Ladies! Ab exercises with prolapse

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clairerose11
clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have prolapses following the birth of my daughter last May. I know that I can't do traditional sit ups/crunches as it puts pressure on my pelvic floor...

I just wondered if anyone else is in a similar position to me and has some advice on what I can do to try and tone up this wobbly baby belly!

Cheers!
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Replies

  • clairerose11
    clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
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    Really, no-one has suffered this after a baby and wants to know how to tone their tummy without doing anymore damage??
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 566 Member
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    I've not had a baby yet, so I can't help you there - but I did find this good article with exercises to do and not do after prolapse/hysterectomies ...

    http://www.pelvicexercises.com.au/abdominal-exercise-surgery/

    and this video demo:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op3Fuu1thxY

    :)
  • clairerose11
    clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
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    Thanks hun, will definitely check those out!
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
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    Go see a women's health physio, or whoever specialises in dealing with those issues in your area - its better to get that sorted (yes, it about 90% of cases can, at the very least, be "improved") than to have to put up with it :smile:
  • clairerose11
    clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
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    I do see one, and with me surgery is my only option in the long run.. In the meantime I have a whole bunch of 'down there' exercises that I do, but struggling to find someone that knows about abs and core etc.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    In all honesty, you don't even have to do a sit up or a crunch to lose the stomach.

    Just eat a deficit, do cardio/strength training and when the fat wants to come off it will.

    I barely do ab work(only when my trainer makes me) and I've got a pretty flat stomach.
  • clairerose11
    clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
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    Have you had a baby though hun??
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Have you had a baby though hun??

    No but the same principal applies to anyone.. Baby or not.

    You lose fat by eating at a deficit and doing cardio/strength... abs start in the kitchen as most say. Since you can't spot reduce fat, it's all you can do... and when it wants to come off it will come off.
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
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    Have you had a baby though hun??

    No but the same principal applies to anyone.. Baby or not.

    You lose fat by eating at a deficit and doing cardio/strength... abs start in the kitchen as most say. Since you can't spot reduce fat, it's all you can do... and when it wants to come off it will come off.

    ^ this.
  • MomOfJoey
    MomOfJoey Posts: 58
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    Not necessarily the same exercises whether you have a baby or not... if you have a separation in your diastastis recti after having a baby, you should do exercises to strengthen your transverse abdominis as well as whatever else you are doing. I wish I had found this out sooner post partum. I discovered it when my son was 2, and only started actually doing something about it recently. I wish OBs told women about this! There are isometric exercises, not the traditional crunches and sit ups, that you can do, which I just started. If you don't fix and tone that muscle, you will have a belly pooch forever no matter what else you do.

    http://www.fithealthymoms.com/2011/04/15/how-to-test-for-diastasis-recti/
  • clairerose11
    clairerose11 Posts: 95 Member
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    I say about whether you have had a baby as I had a bit of a belly before, but it's totally different now... really different.

    My stomach muscles came back together beautifully after her birth, the MW said it was due to me drinking gallons of Raspberry Leaf Tea lol

    Thanks for the link MomofJoey! x
  • mareed123
    mareed123 Posts: 85 Member
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    Hiya, this might help you too?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASXhL0fO8og

    Its a video of core exercises made my a physiotherapist for women with prolapse :) Hope it helps!
  • mugsisme
    mugsisme Posts: 127 Member
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    I've had 7, but I've never ripped or torn that muscle. I do have a friend who did with #3. She did those special sit ups you have to do where you cross your arms over your belly or something as you pull up? She was able to repair the tear. So even though I didn't go through it, I can tell you people do and fix it. Don't give up.
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    In all honesty, you don't even have to do a sit up or a crunch to lose the stomach.

    Just eat a deficit, do cardio/strength training and when the fat wants to come off it will.

    I barely do ab work(only when my trainer makes me) and I've got a pretty flat stomach.

    I had 5 in 10 years, and the last 3 came within under 3 years of one another (35 month old, 22 month old, newborn.) The above poster's advice is spot on.
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    I've had 7, but I've never ripped or torn that muscle. I do have a friend who did with #3. She did those special sit ups you have to do where you cross your arms over your belly or something as you pull up? She was able to repair the tear. So even though I didn't go through it, I can tell you people do and fix it. Don't give up.

    I may be mistaken, but I don't believe a prolapse is the same thing as diastasis.

    ETA: 2 COMPLETELY different things...
  • darrcn5
    darrcn5 Posts: 495 Member
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    I am honestly not sure what a prolapse is, but what about plank type exercises? There are many variations you can do.
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    After Googling prolapse after baby, I would caution you to speak with your doctor before doing any type of exercises that make you put pressure on the abdomen. You can't spot reduce anyways, better not to make your condition worse before you have surgery. As the above poster stated, for now, just work on losing the baby weight and after you have your surgery and are fully recovered maybe you can try doing some ab work. It doesn't matter for now anyways, you can have the flattest abs in the world, but if there is a thick layer of fat over them nobody will be able to see them. :flowerforyou:
  • GreenTeaForDays
    GreenTeaForDays Posts: 166 Member
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    I've been avoiding situps/crunches because they hurt my back sometimes. Instead I do body holds, squats (which I heard were great for prolapse!!) and twist lunges. Would these exercises be okay for you?

    Body holds (plank):
    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

    Body weight squats:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/361178-squatting-exercise-for-bladder-prolapse/

    Lunge w/ twist:
    http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/images/wm-0809-lunge-reach-twist.jpg

    Best wishes!
  • MzMandi1025
    MzMandi1025 Posts: 78 Member
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    My daughter is now 3 1/2 & I'm finding my stomach the hardest thing to tone up. I've never had to deal with prolapse, so I can't help you there. I did have a c-section & that wreaked havoc on my stomach muscles. Instead of doing traditional crunches, is it possible for you to do leg lifts? You can lay on the floor & bring your legs up then lower them down w/out touching the ground? Maybe crunches on an exercise ball will help. My husband has told me that running is also good, for toning the body, especially the abdominal area.
  • tenunderfour
    tenunderfour Posts: 429 Member
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    Is the OP talking about a diastasis or a prolapse? They are two different things.... two different body parts. And treated differently. I would strongly suggest seeing a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor work (if the problem is an actual prolapse).

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