I for one know the importance of exercise and the impact this has on your physical and mental health. You will probably be surprised to know that I used to be a Physiotherapist for 7 years before I had children. I started my rotations in the NHS and worked my way up to a Rehabilitational Specialist in a busy City clinic. I used to love integrating exercise programmes into my patient’s sessions to help them achieve their goals, whether it was to be able to run a marathon after a ligament rupture, helping someone walk after a knee replacement or simply eliminating back pain in an office worker. I have always dipped in and out of exercise since having children, but after I discovered I had a large ‘diastasis recti’ after my second child was born, I decided to takeexercise seriously.
During pregnancy, as your baby grows, the connective tissue that joins your stomach muscles together widens and thins, creating a gap. The amount of separation can vary. After pregnancy the gap can remain, known as diastasis recti. If you think that you may have this, then I would recommend you have an assessment with a Women’s Health Physiotherapist.
Six Physio are a chain of private practices. They have got some incredible Women’s Health Speciality Physiotherapists who will make a formal assessment and work together with you to rectify the problem and achieve your goals. You may think it’s as easy as doing some sit-ups to strengthen the muscles again, but actually in many cases this can make it worse. I cannot stress enough the importance of seeing someone professional for this before you embark on an exercise programme.
After a small home programme to get the correct muscles working for my diastasis, it was time for me to embark on a more hardcore, sweat induced exercise programme. After extensive research, I have been doing reformer Pilates sessions at U Pilates in Cobham and I am hooked. It gets the endorphins going and helps me work muscles that I feel have been asleep for years! Pilates is something that I think is the gold standard of all exercise. It is integral in the maintenance of good posture, supporting the joints and of course to strengthen the core. Pilates on a reformer machine is another level and hits muscles that I can guarantee you didn’t know existed! A reformer machine is basically a moving platform with attachments that create resistance to achieve muscle length and strength.
Not only do I exercise for health reasons but also to feel and look good ie. banish the Mum tum! I know I will probably never have a completely flat stomach and I’m totally ok with that, (you know how much of a foodie I am), but my aim is to feel happy, healthy and confident. I like to set myself small, realistic goals, for example, Pilates once a week or feeling confident in a new dress for an upcoming event. This way they are more attainable – and I don’t feel as though I am putting too much pressure on myself.
Another way to boost happiness is simply, seeing friends. Whether you have a select few or you are a social butterfly, I believe that (real) friends are good for the soul. Quality over quantity! For me, it gives a sense of purpose and belonging other than being a wife and mother. I don’t get to see all my friends often, but I believe with a good friend you can simply pick up where you left off and it feels like no time has passed at all.
One Sunday my best friend and I took a road trip to see another dear friend of ours who has bought a new home in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside. After braving storm Eunice on the M40, (believe me that was NOT fun), we arrived at her stunning 200-year-old cottage. We were lucky enough to spend the day together catching up over sushi and wine at Soho Farmhouse where my friend is a member, which is the epitome of laid-back luxury.
Being in beautiful surroundings is always wonderful, but being with friends is just so good for the soul, and certainly puts a spring in my step.
