PRENATAL COACHING

Exercising during pregnancy doesn't need to be complicated or scary, but there are a few mental and physical adjustments that should be made during this period to protect you and your baby. 

The pressure of a growing baby on your body, in particular your core and pelvic floor is something that MUST be taken into consideration when exercising prenatally. During this time, it is important that we implement the right strategies to avoid placing unnecessary stress on an already stressed system. Your prenatal program will include a combination of strength and conditioning workouts and breath strategies that promote core and pelvic floor coordination as well as better body alignment. As you progress through your pregnancy I will consider the volume, load and intensity of your workouts; adjusting your program week by week so that you can trust that what you are doing is right for you and the season you are in.

The most effective way to recover postpartum is to adjust your training in pregnancy...

Unfortunately, being super fit or maintaining your pre-pregnancy level of fitness doesn’t decrease your chance of experiencing pelvic health conditions, prevent diastasis recti or lead to an easier birth. In fact, excessive training or doing what you've always done can actually result in the opposite. Which is why it is important that during this season you adapt your training and learn how to train with intention rather than intensity. 

Training with intention will not only help to preserve your core and pelvic floor function but can help set you up for a strong return to exercise postpartum and support life-long performance.  

Pregnancy is temporary, postpartum is forever... 

How you choose to train during pregnancy can have a direct impact on your lifetime performance. Pregnancy should be seen as a time to adjust and de-load. We must consider risk v reward. Can I? verses Should I? Pregnancy is not a time to push your limits, but a time to recognise and adjust. 

Making small changes to your training now can make a big difference when it comes to reducing pre and postnatal symptoms.

Exercising throughout your pregnancy comes with a bunch of other awesome benefits;

• Controlled weight gain
• Reduced risk of gestational diabetes
• Decreased risk of lower back pain
• Decreased risk of urinary incontinence
• Improved quality of sleep
• Reduced stress and increased energy levels
• Prevention/improvement of symptoms of depression
• Quicker recovery postpartum

My goal as a postpartum coach is to help mothers rehab, retrain and return to exercise with confidence. I want to help mamas run, jump, and most importantly play with their little ones WITHOUT symptoms. 

What is postnatal coaching?

Postnatal coaching is designed to help you restore core and pelvic floor function and improve strength and mobility to progress you towards your aethletic goals. 

The initial phase of your postnatal training is all about implementing breath strategies as well as muscles activation/relaxation techniques to help support your core and pelvic floor during exercise. From there we move onto preparing and conditioning your body for the demand of parenthood (feeding, carrying a capsule, pushing a pram and simply picking your baby up) using a combination of specifically designed full body workouts that build and repair muscles that have been deconditioned during pregnancy. Once we are confident in your progress, we then proceed with a strength and conditioning program that incorporates high impact movements and high intensity exercises. 

Is postnatal coaching right for you?

• Do you want to feel strong and confident postpartum?
• Are you looking to return to fitness after having a bub, but feel a little lost?
• Do you have a core or pelvic floor dysfunction?
• Do you suffer from lower back pain? 
• Do you have a fitness goal, but you're not quite know how to get there?
• Are you looking for a program that will work around you and the demands of parenthood?
• Do you value an evidence-based approach to postpartum exercise?

PS. Postnatal coaching isn’t just for new mums, but for any mum wanting to improve their fitness. Whether you are 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years postpartum I will work with you to create a program that helps you improve your fitness and achieve your goals.