1. Women who return to vigorous (vigorous, as in jogging or aerobic dance) prior to six weeks postpartum…

• have less weight to lose
• experience a more joyful state of mind
• do better on the Lederman Maternal Adaptation scales (how well they adapt to motherhood)

…than women who are sedentary during this period (Sampselle, 1999…this is not new information)

2. Postpartum obesity is a dangerous short and long term health risk (Leddy, 2008).

Who should exercise and when, following birth?

Day 1: If you have a vaginal birth, begin your “body scan” the first chance you get. Within the first day, the first chance you get to focus on yourself, take a mental trip through your body. See if you can squeeze the kegel muscles. Try exhaling and sucking in your deep abdominal muscles. Note if your shoulders need to relax. Take some deep breathes and begin to help your body recover.

If you had a cesarean: Wait a few days to 2 weeks at most to work on this.

After that: As soon as you can, get up and walk around. Start walking in 5 or 10 minute strolls several times a day (ask someone to hold or watch baby so you can allow your body to recover a non-pregnant upright). If you had a cesarean, hold a pillow to your abdomen until you have control of your abdominal muscles and stand tall.

How can you get more information on this?

Go to our website:

http://dancingthrupregnancy.com/take-a-class/postpartum-exercise/

Find a class. If you had a typical birth and your baby has been slowly and safely exposed to new people, by four to six weeks you and baby should be ready for a structured activity session that includes baby. It will also provide focus and adult interaction during the week.

How do you know if you did too much?

Your lochia, or the bleeding/discharge from the placental site, will increase if you have been too vigorous. If you are healthy and have no anemia issues, your lochia will likely cease by three to four weeks, six at most.

What are safety issues?

Don’t exercise if you have a fever, a warm red spot on your leg that may be painful (or not), or sore nipples that need attention. Call your care provider. If you or your baby are sick, it is best not to go into a group setting. If your baby is not well or just doesn’t seem right, call your pediatrician.

The most important reason to join a mom-baby fitness program may be that it will help keep you sane.

DTP offers correspondence/online teacher training. If you are a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, or thinking about becoming one, check out the training options.

The first step is always to take the Basic Pre/postnatal Fitness Certification course and exam. Our course has been in existence for 25 years and we have trained the founders of many of the programs you can find on the web today.

Once you have passed the Basic exam, you have options about further training, including the hands-on Practicum, advanced planning and marketing information, licensing of trademarks and consulting services.

Click on the Become a Teacher tab!

Reading, class planning, and operations information are part of Teacher Training

Continuing education  for Certified Nurse Midwives (4 contact hours with ACNM). Covers evidence on benefits of exercise, strategies for the fitness interview, monitoring patients’ progress and outcomes. Plans are underway for a Spring or Summer date at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

•Next Teacher Practicum

March 21 at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Here is the link to the Guidelines:

IOM Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines

The Second Stage of Birth is different from the First Stage. The actual expulsion of the baby requires a change in energy axis. During dilation (first stage), oxytocin is most easily released from the pituitary gland during relaxation (see previous post), but during transition, a change occurs so that the ergotropic response takes over and adrenaline is key in helping oxytocin to spike.

What does this mean as far as preparation is concerned? While it is important to learn to relax or maintain positions such as one does in yoga, the ability to sprint, or turn on an aggressive action at the end, is critical. You need  good aerobic conditioning. Begin exercise with easy breathing and movement, then practice aerobic endurance and power moves at the end of your workout! Finish up with cool down and stretching.

The contractions themselves change. They remain intense for a longer stretch, but the time between them increases. Pushing involves not only the uterus contracting, but the pressure exerted by the transverse abdominal (TrA) muscle. Similar to squeezing a tube of toothpaste, TrA pressure helps press the baby toward the exit — yes, that is the vaginal opening. If the laboring mother is not able to apply adequate pressure, labor assistants sometimes apply pressure manually to the top of the uterus or — if need be — forceps or a vacuum extraction may be necessary.

How can a mom best prepare so that the TrA can provide the needed pressure? Strength training the TrA! Like any other motion requiring power strength, this muscle can be strengthened to do its job! Here’s how:

picture 1:  sit upright, inhale

picture 2:  exhale, compress abdomen and curl down

Return to upright and repeat 8 times. Rest. Repeat 8 more times.

What if something goes awry? Cesarean, or surgical birth is an alternative. Major complications before labor include a placenta previa, infection or undeliverable breech position. During labor, the most common problem is dystocia — stalled progress through dilation (first stage) or pushing (second stage). In the pushing stage, head to large for pelvis is the most common difficulty.

What happens next? If the birth is natural, you will feel a tremendous euphoria. Bring the baby right up onto your chest for skin-to-skin contact. If you have had medications, your response may be slightly blunted, but you will definitely be overwhelmed by the emotions of birth.

Third Stage is expulsion of the placenta, which can no long remain connected to the shrinking uterus. When it detaches, the nurses or midwives will ask you to push and !plop! out it comes. It can be interesting to see what has nourished your baby for so long!

CONGRATULATIONS!  YOU’RE A MOM!

Instructors all over the globe have participated in our training programs and offer a variety of classes or personal training at their own locations. The Take A Class tab will help you find instructors nearest to you. Even if they are not close enough for you to attend their programs, they may be able to help you find someone local who has experience in the field.

Qualified individuals wishing to run their own programs, obtain further education in the field, or even offer our Total Pregnancy Fitness™ or Dancing Thru Pregnancy® programs, are encouraged to apply to become a teacher or licensee. We can help you determine if this is field is a good fit for you, train you to offer our programs, or help you develop your own.

Aerobics is definitely the biggest bang for the buck! Cardiovascular fitness is the key to almost every benefit of pre/postnatal exercise that has been found through well-designed research. Our instructors develop their own individual style of aerobic dance or fitness activities as part of our training program, but follow best practice guidelines.

Instructors also learn how to incorporate effective mind/body skills such as breathing and relaxation, along with strength and flexibility exercises. As the contemporary world puts more and more demands on our time, getting the most from your pre/postnatal program is a smart approach.

The training program has both academic and practical components. A study guide and written test precede practical learning. Accommodations are made for those wishing to develop their own programs, as well as those wishing to teach under our auspices.