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Phase 3
Begin Phase 3 only when you are comfortable.
Before doing any additional abdominal exercises, it is important that you check for separation of your abdominal muscles (Please see the diagram in the “Prenatal Exercises” chapter).

To check for separation:

• Lie on your back with knees bent
• Place one hand over your mid-abdomen, around the area of the umbilicus (navel)
• Slowly raise your head and shoulders about eight inches off the floor
• The abdominal muscles will pull towards the center and press up against your fingers
• During postpartum, if you have a separation, you will feel a gap about the width of three or more fingers between the muscle bands

If you find no separation, proceed with the abdominal exercises that follow.
If you find a separation, it is important that you do not begin regular postpartum abdominal exercises until the separation is corrected. Instead, do the head lifting exercise every day to reduce the separation to a slight gap of one finger.
It may take one or two weeks of regular exercise to accomplish this

Head Lifting
Purpose:
Restores separated abdominal muscles in the postpartum period

Exercise:
Please see the “Prenatal Exercises” chapter for instructions.

Straight Leg Raising
Purpose:
Strengthens lower abdominal and thigh muscles

Exercise:
Please see the “Prenatal Exercises” chapter for instructions.

Straight Curl-Up
Purpose:
Strengthens and tones abdominal muscles

Exercise:
Please see the “Prenatal Exercises” chapter for instructions.
CAUTION: Do not sit up all the way

Diagonal Curl-Up
Purpose:
Strengthens and tones abdominal muscles

Exercise:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent
• Do pelvic rock/tilt
• Tuck chin to chest, lift head and shoulders off floor, and reach both arms to the outside of your right knee
• Return to starting position
• Repeat motion to the left knee
• Relax and repeat alternating sequence several times

Knee To Chest
Purpose:
Stretches lower back muscles along with improving muscle tone and circulation in legs

Exercise:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent
• Do pelvic rock/tilt
• Pull one knee up toward your chest as far as you can.
• Return to starting position
• Repeat with other knee
• Relax and repeat alternating sequence several times