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Banish your Mummy Tummy
Let’s face it, most women who have had kids will instantly know what I mean by “mummy tummy”. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles are stretched more than any other muscle in the body will ever have to, and once the little bundle of joy emerges, many women are left with what can only be described as a “jelly belly”! Whilst this can come as a nasty shock on the aesthetic front, it may also be associated with lower back pain and postural problems. The abdominals – made up of four criss-crossing layers of muscle – are effectively, a form of corset which wraps almost completely around the waist, helping to support and protect the back. Pregnancy weakens these muscles and in over 60% of women, the outer layer of abdominals separates, thus further compromising the back.
Many women end up suffering from chronic backache, unaware not only of the causes of this pain but also of the fact that appropriate abdominal exercises can actually solve the problem. Beware, however, of exercising your mummy tummy in the wrong way, as you will quite literally end up making matters worse. Start off by wiping the slate clean and forgetting about all those sit-ups and crunches you used to do (or thought you ought to do!) before having children.
1. Lie down on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, whilst ensuring that your ankles, knees and hips are aligned. Tuck your tailbone under and start to peel your spine, one vertebra at a time, off the floor until you find yourself in a bridge position with your torso in a diagonal line from your shoulders up to your knees. Now lower yourself back down to the floor very, very slowly, again, one vertebra at a time. Be sure not to cheat! You must not miss out any patches of your spine, so try to roll smoothly through the entire length of your back. As you do so, think about pulling your abdominals inwards rather than letting them relax loosely. When performed correctly, this exercise will not only help to shorten the outer abdominals – which have been stretched in pregnancy – but will also ease tension in the back and increase spinal mobility.
2. Now position yourself on all fours, with your knees directly under your hips, your hands under your shoulders and your back in a lovely long position. Gently pull your abdominals upwards as if you were tightening a wide belt around your waist. Without letting go of the abdominals, extend your right arm in front of you, so that it is parallel to the floor. Now, without shifting your weight or allowing your abdominals to relax, lengthen your left leg behind you so that it too is parallel to the floor. Think about stretching through your whole body whilst keeping the back long and the abdominals engaged (you’ve still got that belt on round the waist, remember!). Hold this position for 2-4 breaths and then repeat on the opposite side. This stabilising exercise is the perfect way to start tightening the abdominal area post-baby.
With a little patience and perseverance it is possible for most women to regain their pre-pregnancy flat tummy… before doing it all over again with baby number two!
Joanna Helcké, PhD, is the founder of Zest4lifeUK and KettlebellfitUK, and is regularly interviewed by the national media as a fitness expert. Link up with her on Twitter: @zest4lifeuk and @kettlebellfituk
Take a look at www.zest4lifeuk.com for pre/post natal fitness, Pilates, and workouts for dads! See www.kettlebellfituk.com for the ultimate inch-loss workout!
