wellness

POP can occur at any stage of life from childbirth to menopause.  This guide will help you understand what pelvic organ prolapse is, why it happens, and most importantly, how to chart your full recovery. 

When it comes to menopause, the information age is opening up our collective conversation, but the confusion for most women persists.  This blog is a deep dive into the science of menopause and full of science backed tools for you to thrive for longevity.

A silent risk to women’s health as we age, especially as we approach menopause, is declining bone density. Here's what you need to know about osteoporosis and a lifestyle guide to prevention and strength.

Before new moms return to jumping jacks, trampolines, or running, the pelvic floor needs to be ready. Leaks or pressure during impact aren’t something to push through—they’re a signal. Your pelvic floor is a system, and high-impact movement is safe once it’s strong and coordinated. Cross-training rebuilds that foundation so you can jump confidently. Ongoing leaking warrants a pelvic-health assessment. Your pelvic floor, the trampoline gauntlet, and cross-training for a lifetime of adventure. One of the many profound awakenings that occur the moment you become a mother and meet your newborn is how much you suddenly understand your own mother’s life and behaviors—like why they never jumped on a trampoline! These moments are what I refer to as, “aha—now I get why my mom was the way she was” epiphones. And, in the vein of self-awareness and evolving together, I’m here to ask you today… When was the last time you jumped on a trampoline? It’s a very common tale. Our moms, grandmas, and best friends alike stopped jumping the second they delivered their first baby and we all just accepted that it was something our bodies just couldn’t do anymore, because, well…we’re moms. I’m here to dispel those assumptions and challenge the status quo while getting you back on the trampoline, running those stairs, doing the jumping jacks and loving the body you live in. For many women, difficulty with jumping postpartum isn’t just about weakness—it can also be due to pelvic floor dyssynergia, a condition where the pelvic floor muscles fail to coordinate properly. This imbalance can make activities like jumping, running, or even sneezing unexpectedly difficult. Here’s what you need to know about your pelvic floor and how it works as a part of your functional core. Plus, how to keep it strong, pliable, and rebounding for a lifetime of adventure. Your pelvic floor muscles are a system. They want to be trained, healed, and strengthened with the whole body, not alone in isolation. The first point of entry on your pelvic floor is actually your transversus abdominals (or TVA). They anatomically connect to your pelvic floor and are essential for lifting your upper body weight out of your pelvis. If your upper core is compromised (for example, you just gave birth), then your pelvic floor muscles are not only stretched and injured themselves, but they are bearing all the weight of your abdomen and upper body against the constant pull of gravity. This makes any increased pressure, like from jumping or sneezing, almost unbearable. Pelvic floor core exercises are key in stabilizing these muscles, allowing them to function properly and reducing issues like leakage or discomfort when jumping. So, the first step in long term pelvic floor health is recalibrating your abdominal pressure by training your TVA and pelvic floor to co-contract and release together. See this video for a deeper tutorial. Tight pelvic floor muscles are a thing. If your muscles are tight or not moving, then they can’t perform the job they were intended for and a cycle of weakness and disengagement ensues. This tightness, known as pelvic floor hypertonia, is a common issue that can make high-impact movements like jumping or running feel nearly impossible. Tension in these muscles occurs most frequently as a result of scar tissue adhesion and restriction resulting from tearing, c-section or internal scarring that can go unnoticed at your regular check-ups. They can also become overly tight against the downward pressure of a weakened TVA/core system that is constantly bouncing, cradling, and lifting an increasingly heavy baby. This tightness puts a lot of pressure on your urinary tract and supporting muscles, often leading to incontinence, like when you jump or cough. Releasing your pelvic floor with diaphragmatic breathing and “RM Pelvic Corridor” functional strength-training is the first step in building reliable functioning muscles. Kegels—let’s break it down. Our pelvic floor does not want to be strengthened like a bicep. Please STOP putting things in your vagina and squeezing them to “get stronger!” Your vaginal wall post-baby definitely needs to be re-toned, but it will take several months to a year, and is most effective when you are integrating your entire core system with breath, contractions, and release work. Remember, your pelvic floor does not want to just be tight. It’s like a soft, well-knit fabric that wants to stretch and rebound back into place.The RM Pelvic Corridor is how I cue a kegel—we start with breath, relaxation, and then isolating your transversus abs (because when they engage, they lift and support your pelvic floor as whole). Then, we add on by engaging the vaginal wall (I like to use the imagery of trying to lift a tampon that’s about to fall out) and then follow that contraction up the birth canal to your belly button. This is mental as much as physical. It takes as much effort to relax and isolate as it does to strength-train this muscle system. The payoff is a well-calibrated and reliable co-contraction of your foundational core that you can intentionally activate as you move forward in your overall cross-training—jump squats, anyone? Progress is achieved through consistency. Keep showing up and trust the process, especially on days when you’re tired because that’s when your muscles become the most passive. I often tell moms, if you get 2 contractions out of a set of 10 reps, then you’re doing it right. The next day, you’ll get 5, the next maybe only 1, but progressively, you are getting stronger and changing the way your body moves as a system. Do the work in your videos, and then challenge yourself to bring your pelvic corridor into action in your hardest mom’ing moments as well, like bending over the bathtub and picking up your child, climbing the stairs or running on the playground. This is how your core becomes a reliable part of your body and life. You have to cross-train your body. Motherhood is so repetitively one-sided. You get wonky and won’t even realize how much you can’t do until you try to do a jumping jack and everything feels like it’s going to fall out. In RM, I have you doing jump squats by week 6—just little ones that keep nudging your forward and testing your strength. By Phase 2, we’re doing mountain climbers, wide leg squats, and yes…jumping jacks! It’s humbling work and SO satisfying to feel your body say “yes” and to realize you have the power to make positive change on way more than your body, but your mind, heart, and soul too. Everything works as one when it comes to happiness and health for your life and your family. So, go on…take your kids to the trampoline park and take your pelvic corridor for a test drive! If you pee yourself, get over here and start with Day 1 of Phase 1 and then go back in 8 weeks and try again. Your mind will be blown, I promise! Keep reading: Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Your Complete Guide Intimacy and Your Pelvic Floor: Reclaiming Comfort After Birth How to Cross-Train Like a Badass: A Woman's Guide to Lifelong Strength RM Strengthen — the Revolution Motherhood method Start your free trial with Revolution Motherhood →

Pain or changes during sex after birth are common and often tied to pelvic floor tension or scar-tissue tightness—not a permanent problem. The medical term is dyspareunia, and it frequently improves with gentle postpartum pelvic floor exercises, breathwork, and time. Recovery is a system: when the pelvic floor relaxes and rebuilds, comfort and pleasure return. Persistent pain deserves a provider’s evaluation. Reclaiming your sexual energy and pleasure post-baby. Do you experience pain while having sex? Are you avoiding being intimate since giving birth because you’re afraid it will hurt or feel different? Have you just been doing it to keep things steady in your marriage (but don’t really enjoy it)? If you can relate to any of the above statements, I want you to know that you’re NOT ALONE! Fact: The medical term for feeling this is actually dyspareuniaand its diagnosis often qualifies you for pelvic PT. A leading cause of painful intercourse postpartum is pelvic floor spasm, a condition in which the muscles of the pelvic floor remain involuntarily contracted, making penetration uncomfortable or even impossible. According to a recent study conducted by PelvicCare, 1 in 3 women report pain during intercourse that actually worsened 2 or more years after delivering their last baby. This is a common side effect of childbirth and it often does not pass or go away on its own. But the good news is that it is very very treatable. Here at RM, we are committed to disrupting fear and pain cycles that restrict women's lives and your ability to thrive. Sexual intimacy, pleasure, and vitality are essential components to thriving in your life and marriage. So, TMI is not a thing here—we are bringing these conversations forward, educating you about what you’re experiencing in your body, and providing effective tools to help you head back between the sheets and have fun…even if it’s just for 5 minutes before your kids wake up and crash the party! Pelvic Floor Function 101, Sex + Tools To Get Your Groove Back: Time is on your side, not your doctor’s. The 6 or 8 week postpartum check up is not your defining moment and is often misleading. Your body is totally not healed, though you may no longer need medical attention. And, as for being ready for exercise and sex at that exact moment, that’s just not true for the vast majority of women. The reality is, it takes some vulnerability to look at your body after you give birth. You’re going to discover at first, a body that looks and feels very different than before. So, take your time—this is your body, your timeline, and when you feel ready to share yourself with your partner again, then it’s the right time for you. A Lesson in Anatomy + Recovery. Your pelvic floor muscles are a network of tissues, muscles, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons. Post-vaginal or cesarean birth, this well-calibrated network needs time to recover and a few tools to help come alive again. When these muscles become chronically tight or overactive—known as pelvic floor hypertonia—it can lead to persistent discomfort, difficulty with penetration, and even urinary urgency or constipation. This actually starts in other parts of your body—rolling out your feet, breathing and moving your ribcage, mobilizing your pelvis and back. When your body feels easeful, the pelvic floor muscles relax and move as well. When you are stressed and not breathing, the most common human response is to retain that tension in your pelvic floor, hips, back and jaw muscles. Pelvic floor tension is one of the most common causes for pain. It can feel a little confusing to have a weak and tight pelvic floor, but that is how muscles operate. When they are tight, they can’t engage and become weak, so surrounding muscles begin to tighten and overcompensate. For instance, your groin muscles and hip flexors will begin gripping to create stability in your pelvis when your central core and low-back waist are collapsing. Breath, soft foam rolling, and strengthening your transversus abdominal muscles all have exponential benefits when it comes to feeling your pelvic floor release and regain pleasurable sensation. Scar tissue adhesions from tearing along your perineum, a c-section or internal scarring that may not be visible to outside observation. Scar tissue sticks to things which creates asymmetry in the surrounding areas, most notably in the pelvic floor. When the pelvic floor can not glide and move, it gets really tight (like when you throw your back out and can’t stand up straight). This is why, penetration of any kind can feel excruciating—the muscles simply can’t relax and stretch the way they normally would. Scar tissue also leads to other pelvic dysfunction like incontinence, organ prolapse, and diastasis recti. Your pelvic floor is part of a system. It’s important to understand that your body is a system and that your pelvic floor is part of it. When you have pain and pressure in your vaginal wall that makes penetrative sex painful you are most likely dealing with a combination of the above conditions. Good news is, when you start treating the whole system, all of the symptoms begin to improve together! Where To Begin A pelvic physical therapist (not OT) that is specialized in manual and visceral manipulation. I look particularly for PT’s who are trained in the Jean Barral Method. They should talk you through everything, listen to your concerns, and be in communication throughout the session so that any internal or external treatments are consented to and you know what is being worked on, released, and realigned. Gentle postpartum recovery exercises that facilitate functional strengthening, but also integrate your emotional and mental health. For pelvic floor hypertonia and postpartum recovery, start with exercises that focus on releasing tension before strengthening, such as: Diaphragmatic breathing to encourage relaxation of the pelvic muscles. Pelvic tilts and bridges with a focus on slow, controlled movement. Soft tissue release with a therapy ball or gentle foam rolling around the hips and lower back. Mindful stretching to reduce tightness in the inner thighs and hip flexors. When you feel happy and relaxed, sex becomes more interesting and your body will respond more readily to the idea of intimacy and pleasure. Start in Phase 1, Week 1 of the RM App and discover your energy and creativity in all parts of your body and being. Be honest with yourself and your partner. Sexual intimacy is not solely defined by penetrative sex as one of my favorite clinical sexologists, Hani Avital, founder of Shelaah, shares in her work with women and couples. Sexual intimacy is about all of your sensual pleasure and senses being brought to life and stimulated together. Postpartum sexuality can become an awesome opportunity to awaken parts of your relationship that you never knew existed before. Something To Remember Sexuality evolves and matures decade over decade. Post-baby, you may feel exhausted and have zero libido or you may feel the opposite and want to jump on your partner the second you’re alone. All experiences and desires are normal and there is no right or wrong way to live into your sexuality—it will ebb and flow over a lifetime. But living with pain, restricting in shame, and silently suffering are formulas for total self-implosion. Breathe and relax. Your body is an incredible entity that is capable of healing, is powerful and resilient. Addressing pelvic floor spasm and hypertonia through breath, movement, and targeted therapy can restore your sexual wellness and confidence. Maturing within yourself, as motherhood often brings, can lead to you becoming more self-possessed, self-aware, and embodied, while experiencing greater pleasure and orgasms than you ever did before having kids. Get a mirror, take a look down there, and then let us know your questions. If you’re in need of a pelvic PT, send us a message and we’ll help you find one. Join our community and chat with other moms. Plus, it’s the month of love—what better time than to talk to your partner and let them know how you’re feeling. Honesty has a way of smoothing the path to intimacy more than anything else. Keep reading: Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Your Complete Guide Nurturing Intimacy Within Yourself Vaginal Birth Recovery: Tips and Secrets for Healing RM Heal — the Revolution Motherhood method Start your free trial with Revolution Motherhood →

Diastasis recti is a common condition describing a thinning and widening of the connective tissue along the abdominal midline, often from pregnancy. Despite the fear marketed around it, it’s a normal, learnable part of many recoveries. Understanding diastasis recti symptoms—and how your deep core and pelvic floor work together—is the first step to healing without panic. Nothing to Fear & Everything to Learn Companies have learned that fear sells—especially to women and most definitely to moms. If you are afraid AND only have access to partial or distorted information about your body, then you are more likely to buy whatever they tell you will fix the problem. Case in point, Diastasis Recti. Diastasis Recti (pronounced dai·uh·stay·suhs rek·tai or just DR for short): Is a common condition that describes a thinning and weakening of the abdominal wall and an inability to create a strong, unified contraction of all of the layers of your abs across the midline, or Linea Alba. PELVIC FLOOR SPASMS & ITS CONNECTION TO DR One lesser-known but related issue is pelvic floor spasm—a condition where the muscles of the pelvic floor become excessively tight, leading to discomfort, pain, and difficulty engaging the core properly. Many women with diastasis recti experience pelvic floor spasm due to the instability in their core, causing compensations in the pelvic muscles. Addressing DR through proper engagement of the transverse abdominals (TVA) can help relieve unnecessary tension in the pelvic floor and restore functional movement. ANATOMY 101 In order to make an accurate strength assessment and informed decision about your healing, we are going to first dive into understanding what your muscles do and why. Your TVA (transverse abs) form the base of all of your mid-trunk muscles, from the back through your side waist, across the front of your hips. They are your stability muscles that glide back and forth around your waist when you take deep breaths. Resting on top of your TVA, are your visible ab muscles, which are your mobility muscles—meaning they are the ones that flex and extend to help you bend over, turn and lift heavy objects (like your toddler!). Here’s what you need to know: Isolating your TVA is new for most people. I certainly never had to do it before having babies. But, and this is essential - learning to isolate and strength train your TVA is the secret sauce to rehabilitating your pelvic floor, your back and entire trunk function. This is because your TVA is the foundation for your entire body. When your TVA is passive and unresponsive (which naturally occurs with pregnancy and childbirth), you will experience all kinds of tightness in your hips, back and pelvis. You’ll feel like it’s impossible to engage your abs and like you’re stuck and can’t move easefully. A disengaged TVA often contributes to other conditions like incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. TAKES TIME TO LEARN YOUR TVA, BUT IT WILL PAY OFF Chances are, you’ve never had to isolate your TVA. I certainly hadn’t prior to giving birth! My core had just always kind of been there for me. So, learning how to breathe and create the subtle glide of your TVA without triggering other muscles (like your hip flexors) requires both patience and consistency. The more you practice, the stronger your neural pathway from your brain to your TVA becomes, making it easier to strength-train and make progress. Check out this video in Phase 1 for detailed instruction on strengthening your TVA. THE SECRET ABOUT MEASURING DR: There is no standardized way to check for DR by a healthcare provider or even by pelvic PT’s. If your OB does a quick check at your 6 or 8 week check-up and declares you fine or “3 fingers,” take a breath, go home, and follow these steps to discern your actual abdominal capacity. WHAT DO FINGER MEASUREMENTS MEAN? Not much, honestly. Consider a belly at total rest. If I stick my fingers into the space between the two sides of your six-pack, chances are I’d be able to get a few fingers in there, especially if I’m digging around. Now, consider a belly that has been activated into a best-effort attempt to co-contract your TVA and your six-pack? This midline would be much more firm. Then, take the same belly, on a mom who hasn’t slept in 24 hours, whose back is jacked and ask her to make a best-effort contraction—her midline would measure much more weakly. Here’s my point (and some homework!): Hold your initial DR reading lightly. Let it be a guide post that you check every 6-8 weeks as you are doing progressive strength and rehabilitative work (ahem…like working your way through RM Phase 1, for example). HOW TO KNOW YOU’RE READY TO WORKOUT Right after delivery, your belly is literally a deflated balloon—the tissues are stretched and beginning a healing process that spontaneously contracts and shrinks your tissues. This is NOT the time to start digging into your midline to see if your abs are separated—they are and that’s totally normal. In the early days post-childbirth, it’s best to do some simple breath-based, TVA engagement (follow along here) where you’re waking up your abs to work within the movements of daily life—to help you stand up, sit down, and support a baby cradled in your arms. DIASASTIS RECTI EXERCISE POSTPARTUM: THE FIRST STEP TO RECOVERY When you’re ready to start rebuilding strength, diastasis recti exercises postpartum are the best place to begin. These gentle core activations target the TVA and pelvic floor, helping restore stability and prevent further complications like pelvic floor spasm. The earlier you can reconnect with your deep core muscles, the more effectively you can support your spine, hips, and overall movement patterns. Once you are feeling like you want and need more, head over to the 4th Trimester program. Timing is personal—for me, it was about 10 days post birth. So, no matter when you’re feeling like you need to get into your body and begin moving the newborn kinks out, it is the right time. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE READY Have your mind in the right space and understand your motivation to help your body heal and feel more at ease. Enter a place of curiosity with your body. Go from tending to your recovery, to helping your body heal and regain strength—not from hating your postpartum body and trying to get anything back from before motherhood. That is all in the past. Now, you are in the present and moving forward. Remember, you are living the opportunity of your lifetime—to embody and know yourself as a mom, as a woman, as all of the facets of brilliant you. Motherhood is everything…the entire suite of human emotion, thought, and self-expression. It takes courage to enter your body as a mom, because you will release feelings that are big—they could be scary and you might even discover some inconvenient truths. But, this is the gateway to thriving and really enjoying your life. Be brave—you can do it! You can do anything you set your mind to…you gave birth! So, place fear of your body, mind, and emotions aside, roll out your mat, and discover what is possible in this lifetime. I’m in there with you, every step of the way. Keep reading: Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Your Complete Guide Diastasis Recti Exercises Postpartum: When More Intervention Is Needed Building Muscle After Childbirth: Rebuilding Strength From Your Core Out RM Heal — the Revolution Motherhood method Start your free trial with Revolution Motherhood →

Vaginal birth recovery happens in layers: swelling and tenderness first, then gradually rebuilding the pelvic floor and deep core. The early days call for rest, ice, and gentle care—not rushing into kegels. As healing progresses, breath-based pelvic floor work restores function and strength. Every recovery is different, so move at your body’s pace and follow your provider’s guidance. Tips + Secrets for Healing Your Secret Parts I always wondered why laboring women were totally naked in birth videos—not even wearing a top? Wtf? I was about to find out… My First Birth Adventure: My water broke during rush hour in the middle of Astor Place. I already knew every birth story is different—there are expected and unexpected circumstances that surround them all, and my first experience made that crystal clear. After grabbing a cab from someone else, yelling that my water had just broken and her yelling back, “Oh…well, yes—you take it then,” I proceeded to drive home to Brooklyn, going in the opposite direction of my hospital. I often get a sideways look from people when I get to that part of the story, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to be except in my shower, alone, safe and…out of my clothes! After grabbing a cab from someone else, yelling that my water had just broken and her yelling back, “Oh…well, yes—you take it then,” I proceeded to drive home to Brooklyn, going in the opposite direction of my hospital. I often get a sideways look from people when I get to that part of the story, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to be except in my shower, alone, safe and…out of my clothes! I was as prepared as I could be. My husband and I had taken the birth class, painted the nursery, and even hung the mobile above the crib in anticipation of meeting our baby. However, at that moment, none of the preparation mattered. Little known fact: Your water doesn’t just break once and stop. It continues to flow out of you…a lot of it…for a while. Coupled over with increasingly blinding contractions, picking our way through NYC traffic at 6PM, I proceeded to flood the cab driver’s backseat with my amniotic fluid. I left him the biggest tip of my life as I muttered ‘I’m so sorry’ and sprinted up the stairs to our apartment, undressing the entire way. By the time I was in the shower, my contractions were so intense, they were dropping me to my knees. My husband at that moment was in East Hampton—at least 3 hours away. I wasn’t due for 15 more days, so I had told him I’d be fine and to go that morning. Now, he was desperately trying to get back to the city while I was in the shower with contractions 4 minutes apart. Hollywood-worthy, yes. Unique and personal? 100%. The ending was sweet—he made it for the birth of our daughter. My friends stayed at the hospital until my husband arrived, and 12 hours later, I delivered my daughter vaginally. Postpartum Recovery: What No One Tells You The first moment I even considered the resulting state of my vagina was when the nurse was walking me to the bathroom for the first time and helping me with an ice pack when she proclaimed, “Wow, you are swollen!” I didn’t understand what was so swollen, and then I tried to sit down. For two days, I had to sit on a soft pillow because a chair was too intense on my pelvic floor. Nothing prepared me for the healing process that follows a vaginal delivery. It’s something we don’t talk about enough, but postpartum recovery is real. Your body has just been through one of the most transformative experiences, and it needs intentional care and time to heal. Swelling, tenderness, and discomfort are normal, but movement, gentle stretching, and breathwork will help support your recovery and ease the transition into motherhood. Then came the constant “do your kegels” advice, which I had NO IDEA how to do. Squeeze what? Where? Since this fateful entry into motherhood 13 years ago, I have not only pioneered my own pelvic floor and vaginal recovery, but I’ve helped countless women do the same.MYTH DISRUPTORS: During & After Birth What you need to know and how and when to do your kegels (or not!): TRUTH ABOUT TEARING Your vaginal wall is very resilient and you are not ‘giving birth wrong’ if you tear or not - genes, muscle tone and frankly the angle and speed at which your baby exits your body have the biggest impact on your chances and honestly, not a lot of that is adjustable in those last few moments of pushing your baby out. These tools will help your pelvic floor remain functional and able to stretch and rebound best (so as to make birth easier and decrease your chances of tearing): Definitely staying active, fascia rolling, hip and pelvic floor opening exercise, and core strengthening throughout pregnancy will support your ability to engage actively in the birthing process. The result? Improved pelvic floor muscles and ability to sustain birth and recover well. THE WHOLE PELVIC FLOOR There is a difference between the distention and stretching of the vagina itself and the distention and injury sustained by your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor and rectum receive the full brunt of vaginal childbirth, and it can be difficult in the first couple of weeks post-birth to discern the full landscape of needed recovery between vaginal and posterior stretching and weakness. ICE, WITCH HAZEL & THE SOFT, FOAM ROLLER In your early days post-birth, ice and witch hazel pads are your BFFs to help the swelling go down. Eventually, you’ll want to focus on your upper torso. Your ribs and back are important, making sure there’s room to breathe and move, keeping your shoulders and neck open with soft foam rolling and gentle stretches. Should You Use a Postpartum Corset? The idea of wearing a postpartum corset is popular, but it’s not a cure-all for recovery. While light compression can provide comfort in the early days, relying on a corset for too long can prevent the deep core muscles from reactivating naturally. Instead of binding the belly tightly, focus on breathwork, TVA activation, and progressive movement to restore core strength in a functional way. BREATHE FOR TVA ENGAGEMENT Breathing and your Transversus Breath Activation are next. Your TVA is anatomically connected to your pelvic floor, low back, and hip bones—learn more on this topic here. Breathing for TVA engagement is the real relief and stability you’re craving in those early weeks post-birth. Once your TVA begins to glide, it will support your body’s natural healing process, lending you better back support when sitting, feeding, and moving with your baby. They will also begin to spontaneously lift and support your pelvic floor muscles by holding the weight of your upper body so you are not collapsing your weight onto your pelvis. HEAL YOUR SCAR TISSUE If you tore or had larger intervention like an episiotomy, the scar line needs time for healing. Depending on the degree of the tear, you’ll begin to feel your stitches dissolving, or visit your doctor to remove the stitches. At this point, you want to think about scar care. Similar to a c-section, the tissues need breath, relaxation, and functional re-education. Kegels are not the way to go for this. However, breath-based vaginal wall contractions are! Want More? Here’s my go-to for educating your breath and isolating your transverses abs through breath-based exercises. The RM Pelvic Corridor | Not a KegelOnce you can breathe and engage your TVA, move your attention down to your vaginal wall. Breathe all the way in, as you begin to exhale you will contract just your vaginal wall as if you’re trying to squeeze a tampon. Once you begin your next inhale, relax your vaginal wall (without baring down) and repeat your exhale exercise. You’ll feel the vaginal wall begin to respond with contractions and releases better with each attempt. Once you feel a general “yes,” you are going to evolve the contraction. Imagine the contraction traveling even further up the birth canal to the center of your body behind your belly button. It’s like a continuous, internal tunnel of strength at the very center of your body—I call this the RM Pelvic Corridor. Anatomically speaking, we are co-contracting your pelvic floor, vaginal wall, and TVA for a functionally re-educated deep abdominal system that forms the foundation for ALL of your external muscles, from butt to inner thighs and six pack…this is where you start! Incontinence is normal right after vaginal delivery. The above exercises, coupled with some pelvic floor PT, will result in achieving reliable bladder control (yes, even when jumping on a trampoline!). In some cases, the urethra sheath is injured or there can be subtle issues with visceral tissues and organ placement—all of these nuances can be looked at by a skilled pelvic PT and/or a Urogynecologist. But, please know you don’t have to just live with a lifelong incontinence. Through the rehabilitative phase, you need to move daily, even just your breath-based pelvic corridor exercises and a little soft foam rolling. This is because you are working on neuro-strength repatterning. You are training muscles to activate when your brain tells your body to stand up, sit down, lie down, bounce, burp, feed, carry, and walk.The more frequently you work with these muscles, the more they will be strengthened in your daily mom-life and the better it will all feel.Now, You Start To Thrive Your entrance into motherhood was and is the opportunity of your lifetime to understand your body and inhabit yourself from the inside out. This is your time to develop a lifelong fitness habit that will carry you well beyond your early mom-years and into your great-grandma years! Addressing Pelvic Floor Spasm Post-Birth Many moms experience pelvic floor spasm due to the intense work these muscles perform during birth. This tightening can lead to discomfort and even difficulty with movement. The key is gentle release work, breath-based engagement, and mobilization exercises to help the pelvic floor relax and restore its function. Working with a pelvic floor PT and practicing intentional breath-based movement will help relieve tension and support long-term healing. I am more mature, disciplined, and at home in my skin than ever—I still LOVE a sweaty, endorphin-pumping workout, I just cross-train better for it. And, so can you! Check out what’s possible for you here. Keep reading: Cesarean Birth Recovery: How to Prep, Plan & Heal Like a Badass Diastasis Recti: What It Is, Symptoms, and Nothing to Fear RM Heal — the Revolution Motherhood method Start your free trial with Revolution Motherhood →

A c-section is major abdominal surgery, so recovery has a few key differences from vaginal birth—but beyond the initial healing phase, the path back to strength is more similar than you’d expect. Safe c-section recovery centers on scar care, gentle reactivation of your deep core, and progressing only as your body and your provider allow. How to Prep, Plan & Heal Like a Badass After more than a decade of working with women and guiding their postpartum recoveries, there's not much I haven't seen. And the truth is, while there are some key differences between a c-section and vaginal birth, beyond the initial healing phase, there are more similarities than you might expect. However, those key differences are important and can make all the difference when it comes to planning the best outcome and making a full and active recovery. The initial weeks of postpartum recovery after a c-section require patience and intentional movement. Your body is healing from a major surgery, so focusing on gentle movement, breathwork, and core awareness will set the foundation for long-term healing. The 411 on C-Sections I’ll begin with the obvious, but often glossed-over fact: A c-section is major abdominal surgery. Your doctor cuts through your abdominal layers, muscle, fascial tissue, moves your intestines out of the way and then opens your uterus. It’s a lot for a body to recover from and if your experience was in any way unplanned or urgent, the psychological and emotional recovery can be just as intense as the physical. So, whether you are heading into a planned surgery or are looking for answers because you unexpectedly delivered via cesarean, I’m here to support you with my game-changing tips that will help you get the care you need from your medical team, understand what has happened to your body and learn how to design your personal recovery plan. Planned C-Section: Ask all the questions! If you know in advance that you’ll be delivering your baby via cesarean: Speak with you OB about the details regarding your surgery, where they perform the incision and how they close you post-operatively. Do they close you themselves or do they have someone else perform the closure? What materials do they use to close you (internal stitches and external). This will open the conversation and put you in the driver’s seat to make informed decisions and requests regarding the surgery itself. Previously delivered via c-section? If you’re experiencing pain, bumpiness or unevenness around your old scar, your surgeon can revise the scar tissue during your new c-section and restitch you for best abdominal healing and functional recovery. My Major Pro-Tip: Consider speaking with your OB about having a plastic surgeon in the operating room to close your incision. They are the best trained in the bizz to minimize scarring and stitch for optimal, functional recovery. Note: This can be a delicate conversation to have as it's outside of a physician's normal operating procedure—they may think it’s unnecessary. However, a great plastic surgeon can make a huge difference in your abdominal recovery and if you want to explore this option, you have the right to request it. An exceptional resource for the Plastic Surgeon route is Dr. Sophie Bartsich who has pioneered educational resources for women preparing for planned c-sections. D Post Operative: What to expect and what to do in those early days. Just like any other major surgery, expect a period of healing and rehabilitation, followed by targeted muscle re-education and integrative strength exercises. In the first few days post-surgery: While the incision is still healing, you will want to follow your doctor’s guidelines carefully. Keep it clean, rest as much as you can, and when you feel ready and able to begin standing and walking, go slowly. Expect some digestive discomfort, bloating and gas, as well as limitations to your ability to stand, sit, walk, and carry your newborn. In brief, you’ll need some help tending to your and your baby’s needs for a few weeks—be ready to ask for help! Emotional Check In: You will most likely feel grateful and frustrated having other people help tend to your baby’s needs. This conflicting emotional landscape is totally normal and it’s ok to want help, but also want to be the only person taking care of your baby. Buckle up! This tug will be with you for the rest of your life—welcome to motherhood. Accepting it will help you navigate your need for close intimacy with your sweet baby and space for yourself; year over year and decade over decade. Improve Healing In The First Weeks: Go slowly and listen to your body. The first effort you will make in recovering movement and sensation in your abdominal wall is…breathing. All pregnancies change the dynamics of your breath and hijack your diaphragm. Plus, newly post-op, you will instinctively want to curl around your incision, which can lead to compressing your already weakened core muscles and increase pelvic floor pressure. This mindful breathing video will improve circulation, relax the trunk muscles, and begin the recovery of your nuero-musclar connections (how your brain triggers specific muscles to move or not!). From these simple breath practices, you can begin to add some intentional and gentle muscle contractions through the rib cage, waist and Transversus Abs. Get more of my post-op recovery guidance in : The RM 4th Trimester Program (all on the RM APP) Scar Care: Reduce adhesions and improve your ab function Once your incision has healed and your doctor has given you the “green light” for some gentle movement, you can begin scar massage which will improve nerve regeneration, reduce swelling and adhesions, and increase blood flow (= quicker and better tissue healing), all of which leads to better overall function of your abdominal wall My Massage Hack: Take a little bit of your regular moisturizer and lightly massage your scar when you get out of the shower. Begin with gentle, circular fingertip movements, then, over several weeks, you can increase the pressure and begin moving up and down across the scar. There’s no doubt you’ll feel things—numbness, tingling, emotions…go slowly. About 60 seconds of tender, self-attention to feel, hear and be present in your recovery. STOP IF: You feel pain. That’s your guardrail to how deep you can go. You’ll be able to take a little more pressure for longer as you progress in your healing. If pain is ever persistent, sharp or just feels “off,” call your doctor and get it checked out. Pelvic PT: Yup, for a c-section…Depending on your healing and doctor’s clearance, around weeks 6-10 post-op, make an appointment with a Pelvic Floor specialized PT who practices manual, visceral manipulation. You can ask your doctor for a prescription and even if the PT is out of network, you may be able to receive some reimbursement from your insurance provider. Why + What to Expect: First, your pelvic floor PT should talk you through everything, from listening to your birth and health history, to telling you how they will touch and treat you. Internal work is very common and often very effective for aiding and accelerating c-section recovery. This is because your trunk muscles and pelvic floor muscles are all connected. When you undergo low abdominal surgery, the scar tissue can adhere to itself, other tissues, and even to organs—which often leads to tightness and feeling restricted across the groin and throughout your pelvic floor. A skilled Pelvic PT will release triggered or spasming pelvic floor muscles and re-mobilize internal and external fascial tissue. This will allow you to begin engaging your Transversus Abs (or TVA) and what I call ‘the pelvic corridor’ for a fully functional, strong pelvic floor and abdominal system. Generally, a few sessions with a great pelvic PT is enough. But, if you sustained other injuries while delivering (ie. tearing, organ prolapse, incontinence) you may need a longer course of treatment coupled with targeted exercises. Again, this should be an ongoing conversation with your PT so that you are aligned every step of the way. From Healing to Strength Training : How to start and how to stick with it Once you have been cleared by your physician and are feeling ready to begin exercising, it’s important to remember that your fitness needs and schedule are different in these initial months (and years!) postpartum. You'll want tools (like the RM Soft Foam Roller) to release tight muscles, flush out swelling + stiffness while reducing the physical impact of daily mom'ing on your body. Ab Exercises After Cesarean Not all core exercises are created equal after a c-section! The right approach to ab exercises after cesarean involves: Starting with breath-based core activation to prevent pressure buildup on the incision. Prioritizing deep core work over traditional ab exercises like sit-ups, which can strain healing tissue. Progressing movement intentionally to restore abdominal strength without overloading weak tissues. Focusing on breath and controlled movement first will help rebuild stability safely, making it easier to return to strength training without setbacks. One common concern post-c-section is umbilical hernia postpartum. A hernia can develop when weakened abdominal tissues allow a small bulge near the belly button to form. Some umbilical hernias postpartum resolve on their own with proper core rehab. If you notice persistent bulging, pressure, or discomfort, check with your doctor to determine if rehab or additional support is needed. Strengthening the deep core through breathwork and gradual ab exercises after cesarean can help prevent hernias from worsening. Mom Truth: Motherhood is hard on your body. Daily mom’ing left me tight and achy for years. This is why moving every day - even for 10 Min. - makes a huge difference in your recovery. Every time you take a deep breath, open up your shoulders or roll out your feet on the ball, you are reducing the build of stress and allowing your muscles to move better, heal faster and get stronger in the applied athleticism of your daily mom-life. Then, on days when you have a little more time, you do a longer sequence of deep core, glutes, upper body or back work. Your workouts should be progressive - meaning push you a little beyond what you can fully do comfortably. But, they should also teach you how to identify your edges so that you can push right up to your strength capacity (which changes daily) safely and with confidence. Emotional Check-In: It’s scary to have your body be so compromised, just when you need it to be strong and care for your baby. The fear and fatigue you feel is completely normal, but it doesn’t have to restrict you. Go slowly, listen to your body and your daily physical practice becomes the fear-disruption you need. Instead of all the “can’ts” you begin to focus on the “cans” as you feel and witness your incremental healing and increased strength every day. Birth is a powerful gateway to motherhood—the pull between anticipation, preparing for the unexpected, and letting go with resilience and a friendly pivot…it never stops. There is so much value in preparing your body, mind, and spirit for giving birth. But, when the moment arrives, both trust and surrender are needed—trusting yourself and your body, surrendering to a force that is much bigger than the confines of your physical body, and expecting that the unexpected will definitely occur. And, so, for whatever journey you have had or are about to embark upon, I’m so happy you’re here and am thrilled to guide and support you. Keep reading: Vaginal Birth Recovery: Tips and Secrets for Healing Building Muscle After Childbirth: Rebuilding Strength From Your Core Out RM Heal — the Revolution Motherhood method Start your free trial with Revolution Motherhood →