5 Exercises For Moms
‘Strong like a mother’ really is true when you take into account all the changes a mother goes through during pregnancy and all they do while healing in that early postpartum period.
These 5 exercises for moms are to help you or a mother in your life reconnect with their body after having a child. They will help to retrain core and back muscles after childbirth; whether that was recently or years ago.
It is never too late to help retrain these muscles and get them to help you rather than hinder you from doing what you love!
1. Inner Core Breath
3 sets of 10 breaths
Start by laying on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. As you inhale, relax your pelvic floor (imaging dropping a marble from your pelvic floor, or passing gas sensation), while allowing your belly to fill with air. Follow with an exhale as you engage your pelvic floor (lifting a marble with your pelvic floor, or stopping the flow of urine). Make sure to fully relax your pelvic floor in between reps.
2. Core Heel Taps
3 sets of 10 taps/side
Lie on the ground with your back flattened against the ground, no arch between your low back and mat. Start with both of your knees bent, with your feet hovering in a tabletop position. Slowly alternate tapping your feet to the ground, lowering each foot with control. Exhale and engage your core as you lower your foot, and inhale to bring it back up to tabletop.
3. Banded Rows
3 sets of 10 reps
Secure a resistance band to a sturdy object in front of you. Pull the band back with both hands, elbows driving back behind you. Lead the motion by squeezing your shoulder blades down and back. Hold at end range for 5 seconds. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
4. Modified Childs Pose with Upper Back Rotation
2 sets of 10 reps per side
Begin in a tabletop position with your hands below your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your knees out to the side of your mat while keeping your feet close together. Move your hips back until your belly is touching your thighs and your forearms are resting on the ground. From here, put one hand behind your head (while the other remains on the ground) and rotate your mid-back, and neck upwards. Return to centre and repeat on the other side.
5. Kneeling Squat With Band Pull-a-parts
3 sets of 10 reps
Start by holding a theraband with your arms out in front of you, in a kneeling position. Exhale (lifting and engaging your pelvic floor) as you rise up into a high kneeling position while pulling the band apart into a ‘T’ position. Inhale (relaxing your pelvic floor) as you return to the starting position.
Interested in Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?
These exercises for moms came from our expert pelvic floor physiotherapy team. Book your session with them today! They will assess your movements and body to set you up on a plan to increase your mobility, reduce pain, and prevent injury.Jasmine Choi
is a level 3 pelvic health certified therapist and she specializes in helping women in both the pre and postpartum periods, along with many other pelvic health issues.
Dr. Natalie Lopez
is a GrowCo and acupuncture certified therapist specializing in pre and postpartum care and pediatric care.
