Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Mini-Course

• Functional Anatomy Review: A closer look at the muscles we’ll be asking to function.
• What is a diastasis and learn how to check for it?
• How does it all work together? (the forest with some trees): abdominals, diaphragm, psoas, TFL, paraspinals, multifidi
• How does the diaphragm, pelvic floor, core interact and how does this interaction affect the entire body?
• How does stress affect overall healing and function and what can we do to control it?

• What postpartum considerations do we need for the core and diaphragm?
• What is pressure management in the core mean?
• Common problems with pressure, including hernias, pelvic floor issues, and reflux.
• What does correct breathing actually look like?
• What are the best exercises to get someone breathing correctly?
• What’s an easy way to do self-rib mobility to promote correct breathing?
• What are some myofascial release techniques to free the ribs and abdomen?
• Breathing case studies to see incorrect patterns on multiple people.

• What negative posture adaptations does pregnancy cause?
• Are postpartum women in an APT or PPT?
• What muscles become lengthened and weak during pregnancy and which ones become tight and overused?
• What’s the best way to quickly regain resting tone in the core to promote good posture?
• Do we need pressure in the core for maintaining good posture? Too much too little?
• Why is drawing in your belly button a bad cue?
• What are the best exercises to fix those adaptations from pregnancy?
• What are some simple cues to make effective posture changes happen fast?

• How does the pelvic floor actually work?
• What’s the difference between hypotonic vs hypertonic pelvic floor muscle and how to influence both through exercise?
• What is prolapse and how does it feel?
• Prolapse and lifting: what’s helpful and what’s harmful?
• How does prolapse considerations change at different stages of healing?
• What are the best strategies to help promote prolapse healing through exercise?
• What’s the difference between urge incontinence and stress incontinence?
• What are signs to look for that tell us something is wrong even if they don’t come right out and say it?

• How does the pelvic floor interact with the kinetic chain?
• How does posture affect prolapse and leaks?
• What are the best strategies for helping both urge and stress incontinence?
• How does core, hip and foot strength change pelvic floor function for better or worse?
• Should we have clients with pelvic floor issues wear supportive shoes or work toward barefoot training?

• What is the role of a diastasis in pelvic floor dysfunction?
• Is abdominal binding for a diastasis a good idea?
• What’s the best way to get the pelvic floor ready for impact, HIIT training and heavy lifting?
• What’s the best way to regain core strength without increasing pressure on the pelvic floor?
• Review pelvic floor case studies on pressure manangement and exercise progression.
• Review pelvic floor case studies on incontinence.

• What are the best strengthening exercises with consideration of the pelvic floor and diastasis to get back to running without worry?
• What’s the best way to safely progress these exercises for fast success?

• Can you heal a diastasis?
• Should you tape for a diastasis?
• Learn how to tape to support a diastasis.
• What exercises are unsafe and can make a diastasis worse?
• What’s the best way to teach ribcage and pelvic alignment for healing?
• Do you need different exercises to address a diastasis that’s more severe above or below the belly button?
• What are the best exercises for addressing an upper vs lower DR severity?

• What is the SI and why does it give postpartum women issues?
• What are the best SI Joint stabilizing exercises?
• Understand the why behind the surrounding muscle imbalances in the pelvis.
• Learn the relationship between these muscle imbalances and SI pain.
• Understand the relationship between the Glutes VS Psoas VS TFL.

• Understand what causes Low Back Pain and Discomfort in postpartum women.
• What are the best strategies for moving, bending and lifting to prevent pain?
• Why do some women get pain with a hip hinge or reaching into a crib and what’s the best way to eliminate this pain?
• Why are overall muscle strength and balance important for back pain?
• What exercises best help build this overall system?

• Should you foamroll or stretch?
• Does the amount of time you spend foamrolling matter?
• Is there such thing as perfect posture?
• Review of how the kinetic chain interacts with pelvic floor function.
• Review of common compensations.  
• What are the best horizontal plane exercises for the hip and pelvic floor and why are they important?
• Does abdominal strength enhance glute activation?
• Should exercises focus on isolation or functional training?  
• What are myofascial slings and lines?
• How can you tell if the femur is moving properly in the socket?
• How do you activate the deep frontal line to increase correct neck activation?
• What are some pelvic floor and diastasis safe cardio considerations?

• What are the best nutritional strategies to help promote fascial healing and recovery?
• What are some easy ways to market yourself to get new postpartum clients?
• What’s the easiest way to grow a business attracting new postpartum clientele?
• Wrap up case studies.

• Overview looking at the research on safe exercise during pregnancy.
• Special considerations for 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester in regard to exercise.
• Is it safe for a pregnant woman to start a new exercise program?
• What guidelines and concerns should you take a look at for working with a new pregnant client?
• How hard should a pregnant woman exercise and can it be dangerous for her or the baby?
• How to tell if a pregnant woman is doming or straining her linea alba?
• What steps can you take to prevent SI joint pain and SPD pain in pregnancy?
• What exercises are beneficial for decreasing the severity of a diastasis recti during pregnancy and promoting faster recovery?
• What exercises are beneficial for promoting good pelvic floor health during workouts?
• What are the signs and symptoms to look for to help you know when to back off and decrease high-level exercise?
• How do you best prepare the pelvis for delivery?
• What’s the best way to promote relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles prior to and during delivery?

(Guest section by: Kathryn Ambrogne, LPTA, ACE CPT, Trained Yoga + Pilates)

• What are some general considerations for yoga in the postpartum time period?
• What poses are good to introduce in weeks 4-6, 6-8 and 8-12?
• What are specific muscle group considerations to take into account?
• How can you safely modify yoga locks?