The birth of lululaties:
My Pregnancy Story
Let me preface this story by saying that every woman has a different pregnancy experience. Some women sail right through their pregnant state with nary a complaint. One friend actually let me know that I could stop asking how she was doing because her pregnancies were so easy; there was never anything new to report! Or perhaps you've heard the story of the Chicago marathon runner who was almost 39 weeks pregnant who finished the race in 6.5 hours and then went into labor minutes after crossing the finish line. Other women have minor aches and pains, while some experience serious complications that require medical attention and/or bed rest. My assumption is that if you are searching for some assistance in your prenatal or postpartum state, you probably share some of the same experiences I had, but like I said: every woman's pregnancy is their own.
I gave birth to Lucy in May 2013 in San Francisco, CA. And although this child is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, my pregnancy was definitely not.
I am a physical therapist with a professional dance background, but for some reason, I did not highlight core centric exercise during my pregnancy. In my “first pregnancy haze”, riddled with first trimester nausea, fatigue & back pain, I was rather sedentary. I ate lots and lots of desserts and watched a lot of Law & Order SVU.
Not surprisingly, my back pain turned into hip pain, pubic bone pain and general aches in my joints. I definitely did not have a pregnancy glow. I felt like I had been hit over the head (and in the stomach) with a baseball bat. Everything felt like an effort.
But the recovery of childbirth is what really shocked me. I am an experienced physical therapist, yet I didn’t realize the extent of the trauma that a pregnant woman’s body goes through. I had two Grade 2 tears (a healthy 8 pounder can do that to you ...) that became infected and required antibiotics. But that wasn’t even what needed the most healing. After giving birth, my pelvic floor and abs were nonexistent. When I patted my belly, it wobbled and jiggled like a waterbed. Even lifting my head off the pillow was more difficult than before. The first time I was in qudaruped and attempted to lift my one arm for an exercise, I thought I was going to fall over. I was caught off guard how much muscle tone my body would lose.
After that foggy "4th trimester", I set out to rehabilitate my core and pelvic floor. Being a new mom was overwhelming, but I found ways to work in little bits of exercise here and there during the early months. While lying in bed, I did isometric core work. While playing with my daughter on the floor, I squeezed in a couple sets of clamshells; then I'd crawl onto all fours over her and make silly faces while extending my arms and legs. Eventually I became strong enough that I could safely stand up in the tub while holding Lulu, without having to push off the tub or grabbing my husband's hand for assistance. I was able to dance while holding my daughter or sneeze and not have that moment of "Oh maaaan ... I just peed."
My second pregnancy, with my beloved Ruby, was different. I was aware of the importance of Pilates-based strengthening and stretching exercises. It was a odd concept to embrace: I wouldn't be getting "flatter abs" or losing inches; I was growing rounder and heavier. But I knew I'd be maintaining my strength and preparing for the road ahead of delivery and the postpartum period. It was a bit like swimming upstream, yet I knew the stream well. Being consistent with specific Pilates-based exercises that targeted the prenatal body made a world of difference in my healing during the postpartum phase. I knew I needed to do this in order to 'bounce' back after this pregnancy and keep up with my active 27 month old toddler.
All this being said, my little Lulu-Bean was worth every ounce of pain. And knowing that a strong core and pelvic floor was able to help reduce or eliminate the pain of pregnancy and allow me to take care of my child faster and better is what inspired me to help other mamas. This is such a special time in life and I can't wait to be a part of it with you.
I gave birth to Lucy in May 2013 in San Francisco, CA. And although this child is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, my pregnancy was definitely not.
I am a physical therapist with a professional dance background, but for some reason, I did not highlight core centric exercise during my pregnancy. In my “first pregnancy haze”, riddled with first trimester nausea, fatigue & back pain, I was rather sedentary. I ate lots and lots of desserts and watched a lot of Law & Order SVU.
Not surprisingly, my back pain turned into hip pain, pubic bone pain and general aches in my joints. I definitely did not have a pregnancy glow. I felt like I had been hit over the head (and in the stomach) with a baseball bat. Everything felt like an effort.
But the recovery of childbirth is what really shocked me. I am an experienced physical therapist, yet I didn’t realize the extent of the trauma that a pregnant woman’s body goes through. I had two Grade 2 tears (a healthy 8 pounder can do that to you ...) that became infected and required antibiotics. But that wasn’t even what needed the most healing. After giving birth, my pelvic floor and abs were nonexistent. When I patted my belly, it wobbled and jiggled like a waterbed. Even lifting my head off the pillow was more difficult than before. The first time I was in qudaruped and attempted to lift my one arm for an exercise, I thought I was going to fall over. I was caught off guard how much muscle tone my body would lose.
After that foggy "4th trimester", I set out to rehabilitate my core and pelvic floor. Being a new mom was overwhelming, but I found ways to work in little bits of exercise here and there during the early months. While lying in bed, I did isometric core work. While playing with my daughter on the floor, I squeezed in a couple sets of clamshells; then I'd crawl onto all fours over her and make silly faces while extending my arms and legs. Eventually I became strong enough that I could safely stand up in the tub while holding Lulu, without having to push off the tub or grabbing my husband's hand for assistance. I was able to dance while holding my daughter or sneeze and not have that moment of "Oh maaaan ... I just peed."
My second pregnancy, with my beloved Ruby, was different. I was aware of the importance of Pilates-based strengthening and stretching exercises. It was a odd concept to embrace: I wouldn't be getting "flatter abs" or losing inches; I was growing rounder and heavier. But I knew I'd be maintaining my strength and preparing for the road ahead of delivery and the postpartum period. It was a bit like swimming upstream, yet I knew the stream well. Being consistent with specific Pilates-based exercises that targeted the prenatal body made a world of difference in my healing during the postpartum phase. I knew I needed to do this in order to 'bounce' back after this pregnancy and keep up with my active 27 month old toddler.
All this being said, my little Lulu-Bean was worth every ounce of pain. And knowing that a strong core and pelvic floor was able to help reduce or eliminate the pain of pregnancy and allow me to take care of my child faster and better is what inspired me to help other mamas. This is such a special time in life and I can't wait to be a part of it with you.