In today’s culture you’re being told to have the baby, go home, and check back in around 4-6 weeks to be cleared by your doctor for exercise. But what are you supposed to do during those early days and weeks? We’ve got you covered!

This 4 week program is designed to guide you through that funky period of time between going home with your new baby and getting cleared by your doctor for exercise again. During this 4 week program we will provide you with simple programming for 2 days a week (think 10 mins a day) of gentle, healing and restorative exercises that are safe during this time, as well as practices for the mind, body and soul. 

This program was designed and created by SP Mamas Coach, Carolina Stone and in collaboration with Dr. Erica Boland of Coulee Health.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FROM COACH CAROLINA ON HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS PROGRAM…

  • Each person’s healing experience is unique. This program is a supplement to your healing but does not replace the advice of your healthcare team. Signs that you may need more time before moving on may include, increase in vaginal bleeding or sharp pain with prescribed movements. Please check with your care provider and chiropractor or physical therapist if you have an increase in symptoms.

  • The intention of this program is to help you reconnect with your body after the massive transformation of pregnancy and birth. It’s meant to be an intimate experience and an opportunity for you to practice self care during what can be a vulnerable time. 

  • This program is simply a resource for gentle movement suggestions and healing exercises in the early postpartum period. Feel free to make it your own!

  • The focus of each session is on BREATH, POSTURE, AND TENSION as these habits and tendencies play a critical role in core and pelvic health. 

  • This is not a “follow along” style video program. Please watch the demo video as a reference and then take your time with each of the exercises. 

  • We strongly recommend that you read the movement descriptions and notes with each session for additional information and details to help you understand why we are doing each exercise. 

  • Just like all of the Street Parking programming, feel free to modify or substitute whatever you need to accommodate for your space, weather, equipment needs etc. 

  • If you enjoy one of the exercises or sessions you are more than welcome to repeat it on another day but please remember to prioritize rest as often as possible.

  • Try to give yourself plenty of grace in everything you do, even this. There is no “right way” to recover or heal. If you find yourself resisting doing these sessions or not connecting with the program, give yourself permission to stop and find something else that works for you. 

  • If you’re looking for some music to accompany your sessions check out the playlist: My Motherhood Transition on Spotify. 

  • If you have any questions about the movements or exercises please email mamas@streetparking.com

WEEK 1: SESSION 1

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Lying down (you can even do this in bed!):

  1. Body scan - Start at your toes and feet and work your way up your whole body to your shoulders and head. Scan each limb and each muscle with and bring awareness to how you are feeling and where you are holding tension.

  2. Hands on belly or chest - Use the physical touch of your own hands to bring awareness to any movement of your belly while breathing. The warmth of your own hands and the physical touch can be a gentle way to establish a connection with your postpartum body and set an intention for healing. 

  3. Breathing - Bring awareness to your breath. You don’t need to control it or change it, just notice how you’re breathing in this moment.  Notice if you tend to breathe more in your chest or in your belly. Pay attention to how deep your breathing is and how your body responds to focusing on your breathing. 

Workout Notes and Modifications:
Postpartum is the ultimate physical reset. A regular scan for tension as well as physical touch create habits of relaxation and respect for your physical body. Consistent breath work is the first step in healing your core and pelvic floor.

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Today’s session is just about establishing a connection with your postpartum body and setting an intention for healing. Take this time to simply BE with yourself. You have been through a massive transformation and getting to know yourself in this season can take some time. You don’t need to worry about “doing” anything at all! Just try to rest as much as you can and focus on eating nutrient dense, warming foods and ask for help if you can. Check out the SP Mamas Resource: Nourishing Recipes for the Immediate Postpartum Period for a few ideas!

WEEK 1: SESSION 2

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Lying down with knees bent. head, shoulders, and feet flat on the ground (or bed or couch!)

  1. 5-10 in each direction - Wrist circles, elbow circles, ankle circles (one leg at a time) - Gently start to wake up your body and explore the range of motion in your joints

  2. 10 breaths in Neck stretch - Press back of the neck into towel and create length through the spine

  3. Explore creating a neutral spine - adjust your hips, pelvis, neck and shoulders as needed to create a long, neutral spine

  4. Use remaining time to practice Breathing - encourage longer exhales to stimulate “rest and digest” response

Workout Notes and Modifications:
Posture and alignment play an important role in creating a stable core. Today we use the support of the floor to feel the connection to a neutral spine. Posture work begins with lengthening spine as if someone were pulling s string from the crown of your head, rib cage over pelvis, pelvis neutral.

Practicing long, slow exhales is a breathing technique that encourages a calming response in your body by stimulating the vagus nerve.  The vagus nerve monitors the state of your organs and feeds information to the central nervous system, helps regulate your heartbeat, and stimulates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system. 

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Rest and recovery is essential to your body’s ability to heal. Just like it’s important to take rest days with your training to allow the muscles to repair and the nervous system to regulate, getting rest in these early postpartum days and weeks is an important part of your physical recovery. I know its not always easy to get time to rest with a newborn, especially with other little ones or when help is limited. So if you can’t sleep or nap, try to find little pockets of time where you can at least practice taking long, slow exhales to encourage the rest response and aid in your own recovery.

WEEK 2: SESSION 1

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 5-10 Minutes to practice:

Lying down with feet elevated on a chair, bench, or box

  1. Full Core Breathing - Practice breathing into your belly, hips, waist, and lower back. Imagine you are wearing your favorite pair of sweatpants and try expanding the waistband ALL the way around. Try to resist pressing the belly forward or lifting the chest/shoulders up. Instead focus on more of a 360 degree expansion.

Workout Notes and Modifications:
Full Core Breathing is the first step in rehabilitating the connection to your core and pelvic floor. This type of breathing will allow the muscles of the system of your core, including your diaphragm and pelvic floor to begin to strengthen and coordinate to create a stable foundation.  Notice how this breathing feels in your body. Did you feel shortness of breath at the beginning? Did you notice anywhere in your body relax? Don’t worry about making this breath perfect. It’s ok for it to feel strange or confusing. Just practice and observe your body’s response. 

To learn more about Full Core Breathing, check out this video for a Conversation with Dr. Erica Boland!

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Pregnancy and birth is a massive transformation physically, mentally and emotionally and it can be challenging to process it all at once.  Journaling about your experience can be helpful in navigating this transition and creating space for healing any trauma. Putting pen to paper can sometimes help you sort through your thoughts and better understand your emotions. Try to find some time this week to sit down and write or even just talk with someone you trust about your experience so far.

WEEK 2: SESSION 2

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

In a seated position

  1. Shoulder Rolls

  2. Neck circles

  3. Jaw stretch

  4. 5 Min Full Core Breathing 

Workout Notes and Modifications:
We tend to carry much of our tension in our pelvic floor, face, neck, and shoulders. The tension in the jaw mimics the tension in the pelvic floor. When you relax your jaw and face, you are training relaxation of the pelvic floor. Knowing how to relax the pelvic floor is key in preventing or healing pelvic floor dysfunction such as incontinence or prolapse.

Today we are practicing Full Core Breathing in a seated position!  Focus on maintaining a neutral spine and expanding your torso all the way around with your breaths. You are resisting gravity more in a seated position so it’s very normal for this to feel a little more challenging. 

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Pay attention to what your hydration is like this week! Hydration helps with muscle function, recovery of tissues, quality of sleep, and milk supply if nursing. If you are drinking plenty of water but still experience symptoms of dehydration or prolonged healing consider adding an electrolyte tab or packet to your water 1x/day. 

WEEK 3: SESSION 1

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Workout: 

  1. 3-5 Seated Cat/cow/Trunk circles

  2. 3-5 breaths/side Seated Side bends

  3. 3-5 breaths Seated Gentle spinal twist

  4. 3-5 breaths Seated Figure 4

  5. 3-5 minute Seated Full Core Breathing

  6. 5 minute walk with Full Core Breathing

Workout Notes and Modifications:
Today we start to incorporate some gentle stretching and mobility. We encourage you to do this for as long or as often as you are comfortable but it’s important to be gentle with your stretching right now. Relaxin levels stay slightly elevated for the first several weeks postpartum. This affects tissue repair and causes ligaments to remain more “lax” so mobility should happen in shorter segments of time than you may be used to.

Feel free to make today’s “WALK” longer if you’re comfortable. However, instead of focusing on how far or how long you walk for, try to pay attention to the quality of your breathing and posture.

Coach Molly’s Tips:
Check out this great tip from Coach Molly on creating more balanced plates!

WEEK 3: SESSION 2

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Workout:

  1. 3-5 Table top modified range of motion cat/cows

  2. 5 each direction Table top hip circles

  3. 5-10 Table top scap shrugs

  4. 2 Min Tabletop Breathing/tension awareness - notice what your tendency for holding tension is. For example, do you squeeze your glutes, clench your jaw, or suck in your belly? 

  5. 5-10 Minute walk with breathing, tension and posture awareness

Workout Notes and Modifications:
During the Cat/cows, modify the range of motion so that there is no pulling or straining in the belly. Instead, focus on just a gentle tilt of your tailbone towards the sky and a little lift of your chin to open the front of the throat. 

How and where you hold tension is an important element of an effective and efficient core. During the TableTop Breathing exercise today, notice if you have a tendency to pull or suck in your lower belly. Encourage your belly to soften and the muscles to relax. 

Feel free to make today’s “WALK” longer if you’re comfortable. However, instead of focusing on how far or how long you walk for, try to pay attention to the quality of your breathing, posture, and adjusting where or how you hold tension. 

Coach Miranda’s Tips:
Check out this great tip from Miranda on shifting your mindset during your postpartum recovery!

WEEK 4: SESSION 1

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Workout: 

*All about baby wearing! You can practice all of this while wearing your baby in a wrap, carrier, or holding them in your arms.  If you need the time to be alone, feel free to just practice these concepts on your own. 

  1. Body Scan -  check for tension tendencies - glutes/belly/jaw/shoulders/feet gripping

  2. Posture Scan - practice finding alignment of head, shoulders, neutral pelvis, hips, and heels

  3. Breath awareness - work with the added demand of baby weight

  4. 5-10 Minute Walk with breathing, tension posture awareness

Workout Notes and Modifications:
The start of baby wearing and/or pushing baby in the stroller can lead to a forward tipped pelvis. Think of your pelvis as a bucket of water. You don’t want to tip water out the front (sticking your booty out) and you don’t want to spill water out the back (tail tucked between your legs). You want to hold the bucket of water neutral. As you wear, push, or carry baby check in with your pelvis. If you struggle to find neutral, cat/cow or pelvic rocking on a yoga ball can help increase your awareness of pelvic position.

Feel free to make today’s “WALK” longer if you’re comfortable. However, instead of focusing on how far or how long you walk for, try to pay attention to the quality of your breathing, posture, and adjusting where or how you hold tension. 

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Scar tissue is thicker than normal and can stick to the tissue below and around it. If there was any scar tissue in the abdomen or pelvic floor scar tissue therapy should be performed. Emotions are also stored in scar tissue so getting comfortable with seeing, touching, mobilizing your scar should be a gentle process. To learn more about this check out the SP Mamas Resources page for a blog post from Dr. Erica Boland!

WEEK 4: SESSION 2

Watch the demo video and then set a timer for 10-15 Minutes to practice:

Workout: 

  1. 5 Min Diaphragmatic Breathing (supine or seated)

  2. Use Single Leg Lift and FP 1 Hold and connect to the sensation of Intra Abdominal Pressure 

  3. 10 Glute Bridges with block

  4. 5-10 Reps of FP 2 and Exploring different variations 

  5. 5 per side Table Top with Thoracic Rotation

  6. 5-10 Shin Box to Kneel 

  7. Bonus: 10-20 Minute mindful walk

Workout Notes and Modifications:
Intra Abdominal Pressure, IAP, is created when the core is stabilized. This occurs in posture, lifting, running, carrying your baby, and each “load” has a different demand. When you practice using breath and feel natural IAP in the Functional Progressions, your body will learn to use the appropriate pressure for the task at hand rather than an all or nothing approach. You can best FEEL this in this exercise in FP 1 with alternating leg lifts. 

For the Glute Bridges feel free to use a rolled up towel, pillow, or foam roller if you don’t have a yoga block. 

Functional Progression 2 advances that brace and trains the pelvic floor and core to work together as one, activates obliques, and helps bring diastasis together. In the top of the movement you can FEEL diastasis reduce.  

For the Shin Box to Kneel feel free to use your hands or any extra support that you need. If you have sensitive knees, try doing this on a carpeted floor. 

Feel free to make today’s “WALK” longer if you’re comfortable. However, instead of focusing on how far or how long you walk for, try to pay attention to the quality of your breathing, posture, and adjusting where or how you hold tension. 

Coach Carolina’s Tips:
Congratulations on taking the time to be intentional about your healing and recovery!  We hope that you continue to gradually rebuild a strong foundation for your long term core and pelvic health by continuing the next phase of your journey with the SP Mamas Postpartum Core Rehab program.  Please reach out if you have any questions! mamas@streetparking.com