Rethink Postpartum Fitness Programs
Written by: Jen Landry, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Although postpartum programs are designed to help with symptoms like prolapse, leaking, diastasis recti, and even pain, ultimately they are about building back to a healthy life.
That is what we strive for at Moms Fit Life. Ultimately, in a world where there is little support and conflicting information, it is easy to lose sight of the goal or true end result. Motherhood is that. Moms are often given information or direction that is needed only for that moment, phase, or situation. If a child is causing problems at bedtime, we look for a solution at bedtime.
Instead, maybe if we focus on their anxiety at school, they may stop having issues at bedtime, and ultimately learn how to handle their anxiety in life. Then when they get to high school, they have a handle on stress, and emotions, and can do something positive. So it becomes easy to see a postpartum fitness program, and only see it for what it is at that moment. If you are not a mom who experiences leaking, then why would a postpartum program that helps with leaking interest you? Yes, these programs can help mothers stop their leaking or pain, but they are also designed to teach women how to understand their bodies, the proper way to strengthen a female body, and even to fear heavy things less. It is empowerment at its best. For women who have developed issues after having a baby, signing up for a postpartum fitness program that helps is a no-brainer, right now. It is a need in this phase. They have an urgency and a need for a fix because life is harder than it needs to be. Then as they begin to move through the programs, it becomes clear that this is a lifestyle and a way to stay healthy and strong for life. It doesn’t just end when the leaks stop. However, for some women who never experienced back pain during pregnancy and postpartum, it is less clear. Why join a program that can help fix back pain if you don’t have any? What if you developed back pain years after giving birth? It is possible that if you had chosen a proper postpartum fitness program, you may never have developed back pain. I also challenge those women to think of all the moms they know who are now grandparents and great-grandparents. How many of them leak or experience pain now that they are older?
Maybe this could have been prevented if they had learned how to lift and support their bodies after giving birth. It is also extremely important to understand that not all fitness programs are created equal and that a postpartum fitness program can help strengthen women beyond anything they thought capable. Pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum take a toll on the body, and starting your healing journey on the right foot is going to be the best thing you can do to live a long, healthy, pain-free life. So I call on all women and moms to stop thinking of Postpartum Fitness Programs as a solution to a problem you have right now. Instead, think of it as a solution to a problem you
have right now, a way to bridge the gap back into the activities you love so much, and a lifestyle change you can make for a brighter future. Start taking control of your future and your health now, don’t wait!
Jen Landry, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jen Landry is a leader in functional fitness. She specializes in pregnant, postpartum, and everyday women. As a mother of two little girls and two pregnancies that left Jen feeling weak, broken, and in need of answers, she discovered the Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Certification. Obtaining this certification changed the way Jen looked at pregnancy and postpartum fitness as well as female health in general. It ignited a fire to help as many women as possible, so they could avoid what Jen experienced. She is the CEO and Owner of Moms Fit Life. Her Mission: Teach Moms they can trust their bodies again and rock mom life with confidence!
