’m going to provide you with some tips inferred from the research that exists, my background in exercise science, as well as the practical experience I have working with pregnant and postpartum moms.

Do you need to see a pelvic floor physical therapist or postpartum exercise specialist?

The ideal answer is yes, it would be great if everyone was able to receive personal guidance from a professional after having a baby. The more realistic answer for most people is that it depends. If you have any concerning symptoms like incontinence, pelvic or back pain, abdominal separation, or others then I strongly encourage you to see a pelvic floor physical therapist as a starting point. If you live in a major city there are probably those that accept insurance, as well as cash-based, but you should be able to see someone. Additionally, if you are concerned about excessive fatigue, anxiety, or depression, I’d also recommend seeing a professional before beginning a structured exercise program beyond general physical activity. If you were not active during pregnancy or you’re new to strength training or core exercises, a postpartum exercise specialist can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run by helping you determine which exercises are best for you.

Time for the Tips

Aerobic

The general physical activity guidelines for adults recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate or moderate-vigorous physical activity, with activity occurring on most days. The postpartum guidelines may skew a bit, but will not be drastically different. In any case, that duration and intensity is what you’re working up to and not where you’re starting. For most moms that I’ve worked with, getting out and pushing the baby in the stroller for 10-20 minutes every day is a great starting point. Walking is great because you can still spend time with your baby, being outside may boost your mental health, it’s a low-impact activity ensuring you’re not stressing your healing pelvic floor too soon, and it’s a trackable activity that you can strategically progress to longer durations, distances, and intensities. 

Strength

Here’s where I plug the method I developed called the Core, Function & Fitness approach. The idea is that the core is the foundation of fitness and where you should prioritize your efforts. During the postpartum period, this most often means addressing any pelvic floor concerns and coordinating breath with your deep ab muscle activation. Initially, this could be through pelvic tilts or heel slides but can progress to exercises like the deadbug. After you’ve made some progress in core strength and function, you can add in functional strength training. So this might mean you’re spending 5-10 minutes on isolated core exercises and then doing a full body circuit focusing on muscles you need to move through your day pain-free, as well as the major movement patterns. For example, lengthening chest muscles and strengthening upper back muscles is usually a necessary focus for moms due to the feeding posture. 

After you’ve laid a solid foundation of core training and strength training you can continue to increase the duration, frequency, and intensity of your workouts, while also setting more specific goals like running.

Don’t Forget About Lifestyle Factors

To benefit from exercise, there are more factors than the workout or activity. Things like sleep, nutrition, hormones, childcare, the ability to be consistent, and the ability to recover all determine whether you’ll get the benefits you’re expecting from exercise. For this reason, not jumping back into structured workouts until you are more healed, getting a bit more sleep, and have found ways to stay hydrated and eat a balanced meal is a reasonable decision and it’s smart. Now this doesn’t mean you should do anything. You should begin to increase physical activity and address core strength at a minimum, but it means that rather than aiming for pre-pregnancy 60-minute workouts at the gym, your starting point might be daily walks and two minutes of isolated core work when the baby is doing tummy time.

On the flip side, if you have childcare help, you’re feeling healed and sleep deprivation isn’t an issue, you may be feeling like you’re ready to get back to your old routine. To that I’ll say, remember that your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and tissues are still healing and your hormones are still fluctuating, so even if you’re feeling good, I’d suggest the same gradual core, function then fitness framework. You may move through the progression quicker than someone else but don’t skip the gradual transition.

The Takeaway

This article is just one piece of the postpartum exercise puzzle, but I hope it gave you some perspective on getting cleared for exercise. To summarize:

• Prioritize healing

• Remember that lifestyle factors should support the type of workouts you’re doing

• Core, then add functional strength then set fitness goals

Being an active mom is a lifestyle and will look different as you move through different stages of motherhood. The fourth trimester is not even the first chapter, we’ll call it the introduction.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

Taking Care of Your Pelvic Floor During Exercise

You may not have known anything about pelvic floor muscles until pregnancy or after having a baby. Most likely, you’ve heard two things 1) you should do kegels to strengthen them, and 2) problems with these muscles can cause incontinence. 

Those two things are a good start, but I’d love to provide you with a bit more education so that you feel empowered to care for these muscles and/or continue to exercise if you’re dealing with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. In this post, we’ll talk about where the pelvic floor muscles are located and their function, common problems that can occur, and four ways to engage and protect them during your workout routine.

What are pelvic floor muscles?

Your pelvic floor muscles form a hammock-like layer across the base of your pelvis. They stretch from your pubic bone in the front to your tailbone in the back. I’ve also heard them referred to as a trampoline, which should be taught and durable. Here are a few things to know about their function:

• When these muscles contract, they lift up and support your pelvic organs. 

• When you bear down, like when sneezing or lifting something heavy, the pelvic floor stretches and lengthens to accommodate the pressure created in your abdomen.

• Additionally, your pelvic floor muscles play a role in sexual function. When these muscles are too tight you might experience painful intercourse. Strong functioning pelvic floor muscles can help you achieve greater sensation during orgasms.  

• Pelvic floor muscles play a role in continence, allowing you to have control over elimination, including passing gas. 

• Lastly, they play a role in spinal and pelvic stability as a member of the core muscle-stabilizing team. 

Common Pelvic Floor Issues in Moms

Factors like pregnancy, childbirth, and aging can impact the function of these muscles. They may weaken due to the weight of the uterus, or they may become too tight due to the birthing process. Either way, if they’re not functioning as they should, it can lead to incontinence, prolapse, and impact your core strength. 

Most of you are probably aware of the connection between pelvic floor muscle function and incontinence. Did you know that there are two types of incontinence? 

• Stress incontinence causes leaking of urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or during exercises that involve impact, breath holding, or bearing down.  

• Urge incontinence is when you have the sudden urge to urinate and may not be able to hold it. An example often given is that you know you have to use the bathroom and right before you get to the toilet the urge gets stronger and you can’t prevent urinating.

The majority of incontinence for moms is stress urinary incontinence, however, some moms will also struggle with fecal incontinence which is the inability to control bowels. This can happen due to trauma during the delivery process.

Another condition that involves the pelvic floor muscles is pelvic organ prolapse. Because the pelvic floor muscles support your organs, if there is a dysfunction this can cause organs like your uterus or bladder to drop into the vaginal wall. Picture a hammock or trampoline that can’t support the weight of the person on it…it begins to sag toward the ground. In some cases, the organs can extend outside of the vagina.

The good news is that pelvic floor physical therapy is more widely available and we’re learning more about lifestyle changes and exercise that can treat, improve, or help you cope with these conditions. Additionally, qualified exercise professionals should be able to prescribe exercises that support your efforts to improve pelvic floor function.

Four Ways to Engage, Strengthen, and Protect Your Pelvic Floor During Exercise

As I mentioned, either while you’re in pelvic floor physical therapy, or after you’ve been discharged, a qualified exercise professional can help you engage, strengthen, and protect your pelvic floor during strength workouts. Here are a few strategies you can implement during your workouts:

1. Coordinate your breath: Your pelvic floor muscles are the basement of your core, where the diaphragm is the ceiling. The cylinder which is your core will function optimally when both of those muscles work in synergy. When you exhale your pelvic floor muscles are lifted and when you let the breath out your pelvic floor relaxes. The diaphragm should move in the same direction, descending on your inhale and rising on your exhale. Coordination of these two muscles isn’t always easy, especially when movement is involved. However, it’s important enough to master so that you’re not putting excessive pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. 

2. “Close the holes” or "Blow before you go”: I can’t take credit for these terms as I’ve heard them from several pelvic floor physical therapists. The strategy is to engage the pelvic floor muscles right before you’re about to lift something heavy. Imagine closing your anus as if you’re trying to not pass gas. This will activate your pelvic floor right before there is increased abdominal pressure. You can also try “blow before you go”, which means that right before you’re going to lift, you begin the exhale. Again this can help manage pressure pushing down on the pelvic floor muscles.

3. Avoid impact exercises postpartum until you’ve dedicated time to resistance training: The postpartum running guidelines suggest a minimum of 12 weeks of progressive exercise, including resistance training. However, if you’re having symptoms of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, this may take longer. When you’re ready to add higher impact activities, start with fewer reps and shorter duration. Take your time to progress and build up. You wouldn’t go from lifting a 5-pound dumbbell straight to 50 pounds, would you? It’s worth mentioning that there aren’t prenatal running guidelines and plenty of moms do run during pregnancy, but if you’re noticing symptoms, that may mean your pelvic floor muscles can’t handle the impact and it’s probably best to move to low impact options. 

4. Remember that pelvic floor muscles are muscles: We all understand the concept of challenging a muscle in order to make it stronger and stretching muscles to relax and lengthen. The same goes for pelvic floor muscles. If you have a weak pelvic floor, you don’t want to avoid core training altogether because it’s going to need the challenge of the exercise to get stronger. If you’re not having symptoms, it’s also important to learn how to contract and relax those muscles. The easiest way to do this is by focusing on breath and core stabilization during strength training. If your core muscles are working together, your pelvic floor muscles will maintain/gain strength. If you prefer isolated exercises, you can throw in kegels of different durations (long contractions and quick contractions). 

Education should be empowering. As you learn more about your body, don’t let it cause fear. Research around core stability exercises benefiting the pelvic floor muscles is increasing, which is an incredibly positive thing. So whether you’re experiencing any of the named conditions, or if you’re concerned about atrophy as you age, or if you just want a well-rounded core program, take the time to become familiar with your pelvic floor muscles. 

If you’re ready to put core training to reduce your risk of incontinence and back pain into practice, consider my free 5-day core course.

Happy training!

Feeling Overwhelmed When You Think About Returning to Fitness?

As we all know exercise has many physical and mental health benefits. We all are also probably somewhat familiar with exercise guidelines and recommendations. So why does beginning an exercise program after having a baby feel so difficult? The answer is that there are many real challenges for new moms. Being a military mom adds another layer of barriers and stressors. Sleep deprivation, lack of time, changed priorities, minimal support from family, fear, birth complications, pain, lack of postpartum exercise and healthcare resources, and pressure to lose weight and perform, are all very real barriers (not excuses!). Although every mom’s journey back to exercise will be different, these three general strategies can make your return to exercise a little less overwhelming.

1) Understanding Changes to Your Body: Having information and knowledge about the anatomical and physiological changes during and after pregnancy will validate why you feel weaker despite exercising during pregnancy, or why you can’t seem to lose the last five pounds, or why you’re experiencing soreness like you never have before. Understanding how the changes to your body impacts fitness is essential, yet most postpartum care doesn’t include such information. Having this understanding will help you make sense of why workouts feel so difficult, why you’re not seeing progress at the rate you’re used to, and hopefully allow yourself some grace during those first few months after having your baby. 

There could be an entire book about this, but hormones play a huge role in muscle development and exercise recovery. Hormones don’t stabilize immediately after giving birth, and even when they begin to “balance out”, other hormones due to lack of sleep and stress can keep your hormones at levels that will impact your ability to lose weight, workout at higher intensities, and recover after a workout. Additionally, hormones can have an impact on your mood, affecting your motivation to exercise and desire to hit the gym like you used to. If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll have an even longer delay of hormones getting back to pre-pregnancy levels, so having the understanding that breastfeeding doesn’t automatically make it easier to change your body composition due to so many other factors, is also really important.

In addition to hormones, you need to have an understanding of tissue healing. You may be feeling stronger and ready for more physical activity, but whether you’ve had a vaginal delivery or c-section, your abdominal wall and pelvic floor tissues can take 9-12 months to fully heal and regain strength. Having this understanding is important so that you’re not choosing exercises that will do more harm than good, hence stunting your progress and inhibiting fitness results. Exercise is important in healing, but not over stressing the tissues is crucial in progressively increasing strength and function. This means if running feels overwhelming, that’s OK. Recent guidelines suggest that running and other high impact activity shouldn’t even happen until at least 12 weeks postpartum, and after proper strength training.

Hormones, tissue healing, and other factors don’t mean that you can’t exercise, in fact you absolutely should. Those factors also don’t mean that you won’t see results. What those changes to your body do mean is that you shouldn’t expect to exercise at your same pre-pregnancy level right away, and that initially, your program will probably need to look different. Having this understanding about the changes to your body means you’ll be able to gradually progress in fitness. As long as you’re moving forward with no setbacks, you’ll get there.

2) Prioritize: Being able to prioritize will help ease some of the pressure and stress around exercising. You’re probably used to thinking of fitness as aerobic, strength, and flexibility. And you’re correct, these are all major components of fitness. However, as a new mom it’s important that you make the most of your time and energy. To set yourself up for success, you should prioritize the type of workouts and exercises you’re choosing. Your first priority should be on healing. This includes any tears, incisions, scarring and any emotional trauma, depression, or anxiety. So if you once prioritized high intensity cardio and heavy weights, you’ll need a mental shift to feel good about the workouts your body needs. Next you should prioritize core strength and function, specifically addressing any concerns for abdominal separation, back pain, or pelvic floor dysfunction (pain or incontinence). Next make sure you’re functional. Functional strength training is somewhat of a trendy term, but for moms it means that you can perform all of your daily movements and demands of caring for a baby without pain. As it relates to exercise, it means you have mastered all of the major movement patterns (squat, lunge, hinge, push, pull, rotate/anti rotation) with good technique, and ability to recover. Your last priority is progressing to more vigorous physical activity and your traditional fitness goals. After you have the foundation of core strength and functional movements, you should be able to advance comfortably and with reduced injury risk. This is a simplified progression, but I like to think of Core, Function and Fitness as a pie chart with different percentages. You’ll always be working on all parts, but the percentage of each will change based on your priorities and needs.

3) Mental Shift: This has been touched on a bit already, but the first step in returning to exercise is mental. The fitness requirements of the military are relevant, but this comes secondary to how you view postpartum physical activity, especially now that you have a year to meet your military fitness and body composition goals. Your body has changed so your workouts will and should as well. The goals you once set were for a different body. Exercise should be a tool and if you begin to look at it that way, you will choose and plan your workouts differently, and with less stress. During the first few months, what type of exercise will help you heal? What type of exercise can you do without childcare? What workouts are realistic with the time you have? If you’re not sleeping, when is the best time of day to exercise and the appropriate intensity? Shifting your perspective about fitness and exercise is not a sign of weakness, but rather a helpful and smart tactic.

Now that you have those three general strategies to help you overcome the numerous barriers you face as a mom returning to exercise, I want to make it very clear that being a mom does not have to negatively impact your fitness. Moms actually have an advantage when it comes to fitness. By training in a very specific way and a way that you’ve never trained before, you have the ability to have a stronger core, be more functional, and feel stronger than you’ve ever been. Why? Because now your training will probably include pelvic floor muscles and breathing techniques, making your core function optimally. By caring for a baby, you’ll probably need to address posture, aches, and pains caused by muscle weaknesses/tightness, that you just ignored before. Your workouts as a mom will now have more meaning and serve many more purposes. If you can understand what your body needs, prioritize the proper exercise progression, and change your mindset, you will feel strong and confident in your body again.

Looking for a little more guidance? Take this Free Self-Assessment.

Don’t Make These Postpartum Exercise Mistakes

Pregnancy and childbirth are hard on a mom’s body, and exercise is a powerful tool. After having a baby, you’re going to desire restored core strength, improved your posture, returning to a healthy weight, boosting your mood, more energy, and quality sleep when you can. Exercise can help new moms with all of this! So if you’re ready to become more physically active, keep reading so you don’t fall into the pitfalls of postpartum exercise.

Forgetting the first step is healing: Pregnancy and childbirth put significant physical strain on the body. If you’ve had any tearing or a c-section, you need to allow adequate time to heal. If you didn’t have any complications, you still have to keep in mind that your abdominal wall and pelvic floor muscles have been stressed and also need adequate time to heal. Before exercise comes recovery. Light walking, reconnecting with your pelvic floor and deep abs with breath, and gentle stretching is usually fine for most moms as a first step.

Going back to your pre-pregnancy routine too soon: Your first step in postpartum fitness should be strengthening your core, and addressing any concerns like incontinence or diastasis recti. Before you can resume an old routine it is essential to focus on core strength and function in a progressive way. Just like your exercise goals during pregnancy were different, your postpartum goals will also be unique to this stage of life.

If you were a runner before or during pregnancy, you’re probably ready to get back. But again, I’ll emphasize that the tissues in your abdominal wall, your pelvic floor, and spinal stabilizers need to be able to handle the impact. This means no running until you’ve dedicated time to strengthening your body.

Not factoring in exercise recovery: Exercise has positive benefits, but it is still a source of stress on our body. In a state of sleep deprivation, your body using energy to heal, and probably sporadic and unbalanced nutrition, you have to consider if you have the ability to recover from the workouts you’re doing.

Ignoring aches/pains: You might be so eager to get moving again, take control of your body, feel stronger, and maybe lose weight that you’re ready to push past any aches and pains. It’s normal to feel a bit sore as you return to exercise, but your body is performing new physical tasks, and holding new postures so it’s likely you’ll have to focus on strength and mobility to improve alignment and reduce discomfort. Motherhood is physically demanding, so ignoring your neck pain, back pain, wrist pain, and foot pain is only going to lead to further discomfort. Prioritize function after core strength.

Not using physical activity as a tool for emotional health: Instances of baby blues, hormone crashes, and postpartum depression/anxiety are common. If you’re not yet physically ready to resume structured workouts, then find ways to move your body. Walks outside can be extremely impactful on mental health. Gentle exercises like yoga can help calm your mind and body.

Not seeking professional help: At this stage in life your body is still going through changes. If you have the ability to seek professional guidance from a qualified postpartum fitness professional, I highly recommend it. Someone like me can see when you’re exhausted and adjust the workout to something effective, yet more appropriate. Postpartum exercise professionals can help you prioritize exercises that help address your specific physical needs so you’re not wasting your limited time or energy. You have enough going on as a new mom…exercise is essential, but it should not feel overwhelming. Use someone like me for guidance, motivation, and accountability.

By avoiding the mistakes above, you’ll set yourself up for success. Your return to exercise should be progressive and specific to your needs. Remember: heal first, strengthen the core, focus on your functional needs, improve strength…and then meet all of your fitness goals! I’ve created a self-paced core challenge to help you take your first steps toward fitness. For a more personalized approach, I’d love for you to join an Active Mom Fitness Program.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

When Can I Start to Exercise After Having a Baby?

“When can I exercise again after having the baby?”, OR “Do I have to wait until my 6-week postpartum appointment to get back to physical activity?” The answers to these questions are going to vary based on your individual situation and needs. In general, it is safe for most moms to begin connecting with their deep abs and pelvic floor muscles using breath. Low-intensity walking and mobility exercises may be beneficial for you as well. Let comfort and energy level be your guide. Remember movement is good, but you don’t want to interfere with healing, especially if you had tearing or a c-section. You should not return to anything more vigorous before a doctor can tell you that there are no medical contraindications. If bleeding increases following even light activity, that may indicate that you are doing too much and you should contact your physician.

If you are “cleared” for exercise at your postpartum visit, this means that your doctor from a medical perspective thinks you can begin to be more physically active. You should still approach exercise with a gradual and progressive approach. This is not a green light to jump into your old routine. Abdominal and pelvic floor tissues can take up to 9-12 months to heal.

If your doctor approves and you’re ready to exercise, the progression below might help you prioritize your first steps back to fitness.

1. Heal: Whether you’ve had a c-section or vaginal delivery you have tissues that need to heal. Your initial focus should be on promoting healing by getting enough water, and nutrients and resting when you can. You should not begin to exercise until you know that any tears or incisions have healed properly. You’ll also want to address any scar tissue. Part of healing may also mean addressing concerns like incontinence, the feeling of pressure or bulging in your vagina, or abdominal separation. These are all common conditions, but not normal. It may not necessarily mean that you can’t begin an exercise program simultaneously, but you should consult with a pelvic floor therapist and prioritize exercises that will help you improve those symptoms or conditions.

2. Core: Most muscles of your core are impacted by pregnancy and delivery. All moms should strengthen these muscles and ensure that they function optimally by working synergistically. This often means beginning with breath, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor muscles.

3. Function: Being a mom is physically demanding. Part of your return to fitness should be mastering repetitive movements like hip hinges or getting up off of the floor (think deadlifts and lunges), strengthening muscles that impact posture (think back and glutes, and focusing on mobility (think upper back, ankles, hamstrings and hip flexors).

4. Strength: After you have foundational core strength and have mastered movement patterns, you can begin to think about gradually progressing your program. This could include adding more resistance, moving to moderate to high-impact activity, and performing more demanding abdominal exercises like rotations or exercises in positions against gravity.

Other considerations of when it’s best for you to begin to exercise include sleep (ability to recover), support from family/friends, and mental state. Hopefully, this doesn’t sound overwhelming because there are many positives to postpartum exercise like establishing a healthy lifestyle for your family, and training in a way that you can become stronger than you were before pregnancy. And remember, exercise as a mom is not a luxury, it is essential in meeting the physical and emotional demands of motherhood.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

Running After Having a Baby: Guidelines for Postpartum Running

You’re six weeks postpartum and you’ve just been cleared for exercise. You may be wondering if you are ready to get back into running. Or maybe you’ve gone for your first run after having a baby and you’re wondering why it feels so hard. Either way, the purpose of this article is to tell you NOT to run as soon as you’re cleared for exercise, and to encourage you to take the proper steps so your first return runs feel good.

Unfortunately you can’t search the internet for standardized postpartum running guidelines. You may find blogs with suggestions and advice, but research-backed guidelines are hard to come by. The best ones I’ve found were created by Gráinne Donnelly, Emma Brockwell, and Tom Goom in 2019, which I will summarize in this post. The following information is to help you 1) determine if you’re ready to run 2) make you aware of concerns, and the suggested progression of exercise leading up to running.

Running is a high-impact activity requiring core strength and function. To manage the intra-abdominal pressure that stabilizes your body during running, your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles need to be strong and functional. These muscles are weakened during pregnancy and can be further impacted during labor and delivery (cesarean and vaginal). Therefore, incontinence and prolapse can be a concern in postpartum running. You have to allow yourself enough time to heal and strengthen. How will you know if you have pelvic floor or abdominal wall issues? The following is a list of symptoms that could indicate dysfunction and should be addressed with a pelvic floor physical therapist before running.

• Urinary and/or fecal incontinence

• Urinary and/or fecal urgency

• Heaviness/pressure/bulging in the pelvic area

• Pain with intercourse

• Separated abdominal muscles and/or decreased abdominal strength and function

• Low back/pelvic pain

Based on evidence, these experts state that return to running is not advised prior to 3-6 months postpartum or beyond if any symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction are experienced before running or after attempting to run. Furthermore, even if you don’t have symptoms, 3-6 months is still a minimum guideline to allow your tissue and muscles time to heal and strengthen. For example, it’s been found that after a c-section, your abdominal wall has only regained 51% of its tensile strength by 6 weeks postpartum, and reaches 73-93% only at 6-7 months postpartum.

After (or while) addressing any pelvic floor and/or abdominal concerns, it’s time for you to focus on building overall strength, with a focus on the core and lower body (I recommend glutes for all moms!). Stronger muscles will allow you to better manage the load/demand running puts on your body. If you’re able to work with a qualified postpartum exercise professional they can lead you through the proper training progression. When I work with people I start with making sure all of the muscles that attach to the pelvis are strong, functional, and know how to work together. I then move on to bigger movement patterns like squats, hinges, and lunges. The guidelines referred to in this article use the following exercises to assess readiness to run:

• Walking 30 minutes

• Single leg balance 10 seconds

• Single leg squat 10 repetitions each side

• Jog on the spot 1 minute

• Forward bounds 10 repetitions

• Hop in place 10 repetitions each leg

• Single leg ‘running man’10 repetitions each side

• Single leg calf raise 20x

• Single leg bridge 20x

• Single leg sit to stand 20x

• Side lying abduction 20x

Keep in mind that this is not a prescriptive list, but it gives you an idea of what you should be working toward. You want to be able to do these exercises (or exercises that require similar load and strength) without pain or incontinence before returning to running.

So mama, before you break out the running shoes (which by the way, make sure they support your new postpartum feet), take the time to heal, strengthen, and get assessed by a pelvic floor PT if you have access to one. You have your entire life to be active (with your children!) and you don’t want to have any setbacks…so remember progression is essential.

And PS. This article doesn’t account for other factors like sleep, scar tissue, weight, breathing, breast size/breastfeeding, jogging strollers, or emotional readiness, which all will factor into your readiness and ability to run.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

If you are experiencing back pain or leaking, consider this FREE 5-day course to gain a better understanding of how to reduce your risk for pain and incontinence.

Postpartum Back Pain: 3 Changes to Make Now

Low back pain is common for moms but doesn’t have to be accepted. It’s estimated that 68% of women that have pregnancy back pain, continue to suffer postpartum, impacting daily life and even the ability to work. Hormonal shifts, joint laxity, weak core, heavier breasts, frequent lifting/bending, forward-leaning posture, and changes in your feet can all contribute to low back pain so it should go without saying there isn’t one easy fix.

Exercise, specifically core stability and strength training have been proven to improve low back pain., but exercise is only one piece of the puzzle. Here are 3 changes you can make now:

1. Update the gear. Heavier breasts mean a more supportive bra. If you’re breastfeeding you’re probably wanting to avoid compression, but a wide strap, supportive bra is key. If you’ve noticed flatter feet, wider feet, or longer feet…it’s time to update your shoes. Support starts from the ground up, so consider a new pair of shoes, or if you’re walking around barefoot a lot, you may need some supportive house shoes/slippers.

2. Better your body mechanics. We’ve all probably heard lift with your legs to prevent back pain, but the truth is that it isn’t always that simple when you’re performing the same movements day in and day out. Identify the most common movements you do throughout the day and then self-assess if you’re providing your back support with your leg muscles. If not, it’s time to make some changes. If you’re lifting the baby out of the crib, focus on support from your abs, glutes, and hamstrings similar to a deadlift. If you’re holding the baby as you get off the floor, practice standing from a kneeling lunge position. Forward leaning while feeding the baby? Get in the habit of stretching your chest muscles right after.

3. Nourish to Heal. In our superwoman society sometimes we forget that the postpartum period is more than just caring for the baby and beating the sleep deprivation. Your body has been through major changes and your tissues need to heal and hormones need to regulate. It’s important to nourish your body with enough water, sufficient nutrients, and good gut health. If this isn’t a focus, do your back a favor and begin to make simple changes.

I know it may seem overwhelming to care for your children and yourself, but healing and core function will impact your quality of life for years to come. Your child is only going to get heavier, and the physical demands of being a mom aren’t going anywhere. Let’s tackle this low back pain now. If you have access to a pelvic floor physical therapist or a postnatal fitness trainer, their support will be invaluable. You deserve to feel good, mama! If you need more guidance, try the FREE 5-Day Program to Reduce Your Risk of Back Pain.

Summer is Coming: Tips for Moms to Meet Their Fitness Goals

I’ll start with a disclaimer that I don’t love the idea of people putting pressure on themselves to up their exercise routine in preparation for summer. I firmly believe fitness is a lifestyle and the best way to sustain results is to be consistent year round. However, with that said, I also see nothing wrong with having aesthetic or other goals that make you feel confident this summer. So if you’re someone that is working toward your summer fitness goals, keep reading for a few tips.

Pregnancy Tips:

Summer can be an uncomfortable time to be pregnant. In order to stay active and continuing to make progress in your fitness consider the following 3 tips.

• Exercise first thing in the morning: hot summer days can make it harder for you to regulate your body temperature, and quite honestly can just feel draining. Use the month of May to start a morning workout routine. Working out at the coolest point of the day can be safer, more comfortable and help you stay consistent.

• Hydrate: not having enough water can raise your body temperature, and dehydration can even lead to uterine contractions. Make sure to replenish fluids after a workout. Use the month of May to get in the habit of increasing your fluids and maybe even treat yourself to a new water bottle.

• Invest in workout gear or embrace the belly and sports bra look: If you no longer have moisture wicking clothing that fits, take some time during May to order a few new tops. You’ll want to be able to dissipate the summer heat. If you exercise regularly your sweat point will be lower in order to help with temperature regulation so you’ll want to stay comfortable and have clothing that drys quickly.

Postpartum Tips

If you’re still recovering from birth or building your fitness foundation, then your goals shouldn’t change too much with the season. However, there are a few tips that will help you plan for increased physical activity outside with your little one this summer.

• Invest in a new carrier or switch to a stroller: During the cold months it’s possible you were only wearing the baby around the house or for short walks. With the nice summer days, your walks will get longer (as baby gets heavier) and that can cause neck and back pain without a supportive carrier. Take the month of May to make sure you have the right gear. Look for something with thick shoulder straps and a waist belt. Consider using a stroller for long walks until your core is strong and functional again.

• Implement a walking progression: Before jumping in to longer walks and more physical activity, use the month of May to do it gradually. Aim to increase your walks 5-10 minutes each time or by gradual distance increments each week. Use interval style training to prepare your body for longer durations.

• A little extra attention to specific muscles: During the month of May set aside 10 minutes/day, at least 3 days per week to focus on strengthening your abs, low back and glutes. Also include mobility exercises for your hip flexors and thoracic spine.

Beyond Postpartum Tips

You’ve been exercising consistently, have a strong fitness foundation and just want a little push toward your goal of more defined arms or feeling comfortable in a two piece at the beach. There is nothing wrong with aesthetics being part of your goals and here are some tips to get you that much closer.

Choose a muscle to focus on: Keep with your regular routine, but choose one muscle group to emphasize during the month of May. Include an additional 10 minutes working that muscle each workout, aiming for 3 days per week of targeted training.

Increase your cardio: If you know me, you know I believe strength training is key. However, if your goal is to see the muscles you’ve been working hard for, a little extra cardio during the month of May can give your body what you need to drop your overall body fat percentage if needed (remember, you can’t target train fat away!). Try adding some intervals to a strength workout or moderate intensity cardio on your strength recovery days.

Increase protein and water: If your plan is to add some cardio for more calorie/fat burning as suggested above, make sure you don’t lose the muscle mass you’ve worked so hard for. Aim to get at least 1g protein/kg of body weight to help you sustain muscle. Don’t forget your body needs enough water to function properly so make sure to hydrate!

So whether you’re pregnant, postpartum or further along in your motherhood journey, May through June is a great time to put these tips into action.

3 Ways to Incorporate Pelvic Floor Training into Your Strength Routine

Your pelvic floor muscles can be considered the basement of your core and play a key role in managing intra-abdominal pressure (pressure within your abdominal cavity that helps stabilize your spine). When your pelvic floor muscles work with the rest of the core to manage the pressure, you'll feel stable and strong. When one area of your core is weak, your ability to manage and create pressure for stability changes. During pregnancy breathing, abdominal muscles/wall, and pelvic floor are impacted by the changes to your body-which is why training each of them properly is so important.

Pelvic floor muscles also play important roles in sexual function, organ support, and sphincteric control (holding urine, gas and poop). During the natal period (pregnancy and postpartum), weakness or overactivity of these muscles can impact your core strength and function, as well as cause conditions such as urinary and fecal incontinence, or pain with intercourse. By now most of us have heard of kegels, and some of you may even manage to fit in a few sets while brushing your teeth or driving. However, like most muscles in our body, pelvic floor muscles need to be functional during movement and not just at rest. The best way to do this is to coordinate the activation of your pelvic floor muscles with other core muscles during movement. Here are some ways to train those muscles with common exercises:

1. During squats: As you descend into a squat this is when your pelvic floor muscles should relax. During this lowering movement, you will inhale. As you ascend up to standing with an exhale, this is when you can contract your pelvic floor muscles (think of trying to tighten your vagina around a tampon). Additionally press through your heels to activate glutes, and draw in your belly button (to hit your transverse muscles).

2. During a front dumbbell raise: As you lift the dumbbell exhale and draw in your belly button (to hit your transverse muscles), while at the same time visualizing your pelvic floor rising along with your arm toward your belly button. As you lower the dumbbell, gently release your abdominal contraction and relax your pelvic floor.

3. Wall sit: While you're holding your wall sit (back against the wall, knees bent at 90 degrees with your knees over your ankles), challenge yourself for endurance pelvic floor contractions-one set of three 8-12 seconds long holds (make sure you’re not holding your breath, just the pelvic floor lift). And then follow that with a wall sit of quick pelvic floor contractions-strong flickers of your muscles for 10-15 reps. Think quick “contract, relax, contract, relax”. (similar to an orgasm)

For most pregnant people, pelvic floor training is recommended and will help you maintain a strong and functional core. Remember to always relax between contractions...you don’t want a tight pelvic floor during delivery.

It can be helpful for everyone to get a pelvic floor assessment postpartum, as many people will need to retrain the muscles, and although common, pelvic floor dysfunction is not normal. Weakness is not the only concern, sometimes birth trauma can lead to overactive or spasmed muscles...so don’t just jump back into kegels.

Happy training!

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.

If you already are experiencing back pain or leaking, consider this FREE 5-day course to gain a better understanding of how to reduce your risk for pain and incontinence.

Functional Training for Moms: Pre/Postnatal Exercise Tips

Long runs after work, trying new fitness classes with your friends, training hard five days per week, or possibly never working out a day in your life. This might have been what fitness looked like for you before pregnancy. Unless you had an injury you probably weren’t strength training a ton with function in mind, or adjusting your routine based on the stage of life you were in.

And then you got pregnant, where your body is changing outside of your control...you’re moving different, feeling different and priorities are shifting. This is really where the first phase of motherhood begins, and where your exercise program should prepare you for that. For many (unless you trained as an athlete), it's the first opportunity to really choose workouts that align with the physical and functional demands being placed on your body, as well as your stage of life.

---

Here are a few functional training ideas and tips for early stages of motherhood:

Pregnancy

• Learn which core exercises are still appropriate for you

• Be sure to include breathing and pelvic floor work in your fitness routine

• Focus on lengthening chest muscles and strengthening upper back muscles

• Incorporate a variety of glute exercises

• Avoid impact when you start to feel pelvic pressure or incontinence during exercise

Early Postpartum (0-6 weeks)

• Begin reconnecting to core muscles with breath and simple exercises like hip lifts and pelvic tilts

• Adjust stroller handles to the proper height and enjoy short walking bouts if you’re feeling up to it

• Focus on body mechanics while holding the baby, sitting, and feeding

• Avoid impact exercise (low impact like walking is acceptable as tolerated)

Postpartum 6-12 weeks

• Increase the duration of low-impact activities (like walking) as tolerated

• Address pelvic floor or diastasis recti concerns with a professional

• Begin to progress through core exercises

• Incorporate strength exercises like deadlifts, lunges, or box squats that mimic daily life demands

Postpartum 12 weeks-12 months

• Gradually add more impact exercise if desired (and if strength training has been adequate)

• Begin to increase strength training volume, focus on movement patterns (push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, rotate)

• Use more frequent, but shorter duration workouts to make consistency more attainable

• Use tools like the foam roller to address mobility and muscle tightness

This is by no means an exhaustive or very specific list, but hopefully, it gives you an idea of the importance of shifting your training focus to not just meet your goals, but also your needs. If you need help personalizing your program, take advantage of the Active Mom Fitness Signature Consult.

Mom Posture: Why Are My Shoulders Rounded?

Catch a side view of yourself in the mirror and you might notice that your ears are slightly forward of your shoulders or that your neck is curved. It may look like you’re slouching even when standing tall, or that you have a “winged scapula”. During exercise, you might notice your shoulders shrug during pushing or pulling. You may have experienced a shoulder injury from instability, or suffer from headaches. You might even feel your breathing is inefficient.

Well guess what? There is a name for that. It’s called Upper Cross Syndrome due to the X you can draw between tight and lengthened muscles in your upper body. And although it’s common among moms, we can’t just blame the kids (although heavier breasts from pregnancy or breastfeeding can contribute). Upper Cross Syndrome affects anyone that is spending extended periods of time with your head forward (think phones and computers). Put simply there is increased stress on your neck and shoulders, which can cause some muscles to be too tight and some muscles to be weak and lengthened.

The good news is that it can be improved or corrected. Here are some starting points:

• Daily Life: Determine the positions during the day that are causing your upper cross syndrome and then reduce time in those positions. Feeding the baby? Change up the position. Working on your computer? Use a chair with good lumbar support, ensure the proper height of the keyboard, and take movement breaks. Moms, the daily stuff really adds up, so these small changes can have a huge impact! *Side note, consider your bra. If it’s not supportive, your breast can be pulling you forward.

• Lengthen: Free up the shortened muscles that are pulling you forward. Muscles like the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and pecs (upper back and chest) can be lengthened through dynamic and static stretching, as well as using tools like a tennis ball or foam roller. A doorway chest stretch and some upper back foam rolling is a great place to start. Stretches like ear to shoulder while also tilting your chin toward your shoulder are helpful as well.

• Strengthen: Your rhomboids, serratus anterior, and lower traps (mid back), as well as your neck flexors, are probably lengthened and weak. Exercises such as standing or floor Y-raises, and chin tucks are a simple place to start.

So what do you say mama, are you ready to address what has always just been called poor posture? Find a program that works for you!

Exercise After Baby: What Moms Really Want

This post came about after several conversations that I had with my client Simi. During our prenatal strength sessions, we’d often chat about not just her goals during pregnancy, but what they’d be after having her daughter. During one conversation we discussed the varying messages in media and society. On one hand you have the people assuming the ultimate goal is the “snapback”. On the other end of the spectrum was the “all bodies are beautiful” “you’ve just created life” camp. In between sets of TRX rows, we concluded that both perspectives are valid, and that the gray area in between is probably the sweet spot. Weight loss is a valid postpartum fitness goal if that’s important to you, but it would be nice if society understood that your body has been through a lot and “bouncing back” without work (after taking time to recover) is not the case for most.

Fast forward to us talking nine months postpartum, and Simi shares, “I remind myself that my being healthy and active (and thus more happy and energetic) is great for me AND my baby! Some weeks I slip (and allow plenty of grace for that!) but overall the scheduling helps keep me in a good rhythm.” This is from someone that was SUPER committed during pregnancy, sometimes getting 5-6 workouts in per week. But her for the stage of motherhood she is in now, motivation for exercise now is to be “happy and energetic”.

Simi’s perspective is not uncommon. With every client I work with, I ask them their top goals. The most common responses:

• Feel good about my body

• Feel energized

• Reduce pain/prevent injury

• Build Strength/build core strength

Is that to say weight loss isn’t important? Absolutely not. It just means that for new moms there are other priorities and these are the priorities that society, pop culture, and fitness professionals should recognize. It also means that we can appreciate what our body has done, but still want more for it…again, that gray area.

Simi admits her view did change after having her daughter, "My biggest view change is how quickly I want to get back into my pre-pregnancy shape. While this is absolutely a goal for me, I now realize that achieving it as quickly as I originally wanted would require more sacrifice and time commitment than I am willing to give. Time with my daughter and husband together, time with just my husband, indulging in good food and some wine (even though I maintain a healthy diet overall!), spending time with the few family members we can right now, and mental health days are all things I’m prioritizing in addition to exercise. The balance just means slower results, which is okay for me!"

Let’s keep having this conversation. Let’s make that gray area (of what moms really want) more acceptable and known.

Ready for more tips? Download 5 Tips for a Stronger Core After Pregnancy.