Mount Pleasant Magazine May/June 2018

77 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestOfMP.com feature T he miracle of life is a beautiful thing. But after the baby showers, the nursery themes, the “babymoon,” (yes, that’s a thing now), maternity photos and nervously clicking the empty infant car seat into place for the first time as you anticipate the arrival of your bundle of joy, the shocking realities of becoming a mom – or adding another to your brood – begin to take shape. No two pregnancies are exactly the same, no two birth stories are exactly the same and no two babies are exactly the same; no matter the situation, being aware of your body and mind postpartum is acutely important to your health. “A woman’s body goes through incredible physical changes when she’s pregnant: ribs spread to make room for the baby, the diaphragm and other organs get squished and moved around, making breathing difficult, your pelvic floor has to handle a tremendous amount of pressure, abs get stretched to the point of separation, your posture changes and back muscles have to work overtime to support the weight of a growing baby,” explained Jill Zimmerman, a postpartum corrective exercise specialist, physical therapist, trainer and owner of Perfectly Fit Wellness. “Those things don’t just bounce back and become normal because you’re no longer pregnant.” On top of all of that, in the early stages, you are most likely healing from the delivery, episiotomy or C-section, trying to figure out breast-feeding or feeling frustrated from complications with it, your hormones are all over By Anne Toole You’ve Come a Long Way to Baby Postpartum Care