Clearing up some misunderstandings Firstly, DRAM – or Diastasis Rectus Abdominis Muscles – is the medical name for the width between the two inner edges of your six-pack muscles. It also gets called abdominal separation, diastasis abdominis, stomach separation or splitting. However, most health professionals abbreviate it to DRAM as it’s much easier to say and write! So, if you ever hear DRAM mentioned in reference to abdomens, this is what they’re talking about. If you do a quick social media search for information about postpartum abdominal separation or DRAM, you find some wildly fantastica ..read more

Following on from our last blog post on what, where and why we exercise the pelvic floor muscles, this blog covers how to do the exercises correctly. Quick refresh on the anatomy: the pelvic floor muscles are a bowl shape at the base of the pelvis with 3 openings for the urethra (bladder opening), vagina and anus.   Contracting the pelvic floor muscles: When you contract the pelvic floor muscles, you want to squeeze around the 3 openings and lift the base of the bowl upwards. Think about changing the shape of the bowl from a noodle bowl t ..read more

You may have heard people say ‘do your pelvic floor exercises’. But what are these muscles? Where are they found? What do they do?  Here are the answers!   Where do I find these muscles? The pelvic floor muscles hide away at the base of your pelvis, and create the ‘floor’ of your abdomen – hence they’re called pelvic floor muscles! The muscles are bowl-shaped and attach to the bony ring of the pelvis. They dip slightly in the middle and surround the 3 openings in women and two in men. The pelvic floor muscles are made up of 3 muscles ..read more

We know it’s hard to exercise with small children. Your windows of time to yourself are very limited (or none!), the fatigue levels are high, and there are 101 loads of washing waiting to be done. Why would you want to do anything else flop on the couch for 10 minutes? It is certainly very tempting!   Sometimes, flopping on the couch is exactly what your body needs. Rest – both mental and physical – is incredibly important for parents. Parenting is a full-on job. But on the other hand, looking after yourself is also incredibly important.   Looking after yourself can include exercise ..read more

The first 6 weeks after having a baby is a time of great recovery and healing. This is why horizontal rest is so important. Avoiding heavy lifting helps your body have the time to heal and reduces the risk of complications. However, having a toddler at home and a newborn can be tricky. When it is recommended to limit how much lifting you do in the first 6 weeks, this can be challenging with an active toddler who has likely been wanting to be picked up for weeks! Minimising, rather than not lifting at all, is the most realistic option. Ways to minimise include: • Using a step stool for tasks s ..read more

Following on from our last blog post on what, where and why we exercise the pelvic floor muscles, this blog covers how to do the exercises correctly. Quick refresh on the anatomy: the pelvic floor muscles are a bowl shape at the base of the pelvis with 3 openings for the urethra (bladder opening), vagina and anus.   Contracting the pelvic floor muscles: When you contract the pelvic floor muscles, you want to squeeze around the 3 openings and lift the base of the bowl upwards. Think about changing the shape of the bowl from a noodle bowl t ..read more

You may have heard people say ‘do your pelvic floor exercises’. But what are these muscles? Where are they found? What do they do?  Here are the answers!   Where do I find these muscles? The pelvic floor muscles hide away at the base of your pelvis, and create the ‘floor’ of your abdomen – hence they’re called pelvic floor muscles! The muscles are bowl-shaped and attach to the bony ring of the pelvis. They dip slightly in the middle and surround the 3 openings in women and two in men. The pelvic floor muscles are made up of 3 muscles ..read more

My three favourite core exercises are: 4-point knee hovers (and their progression knee taps) Roll backs Supine single leg extensions The core, in my definition, is the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. The deep abdominal muscles are the ones that support your spine the most, so they play an important role in all movement. The key to these exercises is to engage the pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles first. Then moving through the range of movement with control. 4-point knee hovers: For this exercise, ensure your shoulders stay down away from your ears. It’s important to sta ..read more

Sex should never hurt. Ever. However, sex after having a baby can be quite daunting for some, particularly anyone who has had an episiotomy, tear or needed stitches to their perineum. Painful sex might come as a surprise to some women when they resume intercourse postnatally. Others may have had it prior to pregnancy. Here’s some advice on when to resume intercourse, how to know if you're ready, and how to make the experience as pain-free and enjoyable as possible. Why do I have to wait 6 weeks to resume intercourse? After giving birth, it's essential to give your body time to heal and recove ..read more