Post-Pregnancy Restoration
1. These stretches are not designed to be medical advice. First consult a medical professional to ensure you don’t have an issue that requires medical attention.
2. If any of the stretches cause pain, stop doing it and move on to the next one.
1. Do the exercises at least once daily.
2. Begin Phase 1 as soon as your medical doctor clears you to exercise. Phase 1 will last around two months. However, as Phase 1 gets easy and boring, then it is time to move on to Phase 2, even if the time has not reached two months.
3. Phase 2 will last two months, roughly during months 3 & 4.
4. Phase 3 will last two months, roughly during months 5 & 6.
5. If any exercise or stretch causes discomfort, skip that stretch for now and reintroduce it later.
Once you’ve completed the Post-Pregnancy Restoration, use the daily warm-up exercises to stay feeling young and active.
Phase 1 - Takes 14 Mins
HOW: LIE ON BACK, BOTH LEGS BENT 90 DEGREES ON CHAIR OR PILLOWS. ARMS REST WITH PALMS UP. RELAX AS HOLD POSITION. FOCUS ON BREATHING.
HOW: LIE ON BACK, BOTH LEGS BENT 90 DEGREES ON CHAIR OR PILLOWS. ARMS REST WITH PALMS UP. RELAX 
AS HOLD POSITION. FOCUS ON BREATHING. NOW LIE ON YOUR BACK IN A SQUAT POSITION WITH FEET ON WALL. LIFT SHOULDERS OFF THE GROUND SLOWLY AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE. THEN RETURN TO REST POSITION.
HOW: LIE ON YOUR BACK, ONE LEG BENT 90 DEGREES RESTING ON CHAIR OR PILLOWS. OTHER LEG IS STRAIGHT. BOTH FEET MUST POINT TO THE SKY. PROP FEET UP IF NEEDED. FIRST ELEVATE FOOT OF STRAIGHT LEG. RELAX IN POSITION. THEN LOWER LEG 2 LEVELS, RESTING EACH LEVEL.
*STRETCH IS COMPLETE WHEN YOU CAN PRESS STRAIGHT LEG KNEE DOWNWARD AND FEEL CONTRACTION AT THE TOP OF YOUR THIGH RATHER THAN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIGH. THEN SWITCH LEGS.
HOW: ON ALL FOURS, ARCH YOUR MIDDLE BACK UP AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILE DROPPING HEAD TO LOOK AT KNEES. THEN REVERSE TO DIP BELLY TO THE GROUND WHILE RAISING HEAD TO LOOK AT THE SKY. REPEAT.
Phase 2 - Takes 4 Mins
HOW: STAND AGAINST A WALL WITH FRONT OF FEET ON A STEP OR ROLLED TOWEL. LET YOUR BODY WEIGHT PRESS THE HEELS DOWNWARD KEEPING LEGS STRAIGHT. HOLD POSITION.
HOW: CLASP FINGERS TOGETHER AND RAISE ARMS OVERHEAD WITH PALMS OUTWARD. LOOK UPWARD TOWARD HANDS. PRACTICE GETTING HANDS AS FAR STRAIGHT OVERHEAD WITHOUT DEEP SWAYING OF YOUR BACK.
HOW: ON ALL FOURS, ARCH YOUR MIDDLE BACK UP AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILE DROPPING HEAD TO LOOK AT KNEES. THEN REVERSE TO DIP BELLY TO THE GROUND WHILE RAISING HEAD TO LOOK AT THE SKY. REPEAT.
HOW: FROM YOUR HANDS AND KNEES, PUSH UPWARD TO LIFT BUTT AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE BY STRAIGHTENING BOTH KNEES AND SHOULDERS. FOCUS ON HINGING HIPS AND FLATTENING HEELS ON THE GROUND. HOLD POSITION.
*HERE’S ANOTHER PICTURE OF DOWNWARD DOG:
HOW: LIE ON YOUR BACK, KNEES BENT, FEET ON THE FLOOR. NOW ROLL YOUR PELVIS FORWARD TO ARCH YOUR BELLY UPWARD. KEEP YOUR BUTTOCKS ON THE GROUND. THEN REVERSE ARCH TO PRESS YOUR BACK FLAT AGAINST THE GROUND.
Do these whenever resting.
HOW: LIE ON BACK, BOTH LEGS BENT 90 DEGREES ON CHAIR OR PILLOWS. ARMS REST WITH PALMS UP. RELAX AS HOLD POSITION. FOCUS ON BREATHING.
HOW: LIE ON YOUR BACK, ONE LEG BENT 90 DEGREES RESTING ON CHAIR OR PILLOWS. OTHER LEG IS STRAIGHT. BOTH FEET MUST POINT TO THE SKY. PROP FEET UP IF NEEDED. FIRST ELEVATE FOOT OF STRAIGHT LEG. RELAX IN POSITION. THEN LOWER LEG 2 LEVELS, RESTING EACH LEVEL.
*STRETCH IS COMPLETE WHEN YOU CAN PRESS STRAIGHT LEG KNEE DOWNWARD AND FEEL CONTRACTION AT THE TOP OF YOUR THIGH RATHER THAN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIGH. THEN SWITCH LEGS.
Phase 3 - Takes 8 Mins
HOW: STAND WITH HEELS, BUTT, SHOULDERS, HEAD & ELBOWS AGAINST WALL. PLACE ONE FOOT ON CHAIR WITH KNEE BENT. KNEE LINED UP OVER BIG TOE.
HOW: STANDING STRAIGHT UP AGAINST THE WALL WITH ARMS OUTWARD. TILT YOUR TRUNK TO SLIDE DOWN TOWARD YOUR LEFT FOOT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WHILE KEEPING CONTACT WITH THE WALL. THEN REPEAT WITH RIGHT FOOT REACH.
HOW: ON ALL FOURS, ARCH YOUR MIDDLE BACK UP AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILE DROPPING HEAD TO LOOK AT KNEES. THEN REVERSE TO DIP BELLY TO THE GROUND WHILE RAISING HEAD TO LOOK AT THE SKY. REPEAT.
HOW: WITH STRAIGHT BODY HEAD TO TOE, HOLD BODY IN POSITION RESTING ON BOTH ELBOWS AND TOES.
HOW: WITH STRAIGHT BODY HEAD TO TOE, HOLD BODY IN POSITION RESTING SIDEWAYS ON ONE ELBOW AND SIDE FEET.
HOW: WITH STRAIGHT BODY HEAD TO TOE, HOLD BODY IN POSITION RESTING ON BOTH STRAIGHT ARMS REACHING BACKWARD AND ON YOUR HEELS.
HOW: TWIST YOUR TRUNK AND HEAD TO THE LEFT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. THEN REVERSE TO TWIST TO THE RIGHT.
HOW: LIE ON YOUR BACK, KNEES BENT, FEET ON THE FLOOR. NOW ROLL YOUR PELVIS FORWARD TO ARCH YOUR BELLY UPWARD. KEEP YOUR BUTTOCKS ON THE GROUND. THEN REVERSE ARCH TO PRESS YOUR BACK FLAT AGAINST THE GROUND.
HOW: WITH A STRAIGHT LEG, FLEX YOUR FOOT AND TOES TOWARD YOU BELLY, USING THREE ANGLES TO ACTIVELY RELAX THE BACK OF YOUR LEG MUSCLES. FIRST, FOOT POINTS UPWARD. THEN FOOT POINTS OUTWARD 45 DEGREES. THEN POINT FOOT INWARD 45 DEGREES.
HOW: CIRCLE FOOT CLOCKWISE. THEN CIRCLE FOOT COUNTERCLOCKWISE. KEEP KNEE STILL SO MOVEMENT COMES FROM ANKLE. REPEAT ON OTHER LEG. THEN FLEX FOOT UP AND DOWN.
HOW: FROM YOUR HANDS AND KNEES, PUSH UPWARD TO LIFT BUTT AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE BY STRAIGHTENING BOTH KNEES AND SHOULDERS. FOCUS ON HINGING HIPS AND FLATTENING HEELS ON THE GROUND. HOLD POSITION.
*HERE’S ANOTHER PICTURE OF DOWNWARD DOG:
HOW: LINE LEFT FOOT IN FRONT OF RIGHT. WITH BENT KNEES, TOUCH THE FLOOR OR HOLD ONTO COUNTERTOP. NOW STRAIGHTEN THE LEGS TO FEEL STRETCH ON THE BACK OF LEGS. HOLD POSITION. THEN REPEAT WITH RIGHT FOOT IN FRONT OF LEFT.
