Everything You Need to Know About Our New Postnatal Program
Over the past four years, Brooke and I have had four babies between us, and our own postnatal experiences have taught us so much about what women actually need when returning to exercise after birth.
We wanted this new program to bring together my knowledge and experience as a physio and Pilates instructor with what we've both learnt first-hand as mums. The physical recovery, the lack of time, the unpredictability and that desire to start feeling strong and like yourself again.
Our new 8-week Postnatal Program is progressive, realistic and designed to give you just the right balance of support and challenge as you rebuild your strength and confidence after having a baby.
What's included each week?
We've included five different styles of movement, each with a different purpose:
Full Body Pilates
Progressive Pilates classes to rebuild whole-body strength, posture, stability and endurance.
Core + Pelvic Floor
Focused sessions to reconnect with your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, improve coordination and gradually rebuild strength.
Functional Strength
A completely new addition to the program. These classes bridge the gap between Pilates and everyday strength, incorporating movements like squats, lunges, pushing, pulling and balance to prepare your body for the physical demands of motherhood and eventually, your return to more challenging exercise.
Stretch + Mobility
Gentler sessions to release tension, restore mobility and give your body some much-needed movement after all those hours spent feeding, carrying and settling a baby.
Pelvic Floor
Short, targeted sessions that make it easy to give your pelvic floor the attention it deserves without adding another big workout to your week.
What equipment will I need?
We've deliberately kept equipment minimal so that the program is easy to complete at home.
You'll use a Pilates ball and light 1kg weights, with an optional resistance band introduced later in the program.
Education is a big part of it too
We don't just want to tell you what to do, we want you to understand your body and feel confident moving it again.
Throughout the program, you'll find educational videos covering the things we think every woman should know during postnatal recovery, helping you understand what's happening in your body and how to safely progress your exercise.
What's different this time?
The biggest change is the introduction of functional exercise.
Core and pelvic floor rehabilitation are incredibly important after having a baby, but postnatal recovery needs to go beyond that.
Motherhood is physical! You're lifting capsules, carrying babies, getting up and down from the floor, pushing prams and eventually chasing toddlers around.
We wanted this program to help you build the strength you need for all of it.
This isn't about "bouncing back" or rushing to get back to where you were before having a baby.
It's about progressively rebuilding your body, understanding it better and helping you feel strong and confident in it again.
And after everything we've learnt professionally and personally over the past four years, it's a program Brooke and I are incredibly proud to finally share with you.
Han + Brooke x