Posture & pelvic floor, with exercise & nutrition guidelines

(attend when approx. 13-16 weeks pregnant)

This session covers how to correctly align your posture with neutral pelvis and neutral spine, and correct core and pelvic floor activation. We also go over safe exercise and healthy nutritional guidelines.

Content includes –

• Postural alignment
• Pelvic floor and how it is affected by pregnancy
• Postural and stability exercises (including take-home exercise programs)
• Prenatal exercise guidelines including recommendations, contraindications and warning signs
• Maternal weight gain recommendations
• Energy intake in each trimester
• Recommended dietary guidelines
• Signs and symptoms requiring attention – when to seek help from your physio, doc, trainer etc.
  

Biomechanical & physiological changes, benefits of exercise, and specific nutrients for pregnancy

(attend when approx. 17-20 weeks pregnant)

Following on from the Posture session after establishing good postural alignment and stability, this session goes through changes to the body experienced in pregnancy. We will also cover the benefits of exercise and we will go over several exercises included in your take-home exercise sheets. This session also discuses some of the important individual nutrients for pregnancy

Content includes –

• Recap on previous session so you can ask any questions that may have come up, or provide us with any feedback
• Biomechanical changes to your body
• Physiological changes to your body in relation to exercise
• Benefits of both cardio and resistance exercise for both mother and baby
• Specific nutrients, recommended amounts, their function and why they are important during pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms requiring attention – when to seek help from your physio, doc, trainer etc.

Healthy prenatal nutrition and putting it into practice

(attend when approx. 21-24 weeks pregnant)

Following on from the Exercise session, this session discusses common musculoskeletal ailments and pains and techniques on how to combat them before we go over a more pregnancy-safe exercises from the exercise library we give you, to make sure you know how to do them safely and effectively. We will then go over how to put all the nutritional guidelines and recommendations into practice with meal planning, and finishing with a delicious snack-making activity!

Content includes –

• Recap on previous session on exercise so you can ask any questions that may have come up, or provide us with any feedback
• How to plan meals, where to find recipes, etc
• Healthy pregnancy snacks
• Signs and symptoms requiring attention – when to seek help from a dietitian, doc, etc.
• Food making activity
• Recipes to take home

Self care during & after pregnancy, & baby care basics

(attend when approx. 25-28 weeks pregnant)

Following on from the Nutrition session, this session goes through ways to look after yourself during your pregnancy and into the postpartum period to help maintain your health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally.  We also go through baby care basics including some safety guidelines, and making informed choices and decisions that are right for you, your baby and family.

Content includes –

• Self care for mum
  • Finding a healthy balance and listening to your body
  • Minimising stress and anxiety, meditation activity
  • Realistic strategies to get adequate rest
  • Postnatal hormones – what you can expect
  • Postnatal depression awareness
  • Normal healthy hormonal-driven behaviour versus warning signs for postnatal depression – when to go to your GP
• Caring for baby
  • The concept of the 4th trimester, benefits of skin to skin
  • Safe sleeping, including SIDS guidelines
  • Myths and misconceptions about caring for your baby
  • Trusting mother’s intuition
• Make-and-take activity – products for you and baby using natural ingredients, including recipes to take home
• Signs/symptoms requiring attention – when to seek help from your physio, GP, etc.

Breastfeeding information, techniques and troubleshooting

(attend when approx. 29-32 weeks pregnant)

Following on from the Self and Baby Care session, this session goes over all things to do with breastfeeding.

Content includes –

• What is breastmilk – composition, nutrients, etc
• Advantages of breastfeeding for both mother and baby
• The stages of breastmilk and common issues surrounding each stage
• Correct attachment, establishing supply
• Breastfeeding and hormones
• Troubleshooting common problems

Labour & birth, including active birth

(attend when approx. 33-36 weeks pregnant)

Following on from the Breastfeeding session, this session discusses labour and birth, with a focus on active labour. This session is designed to compliment the information you receive at your hospital’s prenatal classes, and to empower you to make informed choices about what is best for you in this process, and to accept when the process must deviate from your ideal plan for the safety of you and your baby.

Content includes –

• Active labour – what is it, what does it entail
• Relaxation techniques – breathing, partner massage, bath, shower, Swiss ball, essential oils, music, et al.
• We will also ask you for suggestions of anything else you would like information on, or would like to go over again during session 7

Postnatal Recovery, Health & Wellbeing

(attend when approx. 37-40 weeks pregnant)

In this final session of our series, we will go over the physical and biological postnatal changes you will experience right after giving birth, the first few weeks and months postpartum. By learning about what your body does in this process of growing and then birthing a whole little person, you will be be able to best look after yourself after your baby has finally arrived, and understand your body’s recovery needs and postnatal abilities.

We discuss the guidelines of returning to normal daily activities and exercise after pregnancy and childbirth to ensure you have the necessary knowledge to do these things safely while looking after yourself and your body.

We will also go over any information you specified at the end of session 6 as content you would like recap and review.

Content includes –

• How your body has changed immediately after birth, in particular, your pelvic floor, abdominals and therefore pelvic stability
• How to look after your pelvic floor immediately following birth and in the early postnatal weeks while regaining its strength and endurance
• Abdominal separation and how to care for and reduce it
• Postural exercises to combat poor posture that often results from the physical demands of being a new mum
• Realistic expectations, safe recommendations and guidelines for returning to daily activities and exercise postnatally