This plan is suitable for any kind of birth, including a Caesarian. We take this into consideration as we ease in gently and have specialist advice from our physio Clare Bourne to help guide you through your recovery as you make your way through the plan.
 
It goes without saying that if you experience any pain, discomfort or are unsure of anything to do with your c section recovery please reach out to a medical professional.

We recommend that you start when you feel ready to, but no earlier than 6 weeks post birth. All new mums are offered a 6 week check at which time you can ask your nurse/doctor if there is any reason not to return to gentle exercise. 

The plan is separated into 3 sections, each section last for 4 weeks and every week you will have an introductory chat, a pelvic floor session with Clare Bourne, a nutrition video from Amy Powderham, a pilates class, a yoga class and from week 5 - you will have both strength and cardio sessions which progress and build in time and effort required. 

The plan requires very little equipment. You will just need a soft area of flooring or an exercise mat ideally. The plan is designed especially for the home and so the only piece of equipment that we would strongly advise that you need is a light pair of dumbbells for the upper body classes. We start with just bodyweight so don't panic if you haven't got any yet, you can substitute with can.or bottles of water. For pilates, Amanda will occasionally suggest the use of a pilates ball, but a cushion can be used in it's place. Yoga blocks are also useful if you have them but not a necessity. 

The plan is a 12 week plan but you will have access to the course for 6 months so you can take it at a pace that works for you, we totally understand that life gets in the way sometimes and you certainly won't be the only one that takes a little longer than 12 weeks to complete it. There are 12 weeks of classes in a follow along format but there is absolutely no pressure to follow this to the exact day. You can go back and repeat a week until you feel comfortable to move on or you may want to jump ahead in a specific class when you feel your fitness levels return. If you miss a week, either start with replaying the week before or pick up where you left off. There is no right or wrong and more important that you work with and listen to your body. Lessons can be replayed as many times as you like and not every lesson has to be played in order to progress. 

Whilst this plan is not a specific diastasis rehab programme, because these require individually tailored exercises from a physio, it is certainly designed to help rebuild your core taking into consideration any diastasis you may have. Throughout any given class there are adaptations and variations given to you so that you can progress at a rate that suits you and your body and together we will rebuild your core strength steadily and effectively.

Absolutely, it is never too late to start. If you have done a lot of exercise before you may find your progress is quicker. If you are recovering from caesarean, prolapse or a tear, sometimes you will be advised to delay your return to exercise.  It is still useful to start from the very beginning of the plan in order to build strength and mobility before moving on to cardio and strength, avoiding injury and taking care of your body.