Pilates and Pregnancy: The First Month After Baby

Hello and welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! I am happy to announce that I gave birth to a healthy baby boy on April 20, 2014. This post will chronicle his birth and my first month as a new mom, including adjusting to my new body, enduring the baby blues, and attempting to exercise!

Finn’s birth story

My water broke around 5 a.m. on Sunday, April 20th. We were admitted to the hospital by 6:45 a.m. and Finnegan James was delivered via C-Section at 9:08 Finn at birtha.m.

Toward the end of the pregnancy, my doctor and I discussed the probability of delivery via C-Section because Finn was measuring large (nearly 11 pounds). The C-Section was surreal and a little frightening. My husband and I had taken a class on Caesareans and I had also done some Pilates continuing education on recovery post-Caesarean, but nothing really prepares you for the cold sterility of the operating room. A kind nurse held my hands during the epidural. I was amazed at how quickly the epidural took effect. Within moments, several hands were guiding me to lie down on the table and securing my arms in place out at my sides. I remember being very cold and scared. My husband came into the room just before the procedure began.

I didn’t expect to feel anything, but did feel pressure when the doctor opened the incision to pull Finn out. Only a few minutes passed from the time my husband entered the room until I heard him say, “I can see his head,” and like that – Finn was born. He weighed 10 lbs. 5 oz, and was 21 ¾ inches long!

We spent three days in the hospital because of the C-Section. Our nurse the first night was amazed at how easily I was able to get out of bed and how eager I was to walk around. I walked slowly at first, but it felt good to get up and move. My family and another nurse commented the next day on how well I seemed to be doing. In particular my sister, who had a C-Section just over a year ago, noticed that I was up and moving around much sooner than she had been and attributed the difference to my Pilates practice.

Week 2

Walking with Finn

The second week was rough emotionally. I had read about the baby blues, but couldn’t believe that I could hold my perfect baby boy and be sad. My husband and family were all very supportive. Two of the big things that helped were going on walks and getting outside of the house.

Physically my body was still recovering. My incision was uncomfortable and I was only getting two or three hour stretches of sleep at night. On a happy note, by the end of the second week I had lost two-thirds of the pregnancy weight.

Weeks 3-4

The next two weeks were much better. Finn started sleeping for four hour stretches. I was getting out for walks and feeling good. I even tried some Pilates.

Pilates has always been my happy place and so I was curious about how much I’d be able to do. I started really slowly, lying on the floor for some arm circles and knee folds. I was amazed at how difficult knee folds were (where you keep your knees bent and lift one knee up over your hip and then slowly lower it back down). Between the stretching of my muscles during pregnancy and then physically cutting through some of them for the C-Section, I have a lot of ground to recover!Finn1month

I tried a few other exercises on my own. Shoulder Bridge and Spine Stretch felt great. Upper Ab Curl and Swan didn’t feel awesome and so I decided to skip them until I was officially cleared to exercise and could get back into the studio with Carey.

Finn is now one month old and I am ready to start Pilates in ernest! Look for future blogs coming soon as Carey and I work together to help me safely tone and strengthen my body post-baby.

See you next week,

Cassie

Strengthen your bones and celebrate Osteoporosis Awareness Month!

Osteoporosis….when you hear the word you may think of a disease that older women have. However, it is never too early to think about keeping your bones strong. The National Osteoporosis Foundation defines osteoporosis as “a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist.” Major risk factors include a low calcium intake, smoking, excessive alcohol use, a sedentary lifestyle and infrequent menstruation. Bone loss typically begins after age 30. The best way to potentially increase bone mass and strength is through physical activity.

photo(5)Although all exercise is important, weight bearing activity is the best for warding off osteoporosis. Activities such as dancing, walking, tennis, stair climbing and jogging are important along with strength training. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends high-intensity, high-impact activities for children to build bone, and moderate to high intensity weight-bearing activities for adults to maintain bone mass.

Strength training should be performed two to three days per week, with weight bearing activities performed three to five days per week. If you have osteoporosis, you should avoid any exercises which include unsupported forward bending or twisting. A full body strength workout should include one or two sets of 10 to 12 reps of an exercise for each muscle group.

Always check with your physician before starting an exercise program. For more information on osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s website at www.nof.org.

 

Written by Kris Cameron, Certified ACE personal trainer and instructor of our Bones Builder Strength Straining ClassKris Cameron Bio

 

Kris has worked with all ages from children to the elderly, but her specialty is medical fitness and working with active older adults. With a background in healthcare and physical rehabilitation, Kris has experience working with clients who have orthopedic injuries, arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, bariatric surgery, mental disorders, and stroke. She is also certified through the Ohio Health Delay the Disease-Exercise and Parkinson’s program and through the Arthritis Foundation.

Inspiration of the Month – Angela Nelson

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When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?   

 

I took my first Pilates class in 2005. I have scoliosis and Pilates was recommended by my orthopedist to help alleviate back pain. After a bit of a break I resumed practice at Rivercity Pilates very first studio and found it was a great fit for me. 

 

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?

I have been able to strengthen my core and regain flexibility that was lost by wearing a spinal brace for my scoliosis. My balance and posture have improved, and I am much more aware of proper positioning and breathing as I go about my day. Pilates has really helped me to maintain strength during pregnancy and recover after birth.  

You are a busy mom of four, how do you make time to take care of yourself?
I love, love, love the Schedule Ahead Rewards Program at Rivercity Pilates! With lots of kids’ schedules to manage, if I don’t put my things on the calendar far in advance they won’t happen. For me, scheduling a month in advance is key to actually getting in a workout! The flexibility of having a free late cancel means that I don’t have to worry if someone gets sick or we have a last minute conflict.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
I really love the chair – it’s such a great little piece of equipment that does so much! My favorite chair exercise is the seated twist.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
Absolutely give it a try. The instructors at Rivercity Pilates are great at adapting exercises to individual fitness levels (even in group classes – modifications for more simple or advanced levels are always suggested). You can really start at any point and you will always finish a little stronger than before!

Study reveals massage is an effective treatment for neck pain!

Have you experienced any of these problems?

  • chronic tightness and pain in the neck and shouldersstiff-neck-1
  • neck pain from sleeping in an awkward position
  • bad posture such as hunched shoulders and a forward head position
  • an achy upper body from sitting at your desk all day
  • arthritis
  • whiplash
  • a pinched nerve causing neck pain
  • muscle strain or degenerative disease causing neck pain

You are not alone! Over 15% of Americans suffer from neck pain leading to more than 10 million medical visits per year.  And this number only reflects the people who have been treated for their neck pain.

If you have experienced neck pain, you know that it can be debilitating.   Nothing can ruin your day more than neck pain that restricts your movement and prohibits you from doing your daily activities with ease.

A new study from the Annals of Family Medicine published in April of this year, shows that people who receive 1 hour massage sessions given 3 times per week, are 2 times more likely to have a significant reduction in pain and 5 times more likely to have improvement in function.    Read the full study here.

Massage is not merely a tool to relax, although it definitely will help you relax and relieve stress!  Regular massage can be a great tool in your personal health care practices to help you relieve neck pain so you can live your life to the fullest.

 

Written by Massage Therapist Sara Hinde. sara

Sara specializes in Therapeutic Massage and is experienced in many modalities including: Neural Reset Therapy, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Hot Stone and Relaxation Massage, Chair Massage, Integrative Shiatsu Massage, Sports Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Cupping and Gua Sha.

Sara originally started having massages to get out of pain herself and has found her passion in helping others do the same.   Click here to request an appointment with Sara or call the studio at 319.665.2499.