How to Combat the Effects of Relaxin During Pregnancy

We are all very aware of the increase in hormones that occur during pregnancy. There are three big ones produced during your nine months: Relaxin, Estrogen, and Progesterone. These all play a major role in your baby's growth and development however, the effects of Relaxin are typically overlooked in prenatal care and fitness.

Relaxin is in your body to "relax" the ligaments and tissue and allow the pelvis to widen for delivery, but - because it is released throughout the entire body - it also relaxes all of your ligaments and tissue!

This can cause many issues:

• Looser ligaments allow for overstretching, resulting in pulls and strains
• The pelvic floor relaxes, which can result in loss of control over bladder
• Weakened stability of the pelvis wreaks havoc on your posture
• Relaxing abdominal and digestive tissue allows for heartburn

So how do you keep Relaxin from getting the best of you? Here are eight tips for staying safe and comfortable!

• Use light stretching as your warm-up along with walking. Going into a workout with cold muscles in addition to your pregnancy hormones can cause extreme soreness the next day.
• USE CAT COW! A perfect total body stretch for any trimester that I personally use with all my clients:
  • Begin on all fours with your hands directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips with a neutral spine.
  • Exhale, engaging the core and pelvic floor while rounding the spine.
  • Inhale, relaxing the pelvic floor and arching the spine.
• Watch your posture. Always try and stand with your head high and out of your neck, your ears over the shoulders, your shoulders back, and your pelvis and spine in a neutral position.
• Eat healthy and exercise. Try your best to workout 2-6 hours weekly. Allowing your tendons and ligaments to weaken results in the muscles overcompensating, which creates even more pain.
• Try eating six smaller meals instead of three large ones to avoid heartburn. Slow down at mealtime and allow your body to digest at its own speed.
• Take a walk after bigger meals. Assist your body in moving things along so food isn't just sitting on your stomach.
• Ginger is your friend! If heartburn does rear its ugly head, try ginger tea or candied ginger to soothe before resulting to medication.

You may find these tips helpful as well! 

Relaxin is unavoidable but it doesn't have to get in the way of a healthy and comfortable pregnancy!

Prenatal Exercises that will Keep Your Baby Belly Strong

When most people hear the word core they think of the main abdominal muscles that make up that coveted six-pack. However, there are SEVEN important abdominal muscles we need to be focusing on: The Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Adbominis, Internal Obliques, External Obliques, Intercoastal Muscles, Rectus Sheath, and Linea Alba all make up your core. Today, we are going to focus on the Transverse Abdominis (TA). This is the deepest of the four main ab muscles and is one of muscles you feel contract during labor. The TA essentially acts as Spanx for your core, providing stabilization for your pelvis and helping to take some of the pressure off of the joints.

A strong TA along with a strong Pelvic Floor connection (which we will go into depth about soon) can help push your baby out faster and flatten your belly after delivery!

My favorite of many deep core exercises are the Reach and Curl and Hip Rolls. Remember, when working your TA you should be, "Hugging your baby," pulling the abs up and in.

All of these exercises can be seen on Knocked Up Fitness!

Reach and Curl

• Begin on a mat on all fours. You can also elevate the movement and place your hands on a box. Slow and steady, reach your right leg and left arm so they are parallel with the floor.
• Exhale, engaging the TA and pulling your abs in and up, bring your arm and leg in until the elbow meets the knee (if you can't get there it's okay!).
• Slowly repeat this movement adding a small arch in the back each time.
• Do 5-10 repetitions

Hip Rolls

Note: Great for 1st trimester if you and your doctor feel comfortable with you lying on your back

• Lie flat on your back on a mat. Keep your feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and feet planted into the floor.
• Exhale, gently engaging your TA and preforming a kegel (great kegel tools to come on wagsredefined.com and knockedupfitness.com). Slowly lift your hips off the ground, squeezing the glutes and pressing the heels down, articulating one vertebra at a time until the entire back is off the ground.
• Slow and steady, roll the back down, one vertebra at a time. Drawing the ribcage down first, gently press each vertebra into your mat while continuously hugging your baby and performing your kegel.
• Do 5-10 repetitions

Your workout doesn't have to last longer than 30 minutes if you are focusing on the right movements! Happy tightening!

Editor's Note: Always consult with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise regimen!