Diastisis (Abdominal seperation) after pregnancy,

Hi Guys!

I wanted to explain about Diastisis and its effects. Many women don't know about it and because of this can't fix it. The good news is there is always a way to make things better and I have been testing different treatments so I can tell you how they go. Hooray!

Diastasis Recti Abdominus
Diastasis Recti Abdominus or DRA is the seperation of the rectus abdominus muscles into left and right halves.The rectus abdominus muscles are basically your "six pack" muscles.
The rectus abdominus are joined together by the linea alba which is made mostly from connective tissue. It's the line you see down the middle of your abs. DRA occurs when the linea alba is damaged and the abs seperate like a zipper. True DRA is when there is no connective tissue between the rectus abdominus anymore, they have split apart and you can see the uterus or intestines bulging through.Watch this, its crazy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFkZgSdPC7E
Most women will get a small split during pregnancy which can be treated with exercise. However if the split is too bad surgery (a tummy tuck) is needed.

Effects
The common effects of Diastisis Recti are

• compromised pelvic floor muscles,
• urinary and fecal incontinance,
• pelvic organ prolapse,
• lower back, hip and pelvic pain,
• baby belly that stays after pregnancy, and
• lowers athletic performance and strength.

A 2008 study by Meredy Parker, et al, demonstrated that women with a DRA tend to have a higher degree of abdominal or pelvic region pain. A Diastisis means less support for your spine and hips. This instability can lead to low back, sacro-iliac (hip) joint pain and pelvic pain. The presence of DRA also alters the function and insertion of the transversus abdominis and external oblique muscles( ab muscles).
  This alteration in biomechanics and insertion can lead to abdominal trigger points. Trigger points are common causes of urinary urgency, urinary frequency and pelvic pain

DRA has a profound effect on the function of the pelvic floor muscles. The abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles work together. When DRA is present, there is less support for the pelvic organs, the pelvic floor muscles are compromised and therefore contract less effectively. Why don't they tell pregnant women this!!!! Compromised pelvic floor leads to lead to urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

DRA is also a cosmetic condition- it causes the post pregnancy paunch and your waist will never be as small if your abs are split apart. If you don't fix this it will be hard to get your pre-pregnancy body back. It will compromise your athletic performance as well.

Oh my god!!You can see why I keep banging on about making sure I have repaired my Diastisis before I start to exercise. The effect are serious and I will regret it rush back into training.
http://www.meredyparkerpt.com/pdfs/Meredy%20Article.pdf
http://www.endingfemalepain.com/

Guys can get Diastisis too! Weird!

How Do I Check For Diastisis?

1) Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2) Exhale and slightly lift your upper back off of the floor. Check how many fingers you are able to insert horizontally two inches above the umbilicus(belly button), at the umbilicus and two inches below the umbilicus.
3) A DRA of one-to-two fingers is considered normal. A separation wider than 2 fingers requires correction.
 Just remember your DRA will feel a lot bigger straight after pregnancy so give yourself a break and some time to heal( 4 -8 weeks).

How do I treat a Diastisis Recti Abdominus

Ok so I am going to do a whole new post about this tomorrow but if you can go and see your physio ( not doctor!)they will check out how bad it is and give you some exercises to start with. I will be telling you what I have been trying and what has worked best. It is important to know that even if you had your babies 10 years ago you can still have Diastisis. The good news is you can always improve this condition with a bit of work. Yippee! Also the exercises will help anyone with a pot belly :)

Thank Goodness for Breastfeeding!!!

My Beautiful Husband and Baby Abigail

Hi Guys!

So I had a shocker on the long weekend. We had a house full of guests which meant there was potato bake, breadrolls, cake, biscuits, chips, jelly, custard and more. You name it, I probably ate it. On Tuesday I woke up feeling like I had a hangover! In a way I did, my poor body had to process all that rubbish. I've only just started to feel better today.

Needless to say I didn't hold out much hope that I would lose any weight. However, thank god for breastfeeding! You burn an extra 650 calories or 2500 kilojoules a day. I was also still doing my exercises and going for a walk everyday. I kept up with my body brushing and self massage as well.


















Stats
Date: 6/09/11
Weight: 57.6  lost half a kg Wooo Hooo!
Waist: 83cms lost half a cm    
In my photos you can see a big change in my waist and belly button ,Yay! Mostly that I am starting to have a waist and a belly button again hehe.
One of the things I have been trying is using a splint and a belly band to get my waist back quicker. This also helps with Diastisis (splitting of the abs into left and right halves whilst pregnant). I believe this has been helping with both my backpain and getting my abs back. I've tried two different types and will let you know what I think in my post on Diastisis.

This weeks measure and photo :)

Hi Guys! Just a quickie to show you this weeks photo and measurements.

Any excuse for a baby photo!

Unfortunately my last 3 days have been a bit all over the shop.

Tuesday 27/09/11
Exercise: Walk and ab holds
Massage: Body brushing and oblique release.
Diet:
Breakfast - 1 spoon natural yoghurt, pea protein and fruit and nuts, decaf coffee.
Morning Tea - Decaf Coffee.
Lunch - Rice Crackers with tuna, avocado and tomato. Steak.
Afternoon tea - 3 Scones with jam (bad!).
Dinner - Venison sausages with steamed veggies.
Cheat - The scones!!!

Wed 28/09/11
Exercise: Walk
Massage: Body brushing and oblique release.
Diet:
Breakfast - 1 spoon natural yoghurt, peas protein and fruit and nuts, decaf coffee.
Morning Tea - dried apricots and seeds.
Lunch - Steak and veggies.
Afternoon Tea - 1 scone :(
Dinner - Lamb rissoles and veggies
Cheat - 2 biscuits and scone :(

Thursday 29/09/11
The day from hell!!! No sleep and lots of crying. Abigail even managed to projectile poo all over me, the carpet and the shoes in the cupboard behind me :)
Exercise: Nil - it rained most of the day :(
Massage: Body brushing and oblique release.
Diet:
Breakfast - 1 spoon natural yoghurt, peas protein and fruit and nuts, decaf coffee.
Morning Tea - about 1 million biscuits and proper tea.
Lunch - Rice Crackers with tina /avocado and tomato. Steak, beetroot.
Afternoon tea - Steak, beetroot
Dinner - Pork cutlets, eggplant, zuchinni. Rooibos tea.
Cheat - who knows how many biscuits and a scone. Did I mention it was a bad day?

So anyway, the measure, weigh and pics. Everything is moving in the right direction but there are many changes I need to make! Mainly in my diet :)
My physio tells me I won't be able to exercise properly for another 4 weeks so diet is what I can try and control.
Tuesday 27/09/11
Weight: 58.2 kgs
Waist:   83.5cms

So I lost 700grams in weight and 0.5cm around waist. This would be going faster if I stopped eating junk!!!

My photos show that my tummy is looking much less pregnant though, which makes me happy! Yay!

Body Brushing

Hi Everyone!
I keep talking about self massage and body brushing. I thought I'd better explain what they are all about :) I have been body brushing for many years. Its awesome for re-energising you and it has many great health benefits. One of the things I noticed when I was pregnant was the increase of cellulite. Noooooooo! Its because of all the hormones and the fluid retention. I have included a little fact sheet for beating cellulite. Also you notice after the birth that the skin on your tummy is not as tight as it once was. Body brushing and massage help eliminate cellulite and tone the skin. Hooray! Also it only takes about 5 minutes a day which is do-able with a newborn. I thought I would have more time when I wasn't working, hilarious!


About Body Brushing
Body brushing the skin is an ancient therapeutic practice - it exfoliates and tones your skin, helps slow the skin’s aging process, increases circulation an alleviates muscle tension. Body Brushing is a great way to relieve your body of stress because it induces relaxation, stimulates blood circulation and helps your lymphatic drainage system remove toxins from the body. In doing so, it helps to reduce cellulite in thighs and the bottom, where fats, proteins and waste products tend to accumulate.


Just 5 Minutes a Day
Body brushing will help to reduce cellulite especially if you also improve your dietary habits. If you are dry brushing, a warm bath or shower using herbal or essential oils aids in the rejuvenating process and washes away the toxins that your body has eliminated through the skin. After body brushing you can self massage with oil or moisturiser. If I have a bath I tend to do a few minutes of self massage on thighs. You do this by pressing your fingers fairly hard and moving in little circles from knees upwards. Also a pinching movement works well, just not too hard and make sure you grab the fat as well, not just skin. Oils that work well mixed in with a good base oil (like almond) are; grapefruit (my favourite), black pepper, juniper, rosemary, clary sage and lavender. I tend to just use grapefruit and lavender because I like the smell :) Black pepper is good too though.

Check out these websites for more info:
http://aromatherapy.bellevuemassagetherapy.com/2009/05/liver-lymph-cellulite-and-essential.html
http://www.aromatherapy-at-home.com/essentialoilsforcellulite.html


How to Brush Your Skin

Firstly you need a body brush. There are so many different types, make sure you get one with natural plant bristles. The synthetic ones scratch your skin. I prefer one with a handle too so you can reach your back. I have seen these in the Body Shop or if you just look up body brushes on the internet there are about a million! Even a loofah will work though.

Start at your feet, brushing up your legs and thighs towards the groin in long strokes. Spend a bit longer on back of thighs and bottom. Work in circular movements over the tummy round belly button in a clockwise motion, then from outside of waist in towards belly button. Brush from hands, up arms and across the back and shoulders. Always work towards your heart. This encourages the return of blood and lymphatic flow. Your skin may redden and start tingling as the body brushing increases the circulation in areas of greatest fat concentration. How firmly you press depends on how toned your skin and body are now. Go easy at first. Your skin will soon become fitter and more toned and then you will be able to brush more vigorously. Avoid body brushing if you have eczema, psoriasis, broken or infected skin, or varicose veins.

There is some more good info here:
http://spas.about.com/od/skincare/a/skinbrushing.htm
http://yourbeautyspot.ninemsn.com.au/bodycare/388654/why-you-should-body-brush


Benefits of Body Brushing

• Assists in skin exfoliation
• Increases circulation
• Helps tone muscle
• Stimulates sweat and oil glands
• Activates lymphatic drainage
• Induces relaxation.

Six Ways to Fight Cellulite
Don’t think there is an overnight cure! There are many causes of cellulite so you’ll get the best results if you  take a holistic approach. This includes the following:

1. Increase your daily intake of pure room temperature water to assist in flushing toxins from your system. This will stimulate the liver, making the detoxification process more efficient.
2. Decrease your intake of caffeinated drinks, alcohol and highly refined and processed foods. These have a direct effect on the lymph and circulatory system, slowing them down and leading to a build-up of toxins in your system, which will eventually contribute to cellulite.
3. Don’t smoke. It dramatically restricts circulation and puts a magnitude toxins into your system.
4. Take regular exercise. This will increase your cardiovascular fitness, boost your metabolism, strengthen the muscles and the connective tissues in your body. It will also stimulate your circulation and lymphatic system. It doesn't have to be a marathon - try a brisk 45 minute walk three or four times a week, or yoga. You know how I feel about exercise! It helps you mentally and physically. Don't make exscuses, just do it!
5. De-toxify your mind. You are not defined by your body shape or your cellulite, and a few lumps and bumps certainly do not make you a lesser person. Treat yourself well and do things to boost your self esteem, like pampering yourself with a facial or massage (or a workout hehe).
6. Body brush each day. Your skin is the body’s largest excretory organ, so make sure you slough away those built up dead cells on the surface. Body brushing each morning will help you shed these dead cells. By working from your feet towards your heart in long sweeping motions - in the same direction as your blood flow - you’ll assist in stimulating lymphatic drainage of the body which eliminates those cellulite causing toxins.

Well, there it is, a little fact sheet on Body Brushing. I hope this info helps everyone!

The Last Two Days!

Hi everyone:) Its been a crazy couple of days! On Sunday Abigail decided to cry from 7am to 1pm, then on and off all night. I ended up sleeping on the floor of her room for a few hours. Leon had to go back to work yesterday so the timing was excellent hehe.

I still managed to squeeze in my exercise and massage though. Thank god! I would have gone mad otherwise!

Sunday 25/9/11
Exercise: 40 min brisk walk
                4 sets of transverse activations
                4 sets of pelvic floor activations
Massage: Body Brushing
                Oblique Release
                Self massage on legs and tummy
Diet:        Breakfast - Coffee 2 poached eggs, 1 minute steak, baked tomatoe, banana
                Morning Tea - Rooibos tea
                Lunch - Gluten free sausages, steamed greens with olive oil and balsamic, baked pumpkin
               Afternoon Tea - Vitawheat crackers with cheese
               Dinner - Homemade chicken soup with 2 rice crackers
               Cheat - 3 lindt balls
So after this terrible day from hell I looked up some things as to why she would be crying so much. So apparently it could be the coffee or wind. I have decided only decaf from now on, its not worth it. Foods that is thought to give breastfed babies wind are eggs, wheat and dairy; so I will eliminate them except for the spoon of natural yoghurt I have with my protein. This makes me sad :(  However I have always been much better off without wheat and I have a dairy intolerance so it will actually help me lose the baby weight. Also caffeine causes cellulite, which I definitely want to get rid of!

Monday 26/9/11
Exercise: As above
Massage: As above
Diet:        Breakfast - Decaf coffee (boo hoo) tin of tuna, banana, nuts (I was in a rush)
                Morning tea - Grapes, seeds
                Lunch - Homemade chicken soup with two rice crackers
                Afternoon Tea -  Rooibos tea
                Dinner - Roast Lamb with pumpkin, sweet potato, onion, broccoli and asparagus
                Cheat - Dessert custard with self saucing pudding. Bad!!!
So Abigail was awesome yesterday, slept when she should, was happy when awake. I hope it is because of my diet as at least I can control that a bit.
Tonight is photo, weigh in and measure. Wish me luck!

My Plans: (babywilling)

Well.... this is going to be harder than I thought! Today is the sixth day I have tried to start this! Looking after a baby takes a LOT of time!!!

Today is day 11 of motherhood and I am tired and a bit overwhelmed :) Its all good though, I'll just take it one day, dirty nappy and hysterical crying fit at a time. I have watched my belly grow huge over the last 9 months and its going to be a big job to get back to where I was before, hehe. Thank goodness I am a trainer! I know what to do.
So I will attack my baby belly from 3 sides:

1. Diet
2. Exercise
3. Massage

So first things first, my stats:

Before Pregnancy
Date: 21st November 2010
Weight: 52.5kg
Waist: 72cm
Exercise: At this time I was training up for the CrossFit Regionals so had a huge training load i.e. 8-10 sessions a week consisting of strength, carido and metabolic conditioning.
Diet: Strict Zone (see the Zone Diet, you balance your calories from carbs, proteins and fats for every snack and meal to ensure peak athletic performance) and I was limiting bread, grains, processed foods and sugars.
Massage: I was body brushing (will talk more about this later), getting regular lymphatic drainage, and soft tissue massages.

2 days before labour!

During Pregnancy

Date: 11th September 2011
Weight: 66.7kg
Weight Gain: 14.5 kg ( I am only 4'11 so this is a lot! I was 27% heavier)
Waist: 111cm
Exercise: At first I was still training to a degree, but after 6 months I had to stop doing weights so that Abigail could turn (she was breech for a while). In the last trimester I was just doing swimming, walking, a bit of boxing and pilates.
I was working as a trainer till week 37 which meant 6am starts (aaargh) and finishing between 6 or 8pm. I was too tired to do much. During my breaks I would sleep if I could. Basically I decided I would deal with it all after the baby was born.
Diet: What diet? hehe. Well I ate whatever I liked mixed in with a lot of fruit, vegies, nuts, protein. No alcohol, minimal caffeine.
Massage: I just got a soft tissue massage every now and then and a bit of body brushing.

Birth
Date: 13 September 2011
Weight: 62.6kg
Baby Weight Loss: 4.6kg
Waist: 104cm 

Day 2

Exercise: Well I am taking it really freaking easy and letting my body heal. I try and get a fast walk in everyday for my mental and physical health :) I bought a splint belt to help bring my abs together and am trying to do 2 sets of tummy holds and pelvic floor exercises a day. I will talk more about these exercises later but they are extremely important to rebuild a strong core and make you waist smaller. What a lot of people do is rush back into strenuous exercise before their abs have had a chance to heal. This is what causes you to have the pregnancy paunch, especially if you don't learn how to activate the transverse abdominus again. We all know the importance of the pelvic floor too! Gotto look after that, you'll miss it when its gone :) Most importantly I'm giving myself a break and learning to be a mum without putting too much pressure on myself. 
Diet: Anyone who has been in hospital knows the food consists of carbs, carbs and carbs. Bread, cereal, sugary drinks, rice, pasta etc. So after 5 days of that I had lost no more weight. When I got home I cut bread out and increased my protein. The carbs I am getting are from fruit and vegetables. This made a big difference and I felt a lot better. Also I lost another 4 kg in two days! Again I am nowhere near as strict as I was before pregnancy. No one told me how HUNGRY you get when you breastfeed! So I still sneak a treat every now and then but will talk more about diet later on too.

Massage: self massage and body brushing.

Today
Date: 24 September 2011 (day 11)
Weight: 58.9kg
Waist: 84cms
Exercise: hmmmmm Abigail was a bit mental today and I did not get my walk. I have done 2 sets of ab holds with splint on though.
Diet:

Day 9

• 1 filter Coffee - I'm giving up all caffeine tomorrow just in case its making Abigail restless.
• Breakfast - 1 cup natural yoghurt with natural pea protein powder mixed through. Fruit salad and a few cashews.
• Morning tea - decaf cap.
• Lunch - Kangaroo rissoles with greek salad and raw cabbage salad.
• Afternoon tea - 4 crackers with cheese. 
• Dinner - Scotch fillet steak, greek salad and asparagus.
• Junk - 1 biscuit, 1 boiled lolly, 1 red frog. Did I mention I was starving?

Things to improve would be no processed sugar, get rid of caffeine, more water, use rice crackers instead of wheat (better no crackers at all). I'll get there though.

The vain part of me really did not want to put up these photos!
The blue tape is from my physio, not an accessory!

I'm already seeing a big difference but my tummy still has a long way to go.What I learn will hopefully help other people too. Yay!