- The famous breathing exercises
Having studied perinatal, I learned that breathing exercises help the rib cage and the diaphragm in their many changes during pregnancy. I had no idea how useful training the breathing muscles would be to avoid a lot of aches the day after giving birth. These muscles worked hard during the contractions to help me control the pain, but I don’t think I’ve ever used them as much in my life as I do now…
- Train the whole body
Physical activity has many benefits during pregnancy and is generally safe. Some will be more active than others. For my part, I was mostly active at work and I had little energy left to train at home. If I had known I was going to have a caesarean eventually, training my arms and legs would definitely have been high on my agenda. During the surgery, the abdominals are cut and are therefore very painful to contract afterwards. It is therefore necessary to compensate with the arms and legs to succeed in moving without suffering too much. A kinesiologist expert in perinatality would have been an asset to help me on this side.
- To bring in your suitcase
I hesitated to bring my slippers and ended up leaving them at home. What a bad decision… I spent a lot of time on my feet to get over the pain of the contractions and to feed baby. My feet definitely lacked support and my heels suffered! Also, if you are thinking of having a cesarean, I recommend that you bring silk pajamas. It will make it easier for you to get out of bed since you can slide more easily.
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Marie-Hélène Nadeau
Physiotherapist and owner