I know that so many new moms are struggling (especially now with COVID) and are experiencing even more isolation than ever! It's hard to get out to a yoga or exercise class or find a specialized pre/post expert to support you.

It's difficult to get the support of a peer group so I have decided to help YOU and open up formerly MEMBERS ONLY content to all your new or soon to be moms out there overcoming the various issues after giving birth.

 CLICK HERE for access RIGHT NOW.

We know that movement helps with:

• depression
• back pain
• sleep deprivation
• anxiety 
• overall wellness

It was the first thing that helped me feel most like myself postpartum, and why I am so passionate about getting this essential information out to moms.

My Essential Birth Recovery Course starts with gentle stretches and is designed to slowly, safely take women through a functional fitness program that focuses on mobility, stability and alignment.

 Movement Heals.

And if you...

Best Resistance Band Full Body Flow Workout Video!

Resistance band workout are for prenatal and postpartum workouts.

In fact, ACOG specifically recommends using resistance bands as a safe part of your wellness routine to stay strong during and after pregnancy.

 So what are you waiting for? Grab your medium strength resistance band,

*Check out our 6XPRESS 6 minute sculpt video HERE or keep reading!*

They are also a great prop to help moms maintain their functional fitness who are facing problems with their posture. This band works in a different way but the expected result is the same as traditional weight training.

According to the SAGE Open Medicine resistance band workout gives the same strength as weight lifting exercise. The band workout is different from traditional weight training exercises.

Resistant band creates a resistance and the muscle will work against that resistance which makes the muscle more active. In weight training, the resistance comes from the gravity and...

If you have separated abdominals or diastasis recti, you may want to modify your yoga practice and poses.

Most yoga feels great and offers many benefits from pregnancy power yoga to safe stretching postpartum, yoga videos and home workouts. Yoga and Pilates can be a great way to tone during pregnancy and feel better after baby. But if you have abdominal separation or daistasis recti (see our previous blog post HERE) you will want to run a checklist in your head as you start to return to your old practice or workout routine. Check out the best video for diastasis recti and sphynx pose HERE.

It's not so much about closing the gap you may have in your "6 pack muscles"  as it is about practicing functional fitness. Which means:

• Focusing on alignment when moving
• Breathing properly to prevent bulging
• NOT  OVER twisting 
• NOT over arching
• Preventing ribs from splaying

We have a great yoga video HERE for after baby to help with modifying your Sphynx Pose if your...

Interested in learning how to use your foam roller for after baby exercises + stretches?

This tool can be great go to after labor, birth and when you feel ready to start gentle movement again after your baby is born.

In fact, the first thing I did to reconnect for my c-section healing postpartum was to slowly get on the roller, take some deep breath's and open up my chest & shoulders.

It felt so good in the early weeks postpartum to do something movement related that was as good for my well being as it was for my overall alignment.  I have been rolling out for over 18 years and use the roller for most musculoskeletal ailments and imbalances. I even roll my kids out!

If you are a runner + returning to running postpartum, the roller can be especially useful for helping with hip pain & recovery. But really, everyone needs a roller- I even gave one to my dentist because she is so hunched over it's painful to watch.

I have put together a little...

CUPPING FOR C-SECTION SCAR / STRETCH MARKS

WHAT IS CUPPING FOR MASSAGE?

Lately, I have been exploring cupping therapy. A colleague of mine, Amber Clark, owns  Cupping Dynamix in Bend, Or. and offers workshops to teach other LMT's all about cupping. She suggested that I try cupping to help break up scar tissue/access fascia, increase ROM, circulation and lymphatic drainage-even years later! She says other benefits include:

• Stimulating whole body relaxation response (parasympathetic response)
• Stimulates oxygenation and detoxification of blood while promoting a feeling of lightness and relief of pressure
•  Detoxifies metabolic debris in muscle tissue, fascia, and skin

Can cupping therapy help your c-section scar? I am always intrigue by bodywork and it's ability to facilitate healing. After my unplanned c-section 13 years ago, I turned to acupuncture, naturopathy and body work to help heal and recover. I was surprised to find my scar still...

THE BEST ON DEMAND VIDEO OPTIONS

FOR FITNESS AND WELLNESS for MOMS

Working out, parenting or recovering from home requires expertise and support! With the closure of many brick and mortar studio spaces, many classes and support groups have now moved on line in an effort to continue to reach women and families during this unfamiliar time.

If you are pregnant or have a newborn, you may be especially inclined to protect yourself and your family by following the CDC guidelines and staying at home as much as possible.The good news is that many small businesses and experts are now offering their services through a video subscription site or Telehealth.

You can now find anything from a counselor to cesarean recovery exercise videos on line and available to stream anywhere and at your leisure.Receive help with your latch, get your kids moving or find a virtual new moms support group.Here are just a few to get you started! What video subscription sites do you use for...

TRAVELING TO VIETNAM WITH KIDS + EXERCISING ON THE ROAD

Traveling with Kids &  Family Travel to Vietnam 

NATURAL HEALING TO PREVENT INJURY AND AID IN RECOVERY FROM CHILDBIRTH 

Prenatal and postpartum pilates are essential natural healing techniques to prevent injury and aid in recovery of the abdominals before, during, and after childbirth.  As a professional, if you work with women chances are you have had some prenatal and postpartum clients. Even 25 years later, a woman can still be experiencing postpartum alignment challenges, chronic pain related to childbirth and separated abdominals or, diastasis recti.

If you are a barre instructor you may have students in your class who are starting to consider conception. If you are a yoga teacher, you may have clients with grown children who's ribs are still out of alignment and should be modifying twisting and extension poses. If you have attended a pre/post teacher training you may feel confident in offering movement modifications for prenatal and postpartum clients as a pre/post Pilates, yoga or barre instructor.

Healing Diastasis Recti: 

Tips for Birth & Fitness Professionals

It’s estimated that two out of three of women experience separated abdominals during pregnancy or postpartum due to diastasis recti. So when women come to me complaining of back pain or pelvic floor dysfunction, five days or even 15 years postpartum, the first thing I do is assess their abdominals. Separated abdominals affect the entire core and how it is (or isn’t!) supporting, performing, stabilizing, and loading the pelvis and back. Healing diastasis recti and integrating with functional fitness is what we seek to do.

Who is at risk?

Although many people experience diastasis recti, new moms are at higher risk due to the constant lifting, twisting, carrying, and wearing of babies and toddlers. So what causes separated abdominals and what are the most effective steps to encourage healing? Here we diagnose diastasis, as well as provide tips and modifications for recovery on how to heal with...