Aziza Sa'id's FAQ - Pregnancy

Shimmyx: Dancing right after giving birth (a month or so) was odd, I wasn't used to my new body, it wasn't pregnant, and it wasn't my "before" body either, my hips couldn't do some things, still spread out. It took a bit to get back to my "before" bone structure, and then all the jiggly bits took longer to get back into place, but I think dancing helped that.

Merika: Sheri said: "my muscle seems permanently separated, but I can't be sure.. it might just appear that way to me because of the vertical scar from the c-section and the way the loose skin hangs there. What, if anything, can be done about it?"

Lie on your back. Lift your head clear off the floor so you can see your feet. Put two fingers just below your rib cage on the long stomach muscles in front (name is escaping me, sorry). Fingers are parallel to the length of the muscle. Your muscles should be tensed and contracted/hard in this position. See now if you can feel a space/gap between them with your fingers.

The muscles ARE separate, so you will feel a little valley between them, but you shouldn't be able to squish your fingers deep down, or move the muscles around at all. If they feel very separate, they probably are.

If you have this problem, you can do mini sit-ups and little leg lifts while on your back. Immediately post-pregnancy (within a few months), this will close up the gap. I don't know if the same exercises work years later. I imagine they would certainly help, but I just don't know. It is hard for me to describe this sort of thing online. If it's not clear, ask a physical therapist or midwife for more instruction.

Donna Lapre: As far as getting in shape afterwards you can do abdominal pull-ins from day 1 in bed, pulling the navel towards the spine. Cindy Crawford has my all time favorite tape for postpartum called new Dimensions. In the tape there is a 12-minute straight after birth workout (well wait a week or so), then a 16-minute section with good thigh, arm, and ab work. After you're comfortable with that then there is a 40-minute work out which has really shaped my butt, thighs, arms and abs. When your a mum, time is limited and you can no longer afford to spend an hour doing something which doesn't really work you. Cindy's tape makes you feel WORKED and in 35 minutes.

Tedi: As to how much time you'll be pre- and post-partum... each person and each pregnancy differs. With my first-born it took me months to feel up to returning to the dance. With my second-born, I was ready to get back to it in two hours (though I think I actually waited a month to jump back in with both feet). ;-D Listen to your body and to your heart.

Onca: Plan to take 6 weeks to two months off after the baby. I know this is a bummer - I like you planned to dance to the end and get right back up. But the task of recovering from even a great birth is bigger than you might think, and you cannot plan now on whether you end up with extreme stitches from tearing during birth or a caesarean (I had these even with a midwife) - and it is better to have your classes covered thru just in case.

Lastly, the reality of sleep deprivation is big deal in the first few months. Babies need to be fed every few hours since their bellies are tiny, and that means you need to be spending twelve hours daily trying to get 8 hours asleep. This will affect your practice, and your overall fitness & energy level.