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Welcome back to the Pregnancy Centre. We have something we would like to share with you that’s coming very soon! Yes, at last, our new edition of “AS YOUR SHAPE CHANGES – Your Personal Body Booklet” is nearly ready for release. It’s nice to see that some things stay the same and our “little booklet”, as it’s affectionately known, has stood the test of time to become a valuable resource to many mothers, fitness and health care professionals across Australia and around the world. We have updated some of the content, added some extra charts and given it a fresh new look with a redesign of the cover. AS YOUR SHAPE CHANGES was designed here in WA in 1997 by Dianne Edmonds, a Physiotherapist with a special interest in pregnancy, childbirth and the post natal period, to help mothers enjoy their pregnancy and post birth recovery. It contains simple, safe but valuable information and helpful exercises based on many years of research from dedicated professionals.
What makes our little booklet so unique? AS YOUR SHAPE CHANGES caters for any level of fitness. It comes with a series of charts (designed just for you), to record your body’s changes before, during and after pregnancy. With the new addition of the extra charts, you will be able to use this booklet again for more than one pregnancy. You can write down your measurements along the way or you can ask your health care or fitness professional to record these key measurements for you while attending your regular appointments or checkups. This way you can aim to achieve optimal results with the peace of mind of knowing you are doing all the right things for your body and your baby. Stay tuned at The Pregnancy Centre to find out how to purchase your copy of AS YOUR SHAPE CHANGES.
Pre Pregnancy |
What can affect your pelvic floor muscles?
We often think about pelvic floor muscle exercises but how often do we do them? And how much do we really know – are we doing them correctly? Then there are all those other things that can affect your pelvic floor. What are they? Check out our new article in the Pregnancy section“What can affect your pelvic floor muscles?”Here you will find some tips to consider when looking at your ‘pelvic floor health’.
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Pregnancy |
What are vulval varicosities?
Something not commonly discussed which can cause discomfort are vulval varicosities. In our pregnancy tips section this month, we have added some information on this area, based on a second time mum’s personal experience.
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Labour |
Pelvic Rocking
Some women prepare for labour down to the finest detail, some are happy to ‘take it has it comes’. There is no right or wrong, but having your body feeling strong and subtle during your pregnancy will certainly make labour a little less demanding. In our Labour section this month we have added a new article which discusses Pelvic Rocking. This is a wonderful exercise that most women can practise leading up to the birth of their baby.
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Post Pregnancy |
Returning to 'core', weights and 'resistance' exercises
Last month in our Post Pregnancy section we discussed Return to Sport. This seems a very popular topic so this month we have added in two new articles and a story. Here we have some information about things to consider when working your core and when you are adding resistance training to your exercise routine.
Now that you baby is born, it’s great if you feel you have the energy to begin an exercise program with weights, however if your pelvic floor muscles still don’t feel quite right, this next article Exercising with Weights will give you some tips on where to begin. Using a Swiss ball is a great way to get started and you will soon learn how much your baby enjoys being rolled on top of your Swiss ball too – yes, fun for the whole family!
Finally this month we are thrilled to share with you a story which is a real treat. Erica is no stranger to The Pregnancy Centre. She is a mother of two and a triathlete whose progress we have enjoyed immensely over a period of more than 10 years. As you would expect, she is very fit and strong but what is quite remarkable is how she has diligently managed and maintained this high level of fitness before, during and after her pregnancies as set out in our guidelines of AS YOUR SHAPE CHANGES. Even as a triathlete, she did not find pregnancy and post pregnancy exercising easy, however Erica was prepared to be patient to achieve the end results she needed. We hope you enjoy Erica’s Story – Part 1.
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