Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best, 2nd edition

"Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best" (BeFit-Mom, 2007) offers new mothers the definitive guide to reconditioning after pregnancy. Featuring a safe, easy to follow, and amazingly effective 3-step program that systematically rebuilds the postpartum body and prepares you for the almost nonstop physical demands of motherhood.
Helene's unique postnatal core system, which integrates the mind/body methods of Pilates and yoga with cutting-edge fitness techniques, can be started just days after giving birth, requires no specialized exercise equipment, and is suitable for all fitness levels.
The program: Strengthens all four layer of the abdominal wall, flattens the abs and quickly improves body contours, closes abdominal separation, lengthens and realigns the spine, develops deep core strength and stability, improves flexibility, creates muscular balance throughout the body, builds upper body strength for lifting and carrying, and develops good body usage.
The first workout, Postpartum Exercises provides safe, gentle, restorative exercises that can be started just days after giving birth that are designed to speed healing from labor and delivery, relieve discomfort, and start firming up weakened abdominal muscles.
The second workout, Knitting Back Together offers a special series of exercises that flatten, shorten and strengthen the abdominal msucles, and develops functional core strength and stability. The third workout, Advanced Core Strength offers a more challenging total-body core program for women who want to build athletic strength."Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best" explains how the pregnancy alters posture and alignment, functional muscular balance and connective tissue, and how to effectively cope with these, and other postnatal changes and challenges. In-depth information and advice on important postnatal concerns regarding the pelvic floor, abdominal separation, and special postpartum abdominal reconditioning techniques help new mothers bounce back as quickly as possible. The book also provides a comprehensive review of good body usage in everyday activities to help women avoid back pain and injury by demonstrating proper lifting and carrying techniques, ergonomic breast feeding, and how to safely manage heavy baby equipment like car seats and strollers as well as front packs and slings.Acclaimed by new mothers everywhere, the book has also become a must have reference for fitness professionals such as group fitness instructors, personal trainers, Pilates and yoga teachers and other professionals who work with prenatal and postpartum women including physical therapists, massage therapists, doulas, and midwifes.

Helene has over twenty years of experience in the fitness industry. A former professional dancer, she holds a BFA from the Boston Conservatory and is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified Personal Trainer. Her fitness experience runs the gamut from group fitness and private training, to Pilates, yoga, injury rehabilitation, and special populations. The birth of her son inspired her to specialize in prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise. Drawing on her knowledge of Pilates, dance, and classic fitness techniques, she created a unique system of exercise that quickly, safely, and effectively restores the body after pregnancy and childbirth. Her mission is to help women stay fit and healthy during and after their pregnancies, and to inspire and motivate women to lead their entire families to better health and wellness.