The fact is, the more you can take of yourself and the better you feel, the stronger you will be physically and emotionally to take on the day with the "little ones" and all of life's challenges.
Below are some quick, but effective, exercises – specifically designed for the busy Mom – for the back and shoulders to keep you strong and prevent future injuries that may occur with poor lifting biomechanics and poor posture. The heavy weight of not just the baby, but also all the fun gadgets you're expected to lug around. It's no surprise that our bodies need a little help to get through the day.
Rotator Cuff Strengthener
For this workout you will need a light theraband. The beauty about this piece of equipment is that it's small enough to carry in your bag or your stroller. Now you have no excuses – you can do these exercises on the go, at the park or when you have a few moments to spare.
You can do this exercise either seated or standing; hold the elbows close to the waist with palms facing the sky holding the theraband. Pulling the hands away from each other externally rotating the shoulders
Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Muscle focus:
Rotator cuff muscles are the small muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint. If these get weak from over use you could end up with bicep tendonitis or other potential injuries. This is very common with Moms as everything is usually done with one hand while holding the "little one" in the other.
Tricep push-up extension
This is the one time in your life you are going to need arm strength, the biceps are going to get over worked from the motion of picking up the baby so it's important to balance these out and keep the triceps strong as not to put unwanted strain on them.
Hands are directly under your shoulders and knees are on the ground in a modified push-up. The pelvis is slightly pressed forward creating work in the abdominals that stabilize the spine. Place the theraband under the right hand on the floor and extend opposite arm in a tricep extension. Whilst extending the working arm be careful to keep the wrist in line with the hand not to create any unwanted tension/strain.
Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side
Muscle Focus: * Drawing your shoulder blades down activating your upper back muscles, engaging abs at all times. Keeping your abs strong and being aware of contracting them is very important as they play an important role in stabilizing and protecting the back.
* Translating this in to functional activities such as picking the baby up out of the crib will really save your back.
Spine extension with pulses
Over time in pregnancy our posture completely changes due to the increased weight of the baby bringing our body forward and causing the spine to round forward with the shoulders. This causes the back muscles to become very stretched out and weak.
Seated up right with legs in front of body shoulder width apart, hands over your head. Hinge forward from the hips leading with the sternum, biceps are by your ears. Hold this position and slightly pulse the arms behind the body mobilizing the shoulders and working the upper back. Return back to an upright position to repeat the movement again.
Reps: 3 sets of 10 Pulses
Muscle Focus:
Upper back and hamstring flexibility. This exercise will strengthen the mid upper back and open up the tight thoracic area of the spine, correcting bad habits that the body formed through pregnancy.
Butterfly ab curls
Keeping you abs strong is essential for keeping your whole body strong and restoring poor posture left over from pregnancy.
Lying on the floor with heals of feet together and knees bent to the side in a frog like position. Arms are straight over you head, circle arms around and lift the head neck shoulders off the floor exhaling pulling in the abs hold for 5 seconds and return back to starting position.
Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps
Muscle Focus:
As you exhale and bring the head neck and shoulders off the floor think of pulling your abdominals in up and back to the spine. Moms, this is a time you can practice doing your kegal on the contraction working the pelvic floor.
