Last week A couple weeks ago now (I keep starting posts and not finishing them) my OB/GYN cleared me to exercise! She recommended I see a pelvic floor physical therapist because I had a GIANT BABY. I wanted to see one anyway because I have several friends who have benefited from this type of therapy (even ones who haven’t had kids—apparently pelvic floor dysfunction is quite common) and I was just plain curious to see what it’s all about.

I had my PT appointment today last week and it was really fascinating! She talked a little bit about the connection between breath, core activation (and the fact that the “core” is really the transverse abdominis and not your rectus abdominis aka your 6-pack), and pelvic floor activation.

She helped me find my transverse abdominis—my dance teacher has us contract this a lot during our warmups and I was never sure I was doing it right because class is online so she can’t physically check me. I was glad to confirm that, yes, I’ve been contracting the correct muscle this whole time. 😀

She confirmed what the OB/GYN said: there was nothing “out of place” or hanging/sagging. I have felt a sensation that I call “sagginess” but she said most people would call it “heaviness”…either way, something is not as light/high as at should be. It’s probably just because my pelvic floor is weak (which she also confirmed) and it might be fixable with exercise. Or this could be my new normal—which is fine too as long as I know it’s not a sign of something wrong!

Luckily there was nothing that she was too concerned about so I don’t need regular appointments, maybe just a 6-week follow up. She recommended I do pelvic floor contractions (kegels) of course, but also recommended clams, reverse clams, and leg lifts. I’ve been doing those types of exercises for years as part of my warm-up—I never considered these core activation exercises. But I guess pretty much anything is a core activation exercise because it’s so integral to every movement.

I put myself back in dance class immediately after being cleared and I’m starting in the absolute beginner class because I’m super deconditioned. It feels nice to keep it slow and approach dance almost therapeutically.

I have been following the postpartum return to exercise program from Strong Strong Friends and will continue to do that. The PT said it was OK to lift weights but that I shouldn’t just jump right back into what I was doing and I was like uhhh I did five (5) body weight split squats today from the postpartum program and that was ENOUGH. You do not have to worry about me jumping right back in too fast. 😛

It’s discouraging to be SO out of shape but in a weird way I am sort of looking forward to this opportunity to re-train movements sorta-kinda from scratch. At least that gives me something else to focus on besides how doughy and weak I am. 😉

Now that JP is old enough to hang out on her own for short periods of time, I’ve started bringing her down to the gym with me so she can do her own workout: kicking and flailing on the floor. Baby gainz!