Mommy & Me – Part II

 

In the last mommy and me post the focus was on the baby. now its time to focus on the mommy with exercises to awaken her core, strengthen the legs and hips and tone the arms and shoulder girdle. The time after the birth involves many changes in the body, both physically, mentally and hormonally. Regular exercise can support he new mom in her new role and help her ease her way into motherhood.

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Abdominal challenge

Lie on your back with your knees bend to your chest. Place you baby carefully on your shins and rest your head down. Lie here for few breathes, enjoy feeling your spine resting against the floor) inhale (still lie down) and when you exhale, float your head and shoulders off the floor and reach your knees away from the body (without letting the lower back arch off the mat). Inhale and rest the head back on the floor. Repeat for 10-15 times.

Abdominal Strengthener

Back strengthener

Lie on your stomach and put your baby in front of you. Rest your forehead to the mat and place your hands under your shoulders. Inhale and press your hands to lift head and shoulders off the mat, keeping the shoulder blades wide and your back strong. (Rise as high as you can without compressing the lower back and while keeping the whole back engage and stable). That’s the time to ‘peek-a-boo’ your baby, and then exhale to go down again. Repeat for 10 times. After finish, go rest in child’s pose (push back and put your sitting bones on your heels, resting the chest on your thighs and your head down to the floor.)

If you wish, stay with your heart lifted and exhale to lift your leg(s) straight off the mat.

Back strengtheners

Modified pushups 

Start on all fours position with hands under shoulders and knees under the hips.  Put your baby between your hands. (For more advanced version, place your hands one step forward from your shoulders and your knees one step back from your hips, please see picture). Inhale here, lengthening your spine, bend your elbows and lower your upper body to the floor. Exhale to press against the floor and come back up.  Make sure your weight stays on your hands and do not push back to your hips.

Squats

Squats are great for both mother and child. It is a great body strengthener (legs, hips, back and arms as well in this case). Start holding your baby up in the air, letting the baby enjoy the ‘moment of flying’ inhale, and bend your knees and flex your hips, lowering the body as much as possible to the floor (but keep your feet flat on the mat) and as your exhale, come back up to starting position).

Leg lifts  

Lie on one side and let your baby enjoy being next to you (or crawling up and over your body!) take a deep inhalation and as you exhale lift the leg while keeping the hips align and quiet (one hip bone on top of the other), so you initiate the leg movement from your core muscles. Inhale to lower the legs and repeat for 10 times. Change to the other side.

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Legs and hips strengthener

Many thanks to Lianne and chiharu Kaplan for demonstrating