Recovery Thread Wk of Dec 5-11

[hangry]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum:

Vaginal / C-Section:

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW:

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?:

How are you feeling physically?:

Emotionally?:

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?:

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves:

[hangry]

And I'll start!

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: Nov 4th/ Almost 5 wks pp

Vaginal / C-Section: vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: Standard

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?: Dec 15

How are you feeling physically?: Great. No discomfort down below, no nipple pain, no more night sweats. Just feel weak in the core

Emotionally?: Good. As I've mentioned (several times), my biggest challenges are with the toddler.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: I still didn't take any naps last week, so maybe still that. And still to drink more water. I made my stay calm with toddler list yesterday and I feel like it already helped last night and this morning.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: H is going out of town for work for a few days tomorrow. I am very jealous of his hotel sleeps and a bit nervous for bedtime routines alone.

[hangry]

Sorry this is so late. Here are some points in diastasis Recti recovery.

*First of all, I have not assessed anyone. I can not be held accountable for anyone. If you have concerns, you should visit your doctor or a PT. These are simple recommendations for generic exercises.*

I described in my previous post how you can test if you have diastasis Recti. Laying flat, fingers an inch or so north of belly button, just lift the head. If your fingers sink in, you have it. Severity is measured by number of fingers wide the gap is. (I.e. 1 finger wide, 3 1/2 fingers wide). To correct it, you would treat it differently if you are less than 2 finger widths or at or greater than 2 fingers.

If less than 2 fingers, you can do standard ab workouts (although still avoiding full sit ups - they almost never specifically target the abs, working more of the hip flexors). Some ideas include: Crunches, pelvic tilts (moving your pelvis so that you flatten your lower back out - some understand the movement when thinking of what you do when you have sex), bridges, bridge with marching legs, using an exercise ball. Be very careful. *Make sure to stabilize your core/ tighten your abs/ flatten your stomach, while doing all of these. Also, progress slowly.*

If you have DR at 2 finger widths or more, you will need to do more conservative exercises and stabilize your core using your arms during strengthening exercises.

Stabilizing your core with your arms - Laying on your back with your knees bent up - cross your arms across your body to the opposite side of your waist. Pull your hands inward as of you were trying to connect the two sides of your abs in the middle.

All these exercises are on your back, knees bent up, and core stabilized with arms as described above.
1) head lift - stabilize core, then lift the head. Think of it as a mini crunch
2) pelvic tilt - try to flatten your back onto the floor by rotating your pelvis upward. Think of tucking your tail between your legs. Think of what you do for sex. You may be able to feel your lower abs activate if you're doing it correctly.
3) head lift with pelvic tilt
4) leg slides - From starting position. Do the pelvic tilt. Then try to slide one leg down as long as you can hold the pelvic tilt. Once you can't hold the pelvic tilt (your low back arches) bring leg back up. Alternate legs. You can progress this by doing both legs together - be sure to maintain the pelvic tilt.
5) trunk curls (crunches) - so a slightly bigger lift than the head lift. All while holding your abs together and maintaining pelvic tilt.

Continue with these conservative exercises until the separation is less than 2 finger widths. Then you can progress to more challenging exercises.

[dashook]

hangry, love the disclaimer. As your attorney* I commend you

*nothing in this post should be construed as legal advice nor as language supporting the formation of an attorney-client relationship*

But all joking aside, this is super helpful! Do people typically do the exercises daily? Or is there a recommended frequency?

[hangry]

Dec 7, 2016 10:16:20 GMT -5 dashook said:

hangry, love the disclaimer. As your attorney* I commend you

*nothing in this post should be construed as legal advice nor as language supporting the formation of an attorney-client relationship*

But all joking aside, this is super helpful! Do people typically do the exercises daily? Or is there a recommended frequency?

Thank you, your language sounds much better than mine. Haha
I felt like I needed to write something, not that I really think any of you would sue me. But this is the internet and all.

[hangry]

And yes dashook, you can do them daily or every other day. Usually a set of 10 of each at a time. If you were really motivated, it wouldn't hurt to do more than once a day as these exercises are so conservative.

[sophiegrace]

DD/ # days post partum: Nov 2nd/ 35 (5 weeks)

Vaginal/c-section: vaginal

Limitations/ restrictions: none

PP follow up visit: tomorrow
Any concerns?: none that I can think of. I don't plan on using HBC so I hope I don't get slack for it.

How are you feeling physically?: by the end of the day my lower back isn't quite sore, but uncomfortable. My posture is all off and I really need to be more aware of how I'm standing during the day. Other than that if it weren't for the leaky boobs I'd never be able to tell I had a baby a month ago. I look at my ticker change pictures and don't recognize myself. It's weird.

Emotionally?: I'm tired and some days it catches up to me, but mostly fine. I did royally lose my shit on Sunday when H and I discovered a special slideshow Ms newborn photographer put together for us. I'm just so thankful for this baby for putting my heart back together.

Goals?: drink more water, start attempting a ten minute Barre3 session a day, 100 squats a day, put the big dogs in their room the minute they start acting up instead of putting up with it for hours so I don't become resentful.

Q/C/R/R: I'm in awe of my body. Not even how I look, more so of how it did this for me and just kept on trucking along healing and making nourishment for this baby. It blows my mind.

[sophiegrace]

hangry that's amazing! Thank you for putting that together. I put my big girl pants on and checked. I don't *think* I have it, but the hernia is still definitely there. Im going to add those exercises anyway, bc better core strength helps me so much with all my other exercises.

[hangry]

Dec 7, 2016 10:29:36 GMT -5 sophiegrace said:

hangry that's amazing! Thank you for putting that together. I put my big girl pants on and checked. I don't *think* I have it, but the hernia is still definitely there. Im going to add those exercises anyway, bc better core strength helps me so much with all my other exercises.

Given how active you were before and presumably had a strong core before, I would have been a little surprised if you did have it. Just based in how you describe your workouts. But yes, a strong core is everything!

[jubilantsquirrel]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 11/27 / 10 days

Vaginal / C-Section: Vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: Just no sex

When is your PP follow up visit? Haven't made one yet.

How are you feeling physically?; Great actually! I'm about to climb on the roof and hang Christmas lights today.

Emotionally?: Also great.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: Trying to get out of the house more. I'm also going to bake some cookies.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: I'm not ready for MH to go back to work next week. He's been a huge help these past 10 days and now I'm scared to take care of both kids on my own.

[goldenlove3]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 5 weeks

Vaginal / C-Section: Vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: None as of today. I can have sex again... yay?

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?: It was today. Everything is good.

How are you feeling physically?: I feel fine. Still some discharge which the MW said was normal from the healing.

Emotionally?: Very anxious about going back to work and leaving C.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: Sleep more and make sure I'm eating and drinking enough.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: I'm still 10 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight that I wasn't happy with in the first place. I need to figure out how to get some exercise during the winter.

[cookswithwine9]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 11/15; 22 days

Vaginal / C-Section: C section

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: no lifting heavy things, no strenuous activities

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?: 12/13; just make sure my incision is healing properly. I still have pain btw my belly button and incision, feels like a nerve thing

How are you feeling physically?: I lost 21 lbs in the first 2 weeks... Nothing the 3rd. I'm really hoping these last 10 don't stick around. I tried on pre pregnancy shorts... That was sad. Rings still don't fit either

Emotionally?: Better these past few days. My last meltdown was Saturday so this is a record! I'm not feeling as unstable. I'm hoping this means the blues are on their way out.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: water, walking, sleep when possible, get out either w baby or alone every day

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: NA

[buckyb]

I'm glad you are starting to feel better emotionally cookswithwine9

[buckyb]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 11/20, 17 days PP

Vaginal / C-Section: Vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: Standard

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?: Appointment scheduled 1/3. I need to look into my bc options while bf.

How are you feeling physically?: Good! The pp bleeding is annoying. It seems to stop one day and come back the next.

Emotionally?: Feeling great.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: Continue to get out of the house most days. I've been setting one goal/task for the day. It makes me feel good to accomplish something not baby related even if it just taking out the trash.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: I'm really enjoying having my mom here. It's been nice to have company during the day.

Edit: hit post too soon

[sophiegrace]

Who is up for a weekly exercise thread? Nothing crazy. Maybe where we can put our goals and what's working for us? It might help with accountability and motivation.

...unless y'all want crazy.

[dashook]

Dec 7, 2016 18:02:02 GMT -5 sophiegrace said:

Who is up for a weekly exercise thread? Nothing crazy. Maybe where we can put our goals and what's working for us? It might help with accountability and motivation.

...unless y'all want crazy.

Eventually I might be okay with crazy. Maybe after I'm cleared to exercise and have had a couple weeks to ease back in!

[dashook]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 11/18, 19 days PP

Vaginal / C-Section: vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: still having blood pressure issues. They doubled my meds over the weekend and I'm still not in a normal range 😩

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?:
1/5. I'm a little concerned about the severity of the pain I'm having from hemmorhoids. I need to talk to them about that and about whether I need to consider PT for my abs.

How are you feeling physically?:
I'm good except for the above-mentioned issue. Bleeding alternates between next to nothing some days/nights to moderate the next day. It's annoying! I am in regular pads now (as opposed to overnights).

Emotionally?:
I'm feeling really good, really connected to little lady, and happy to have this time at home with her. MH is getting on my nerves but what else is new.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?:
I would like to get in some extra servings of veggies (although smoothies are apparently a no go). I feel up to exercising but want to wait to get the green light from my doctor first, so in the meantime I want to try to get some walking in each day and maybe start up with some light yoga.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves:
Very excited that my wedding ring fits again (even though it's a tad snug). I still haven't tried on any pre-pregnancy pants (besides sweats and yoga pants obv). I think I am 7-10 lbs above my pre-preg weight still and I am very hopeful I'll be able to take it off if I focus on making good food choices. Dieting isn't really an option because of BF but I could certainly stand to get less of my calories from ice cream!

Edit for accuracy

[hangry]

Dec 8, 2016 19:51:20 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

hangry, how do you feel about squats with DR? I used to squat with a barbell on my back with 50lbs on it (not that impressive but hey). I want to get back into that but I'm skittish. And also probably using DR as an excuse NOT to do it. If it's generally ok I have no more excuse. other than time. And exhaustion. lol

Squats are generally not a movement that stresses the abs laterally. So I would say you could start with weightless squats and practice stabilizing your core and low back.

On another note, make sure you are squatting back onto your heels and that knees don't extend in front of your toes.

[tallblonde]

Delivery Date / # Days Postpartum: 11/24 / 14 days pp

Vaginal / C-Section: vaginal

Limitations / Restrictions from OB/MW: able to exercise within a few weeks as tolerated, no ab workouts until follow up

When is your PP follow up visit? Any concerns you want to raise at it?: 1/4 none yet

How are you feeling physically?: Feeling really good. Some hemorrhoids came back yesterday, so need to maybe take colace again. The lack of a tear is making recovery much easier this time.

Emotionally?: Good. Mh goes back to work on Monday, so I have been a little teary today. Just sad how fast things are going and a little nervous about how things will go.

What are your goals this week for a healthy mind/body?: Make some progress on to do list. Baby clothes organization is needed as are some pictures for a holiday card. I'd also like to finally bake lactation cookies. Also try to get out side every day, unfortunately a cold snap is coming, which will make that harder.

Questions/Comments/Rants/Raves: I made the mistake of trying on my jeans that were big pre pregnancy...they were snug and couldn't button them. I think I was able to wear them a month after last time, so is a little early to think they may fit.

[tallblonde]

sophiegrace I did the barre3 workouts during my first pregnancy, but didn't do the post partum ones...when did you start/when can you? I'm interested in subscribing again since they are so convenient. There's a studio near my office and just got a free birthday class, can't wait to use it!

[sophiegrace]

Dec 8, 2016 23:05:21 GMT -5 tallblonde said:

sophiegrace I did the barre3 workouts during my first pregnancy, but didn't do the post partum ones...when did you start/when can you? I'm interested in subscribing again since they are so convenient. There's a studio near my office and just got a free birthday class, can't wait to use it!

I do them at home because we don't have a studio yet in this teeny town. I was planning on going straight back to the regular ones because I apparently like to punish myself. I'm starting tomorrow so I'll let you know if i die.

FWIW I'm 5w pp and was cleared yesterday by my OB. I have no DR and have started doing my regular gym workouts without issue other than losing some strength so I don't *think* I'm at much risk of hurting myself.