Restore your core (and pelvic floor!)

Heal and strengthen your postpartum body with the help of pregnancy fitness specialist and mum of four, Ashley Nowe. Spoiler alert - there's not a kegel in sight!

- By Ashley Nowe

Pregnancy and childbirth take a major toll on the body. Muscles get stretched, connective tissue is thinned, ligaments are extended - and, for some, scar tissue is formed. Despite these enormous physical changes, many women aren't told how to properly rehabilitate their bodies - particularly their core and pelvic floor. Many mothers go on to believe that their postpartum side effects are just the price of motherhood.

The good news is, core and pelvic floor training can improve postpartum side effects, whether you had your baby eight weeks ago or 18 years ago. Restoring core and pelvic-floor function can reduce incontinence, prolapse, back and hip pain, and even improve your waistline and intimacy.

And, if you're thinking kegel exercises are the answer, think again. For optimal pelvic health, your pelvic floor needs to be able to both relax and lengthen, as well as lift and contract. Total body exercises that focus on breath and core activation are far more functional than kegels in improving core and pelvic floor health.

TRY THIS 10-MINUTE WORKOUT

This is a great workout to improve diastasis recti and prolapse, and reduce back pain and incontinence. All you need is a resistance band mini loop. For each exercise, focus on breathing. On the challenging part of any exercise, you want to exhale to help activate the pelvic floor. Make sure you always listen to your body and stop if you feel in pain or pressure.

SQUAT WITH BAND