Our friend Wendy Powell, a postpartum recovery and fitness expert in the UK, has created MuTu System, a 12 week program to get your body back into health after pregnancy. It offers great explanations of posture, body mechanics and nutrition. Wedny has shared with us some great exercises for getting rid of what she calls ‘mummy tummy’ (hence MuTu!) and healing pelvic pain. Check out some of them below, and learn more about her and MuTu System on her website here. All text + images copyright ‘MuTu ® System Limited 2014’ Lie Back + Squeeze Lie on your back with your knees up + a small ball between your knees. Bring your knees into your chest far enough so there is no strain on your abs to keep them there. Turn your feet out. Exhale as you squeeze the ball + draw your belly button towards your spine. You’ll feel your pelvic floor contract at the same time. Relax + repeat. As well as the ‘belly button to spine’ movement, another way to make sure you get it right is to imagine your lower abdomen as a clock face, with your belly button as 12 o’clock, pubic bone at 6 o’clock + your hipbones as 3 + 9. As you exhale, draw in your belly button, draw up your pelvic floor + imagine pulling 3 + 9 o’clock apart. Inhale + relax, then repeat. Keep your spine in neutral + don’t let your pelvis tilt as you move. Lamp Post Pee 
Start on all fours, with shoulders directly over hands, hips over knees. Keep your arms straight + try to shift your upper body weight into your fingers rather than all on your wrists. Exhale + engage your core muscles (gently draw in your lower abdomen as you breathe out + move) + lift one knee out to the side. Just off the ground is fine, but no higher than parallel to the ground. Bring it back down as you inhale, then repeat. Try not to let your weight shift right over to the supporting leg, you want the movement to happen by rotating at the hip, not by leaning or twisting your whole body to one side. You are stabilizing your torso + engaging your core as you lift your leg, + then relaxing as you lower. It’s harder to initiate or feel a pelvic floor contraction when you abduct your legs, but be assured that the transverse muscle + the pelvic floor can co-contract – one movement is making sure the other happens!
Start on all fours, with shoulders directly over hands, hips over knees. Keep your arms straight + try to shift your upper body weight into your fingers rather than all on your wrists. Exhale + engage your core muscles (gently draw in your lower abdomen as you breathe out + move) + lift one knee out to the side. Just off the ground is fine, but no higher than parallel to the ground. Bring it back down as you inhale, then repeat. Try not to let your weight shift right over to the supporting leg, you want the movement to happen by rotating at the hip, not by leaning or twisting your whole body to one side. You are stabilizing your torso + engaging your core as you lift your leg, + then relaxing as you lower. It’s harder to initiate or feel a pelvic floor contraction when you abduct your legs, but be assured that the transverse muscle + the pelvic floor can co-contract – one movement is making sure the other happens!
