Why a 'Medical clearance' won't protect your pelvic floor!

Let me introduce myself; My name is Shelley, I have worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years now. I enjoy continuing my professional development, helping & supporting people on their fitness journeys, whilst also providing education to my clients, especially on the women's health side of things.

A lot of people don't actually realise what my current work is... YES, I am a currently practicing Midwife as well as being a registered nurse, whilst also running the Jurassic studio! (who needs sleep?!)

Along the way in my fitness work & Uni studies I noticed a gap in pregnancy training suitability & the proliferation of misinformation, qualification & understanding of the female body. This has been something I strive to correct. Just because your doctor gives you a medical clearance so you can continue at the gym or your current training pre/postnatal, this should not be used as a protective measure for the gym/ trainer. Further knowledge & scrutiny is required as to the level of the intensity & types of exercise that your body is capable & ready to perform. The biggest annoyance I find, is the regularity of women thinking "incontinence when exercising is normal! Kiss goodbye sneezing or jumping without slightly wetting yourself!" This is NOT normal & a very good indication your pelvic floor muscles aren't being engaged properly....

If you have not worked to engage, strengthen & reactivate your core muscles nor have a trainer whom is knowledgeable in this area, the likelihood is you are going to be setting yourself up for further damage & will have to regress at a later date.

For instance, returning to high intensity cardio or heavy lifting without proper preparation can actually cause further weakening of the pelvic floor, worsen muscle separation, prolapse, joint/ lower back pain & so much more! Not to even go into the type of delivery you may have had or contributing factors around this... whether it be caesarean section (elective or emergency), assisted vaginal delivery, vaginal delivery, did you tear, if so, how badly? Did you see a women's health physio post natal? Did you have a haemorrhage, if so how much? Did you have hypertension, pre eclampsia, preterm birth, traumatic birth, long labour, multiple pregnancy, iron transfusion or low iron levels post natal, how many weeks are you post natal, are you sleeping well, type of feeding, any medications, concerns, body pains post natal.... ETC ETC ETC I could go on all day here but just think, how many people are going to have a thorough understanding, taking care to do the right thing by your body & not: 'how to make a new mum feel ripped & back to pre baby body asap' (that isn't a thing by the way!). Ok, ill stop ranting there.

What I have noticed by starting 'mums n bubs' classes & also specialised personal training for these women is that the need for these services is high, but the availability & accessibility is poor.

I have had some clients train with me for years & then been trusted enough to train them during & after their pregnancy experiences. My favourite moments with these women would be when one excitedly yelled during her session "OMG I can actually feel my abs working again!" after focusing on core activation & strengthening for a few weeks post natal & the other one simply stating "I haven't peed myself once after having *baby name* & doing what you taught me". This gives me joy knowing my service is helping women in more ways then I thought possible.

Fitness training, like mother hood, is a continuous, constantly changing journey. By giving mums the opportunity to train for half an hour or an hour, focus on their physical well being in a private, safe & friendly space is priceless. The feedback I have had from the mums has been nothing but positive & the option of having baby join you for any session in Jurassic takes stress of paying extra for gym creche, finding a baby sitter, separation anxiety & overall is a time saver.

According to Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA), 2021, 1 in 7 women will experience post natal depression (PND). How PND affects you is unique to every person. It can present with different symptoms, be brought on by different triggers and can be treated with different methods. PANDA, 2021 identifies exercise as one way to help minimise the crippling effects of PND by increasing serotonin levels (hormone of happiness & well being!) & mood by getting out of the house & moving. There is an abundance of scientific literature available that concurs with this, such as: Otto & Smits (2011) whom found exercise to drastically reduce the occurrence of depression in adults, from 1 in 6, to 1 in 12 & Korb, (2015) stating exercise is particularly good at dealing with depression as it works to combat all symptoms of depression in an opposite manner.

So, what I, backed up by science, am trying to tell you is its healthy & good for you to get out there & exercise PRE, DURING & POST NATAL (or for anyone in general) but also, how important it is to invest your time in a trainer whom has your well being in mind & the knowledge to back it up. Make sure your trainer asks you questions, changes your training as required, understands the female anatomy & the changes that occur pre & post pregnancy. There is no "Just brace your abs" & get straight back on the horse once baby is out" if your trainer thinks there is, I would suggest a stronger sanitary pad, nipple shields & an ice pack for your vagina! (if you just laughed & peed a little, well maybe you should look into a few sessions at Jurassic PT... just sayin!

All in all, spread the word about Jurassic PT & the specialised service I can offer here for mums! You may not realise how big an impact this service could be for your sister, wife, girlfriend, partner, friend or associates.

Mums n Bubs classes running Wednesday's & Friday's: 9-10 am

Personal training also available.

"Shelley, you don't realise how much you are helping these women. Being a new mum is so hard, but I come here & every time I leave, I feel so much happier. This gives me some time to focus on myself, get out of the house & not worry about anything else for the duration of the session, so thank you!!!!" (L.H, 2021).

Thanks for reading, hopefully this gives some insight into one of my many fitness passions & how we can help create a healthier, safer & fitter place.

Stay Safe,

- Shelley www.instagram.com/smc_jurassicpt

Jurassic PT www.facebook.com/jurassicpt.com.au