Bermuda Parent Bermuda Parent Summer 2019 | Page 9

Tip #2 Do Pelvic Floor Our abdominal and pelvic floor muscles take a big hit during pregnancy and delivery. The abdominal muscles aka the ‘six pack’ can separate during pregnancy causing a condition called diastasis recti. Weakness here can lead to the ‘mommy pouch’ or a hernia. The pelvic floor muscles support the base of your abdominal contents, surround the urinary tract opening, the vagina and the rectum. These muscles become stretched during a vaginal delivery and if they are not strengthened again, you can have issues with holding your bladder (incon- tinence) and worse, a vaginal prolapse. A vaginal prolapse is when the bladder, uterus and/or bowel protrudes into the vagina causing the sensation of a vaginal lump. If these issues happen through pregnancy and delivery, rehabilitation is a must. If you think you have diastasis recti or pelvic floor weakness, make an appointment with a physiotherapist who specializes in Women’s Health. They will and Core Exercises guide you along your road to recovery. It is best to start strengthening before getting pregnant, however, it is never too late to start. I highly recommend a prenatal yoga or pilates class to help you focus on preparing your core! Tip #3 Placenta Encapsulation After delivery, you can have your pla- centa dried, ground and filled into gel capsules. You can take 1-2 capsules daily during your postpartum period. By taking daily doses of your encapsulated placenta, you can help balance your hormones, boost your milk supply and prevent postpartum depression. If you are interested in doing this, you can discuss it with your birth team, includ- ing your partner, OB/GYN, doula, and midwife, prior to delivery. Unfortu- nately, certain women who have infec- tions of their womb will not be eligible to do this. After your baby is delivered, your birth team will have to preserve your placenta and have it delivered to a professional for encapsulation. I have three more awesome tips for you to rock your postpartum, but I could not fit them all into one arti- cle. Tip #4 dives into the importance of Sleep! Tip #5 is about optimizing your recovery with supplementation. Tip #6 is all about how to take care of your perineum after delivery. You can download my extra tips from www. oceanrockwellness.com/rockingit Wishing you all a healthy, happy pregnancy and beyond! should be comfortable . If you are experiencing discomfort or you have concerns about , contact us. mothers We’ve been for over three decades. Email [email protected] or check us out on Facebook at La Leche League of Bermuda. mybermudaparent.com 7