Physiotherapy is not a gymnastics lesson – of good parents

Physiotherapy is not a gymnastics lesson - of good parents

Reconstruction gymnastics is not a gymnastics lesson

Sport has proven to be good for everyone. He is healthy, prevents depression, promotes sleep and good mood. He may also help mothers get rid of one or the other unwanted pregnancy pills. Reasons enough for sports are there. Arguments why a mother can not do that, too. It is just good Rückbildungsgymnastik very important

And in the first place you have to strengthen the body from the inside out again. This means sparing directly after birth, a little cardiovascular activation and a few first pelvic floor perception exercises. Of course, this sounds pretty boring for women who used to run a marathon, climbed or threw each other over the mat in judo. It is not exactly a new trend sport to be discovered. Nevertheless, one should first of all take on the strengthening of the middle of the body before rejoining in his previous sports. But reformation gymnastics is such a topic in itself.

The expectations of the participants are often high. “I want to get fit again. The belly should go away. Exploit yourself properly. The back pain must disappear. The summer is approaching and the bikini figure is still far away … “- all this the midwife should then be able to do in ten 60-minute recovery gymnastics sessions. Dear mothers, if that were possible, we certainly would not take the ridiculous cash rate of € 6.49, but deserve a golden nose with this miracle workout. But nevertheless it makes sense to attend a good recovery course. Because here, theoretically and practically, the strengthening of the pelvic floor and the surrounding muscles is taught. The goal: A stable body center forms the basis for all other sports and everyday activities.

Reconstruction gymnastics against shaken pelvic floor

The frequent back pain of young mothers is often associated with a weakness of the pelvic floor. Even on the psyche, a weak pelvic floor can have a negative effect. Even those who seemingly have no problems such as incontinence, a feeling of pressure or back pain can assume that they have strained the pelvic floor quite badly. The main reasons for this are pregnancy and childbirth, whether spontaneously or by caesarean section. Not only is there a lot of weight on the pelvic floor during the last months of pregnancy. Supportive connective tissue is also displaced and retaining ligaments are overstretched.

If this overburdened pelvic floor continues to be shaken instead of being built up, it can lead to massive problems after a few months or even years. So you should somehow free up the time to attend a course and try to implement the attitudes and exercises learned there in everyday life. But just the “free-floating” is the difficult part with a little baby. However, recovery courses do not necessarily have to be started after six or eight weeks. You only need to be completed by the ninth month of the baby’s life, so that the health insurance will cover the costs. But even if you make it later, the effort is not in vain.

Pelvic floor theory versus baby babbling

Is there still the big question, whether it should be a course with or without a baby? From a midwifery point of view, course hours including babies often look like this: Ten expectant mothers with ten more or less relaxed babies share a gymnastics mat with their child. In addition, it is packed with spitcloths, baby toys and baby clothes. I try to explain the structure and function of the pelvic floor to the women at least in short form. That’s just the basis for all exercises.

Baby One starts to whine. The mother takes it up and nurses it. At the same time, at least five other mothers look to see if their baby may be hungry either because they use the milk donor reflex. Then it becomes too much, too warm or too boring for another baby, and it also starts to whine. Most of the time this is contagious and so quickly three more mothers teetering their baby while trying to listen.

At some point we start with the exercises. Some babies find this exciting, but others are so stupid that they would rather be on mom’s arm. Babies spit and digest as it suits – so these needs must be addressed in the course. Meanwhile, only two women follow me in the exercises because their children are straight and yet sleep. I try to guide the remaining active women through the noise of baby babbling and reassuring sounds. Fortunately, I have a script that I can press the women who have not noticed anything, yet goodbye in the hand. So at least they have an idea of ​​what we actually did. In short, re-education lessons with babies are really exhausting for everyone involved.

Regression gymnastics with baby is difficult

Some mothers also come up with the idea that it is practiced with the baby. Of course there are a few exercises with baby. But they have a much higher fun factor for the child than actually bringing anything to the mother. There are no effective pelvic floor exercises where the child can be meaningfully integrated. And a real relaxation exercise at the end of the lesson is usually unthinkable, although they would need almost all mothers.

Therefore, after only a few years of work, I have only given these courses with my child in exceptional cases. From a mother‘s point of view – yes, I have also attended recovery courses with baby – felt the whole thing sometimes just as ineffective. In one class, all my physical activity consisted of putting on my sweatpants to breastfeed and shake the baby because it was not in a reversionary mood. Nevertheless, it is good that there are these courses, because otherwise it would be impossible for some mothers to do organizationally. So respect and thanks to all fellow midwives, who face this challenge week after week. It really is not easy money …

Meanwhile, the sports courses are booming with a child. And in fact, courses like Kangatraning, Running Mama Run and other indoor and outdoor exercise classes with baby are also well feasible. On the other hand, a yoga course in which the child tends to miss is more like the regression lesson with a child described above. Workouts in which the child is wearing a baby sling or baby carrier are fun and have a training effect for the mother. My baby even fell asleep quickly. But here, too, it is important to have a qualified course leader, who is familiar with the physical characteristics after birth and at the same time also has the knowledge to carry it properly. Otherwise, the baby hangs at the end of the hopping mother, whose pelvic floor hangs more than carries.

Advanced training for the pelvic floor

And how did I, who is just so smart about it, do that even with the regression? After the first five months of child number one, I started giving back training courses myself, and thus had a certain occupational pressure to do for myself as well. In child number two I had so much to do with baby and toddler that I almost completely ignored the pelvic floor. After a few months I wanted to jog again and that did not feel good when running faster. No wonder, inside I also knew that my sacral pain did not come from carrying the baby.

So I connected my own suffering with my professional life and completed a further training as a pelvic floor trainer. There we did not only get to know many effective exercises, but also how the pelvic floor can be strengthened and maintained throughout the day. And since the pelvic floor is sometimes muscle, you can also train and regenerate very well in most cases.

In child number 3, I then even during pregnancy, a post-training training (what a word …), because the midwife colleague and pelvic floor expert Christine Niersmann was only in Berlin at this time and I had registered for it unimportant. But of course you also benefit in pregnancy especially from suitable exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. After the third birth I practiced at home consistently in the first weeks and months at least five times a week with DVD by Christine Niersmann. In these 15 to 30 minutes, I handed over all our children to Christian and completed my short private gymnastics lesson. This firmly scheduled baby break was good not only for the pelvic floor, but also for the maternal mood.

But since everyday life between children, kitchen and chaos does not always help you to do something for yourself, there are a few more tips for a pelvic floor-friendly everyday life after birth. However, these certainly do not replace the individual advice in the puerperium or the recovery course.

Pelvic floor tips for everyday life

By pregnancy, the pelvic floor muscles are softer and at birth by the child‘s head greatly stretched and possibly injured. For this reason, some women have the feeling of being “open at the bottomwhen they first get up after giving birth. This normal sensation usually improves after a few days. Nevertheless, it is important not to overload the pelvic floor in the childbed and in the aftermath. He should slowly stabilize with a targeted training again. The goal: to give him back soon his elastic and supporting function. The following tips can help in everyday life:

  • Lying a lot and breastfeeding more often. Breastfeeding is often the only resting time in baby’s everyday life. But no pelvic floor tensions during the nursing process!
  • Inverted positions: A raised pelvis in supine position or a half candle relieves the pelvic floor. Women with depression problems should often take these positions and also perform pelvic floor exercises in this posture.
  • Getting up from the supine position: Always stand up on the side or the quadruped stand while protecting the pelvic floor and back.
  • When standing: stand hip width and evenly load the feet (weight distributed on heel, big toe and small toe joint). Spine in longitudinal tension and the view towards the horizon. No hollow back and no crushed back and the pelvis in neutral position. A “bad” posture weakens the pelvic floor and causes back pain.
  • Getting up from sitting: Slip forward against the edge of the chair. Shift the upper body slightly forward. Get up with your pelvic floor taut and the swing of your arms pushing your feet off the ground. To activate the pelvic floor e.g. say loud “hopp”.
  • Sitting down: Move to the edge of the chair with your legs close. Activate the pelvic floor, keep the spine in longitudinal tension (no hunchback) and push the buttocks far back when setting.
  • Correct toilet behavior: Sitting on the toilet with the back upright and the legs standing hip-width fixed. In round postures, the urethra is kinked and can not drain well. Take time, relax, NO pressing or pressing. Prevent constipation by appropriate diet and drink enough. If necessary, wheat bran, flaxseed, dried fruit, pear juice or similar. eat and drink for chair regulation. After emptying on the toilet, tighten the pelvic floor (“Pull up the pelvic floor by pulling up the trousers”). Immediately after birth, the feeling of urination may be changed, but this should improve in the course of the recovery period. In case of persistent abnormalities in frequency, amount and urgency, as well as existing incontinence, talk to a specialist (doctor, midwife, pelvic floor trainer) who may, for example, recommend a pelvic floor center if necessary.
  • Correct coughing and sneezing: do not take any round or bent stances. Stay upright, turn your upper body to one side and cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm.
  • Push baby carriage: Just grab the stroller handle from the bottom with your hands. Already you are automatically upgrading yourself. A well-bound carrying aid also ensures an upright posture, even when sitting.
  • Avoid: Heavy lifting, pressing on the toilet. Jumping sports such as aerobics, tennis, trampolining or jogging are not yet recommended because they put a heavy strain on the pelvic floor.
  • recommendable: Reconstruction gymnastics, pelvic floor exercises and sports involving the pelvic floor such as Pilates, Dancing, Kung Fu. Gentle on the pelvis are sports such as swimming or walking and anything that activates the pelvic floor.

Pelvic floor exercises for everyday life

And now a few concrete pelvic floor exercises for everyday life that every woman can “casually” implement.

  • Loosen your pelvis again and again during the day (circles, “belly dance” …).
  • Close the vagina, urethra and anal sphincter muscles with the pelvic floor force and pull the ischial tubercles inwards. This tension combined with a movement trains all three pelvic floor layers. This tension can be carried out in all positions (supine, prone, sitting, standing, quadruped). If you still have no feeling for your pelvic floor, let it explain its function and the tension / relaxation necessarily from your midwife – best of course already during pregnancy.
  • In a well-activated pelvic floor, one also feels the tension of the transverse abdominal muscles when one feels with the fingers below the navel near the pelvic bones.
  • Women with subsidence problems should take reverse positions for pelvic floor training, such as the supine position with their legs up and the pelvis elevated.
  • Do not forget to breathe during pelvic floor tensing.
  • Practice rhythmic short tensing and releasing as well as permanent tension where you hold the pelvic floor tension for a longer moment or during a movement. Exercise again and again over the day, so that the pelvic floor gets used to react automatically (reflexively) under stress with a tension at some point. This takes time and frequent repetitions.

This entry was posted in June 2016.

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