The inspiring reason pregnant women are sharing videos of their disappearing baby bumps

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
Pregnant women are sharing videos of their disappearing baby bumps [Photo: Instagram/thebloommethod]
Pregnant women are sharing videos of their disappearing baby bumps [Photo: Instagram/thebloommethod]

Pregnant women might want to look away right now as the latest trend in prenatal fitness sees mums-to-be sharing videos of them ‘belly pumping’.

In the clips, pregnant mamas can be seen engaging in deep core breathing exercises, which are said to have multiple benefits for a pregnant woman’s body.

But the really weird thing is that while the mums-to-be are performing the exercises, their baby bumps seem to completely disappear, leaving them looking pregnant one minute and not the next.

Happy Spring Mamas! Our beautiful instructor Rachel tapping into her deep core on her stunning hike this afternoon! Do you connect to your changing core in both exercise & daily movements? Do you know what intra-abdominal pressure is and how to maintain appropriate pressure in your abdomen whether pregnant or not? Are you aware that incorrect intra-abdominal pressure throughout your pregnancy (or after) can increase your chances of having diastasis Recti, PF prolapse & incontinence? Simple re-patterning can shift all of this while providing better results through exercise & other movement modalities. The Bloom Method wants to help you with all of this… pregnancy doesn't have to cause pain, it doesn't have to be complicated, It doesn't have to create a sense of disconnect within your body and it most certainly shouldn't make you feel any other way than Empowered & Strong! Shifting unnecessary movement & breathing patterns will provide more joy & awareness in your body than you may have imagined! TBM Belly Pumps are a must for all mamas, while we teach a series of deep core engagement exercises these are super yummy and easy for any woman to incorporate into her pregnancy! Adding BP's to your day may feel weird at first as most of us are chest breathers before we draw awareness to the imporantace of diaphragmatic breathing. Stick with it and be patient… your body came into this world breathing this way, it just has to remember ???? We know you want to feel better during pregnancy (no pelvic or low back pain), decrease your chance of abdominal separation & PF prolapse or incontinence, become more aware of your deep core in ALL movements; not just your workout, build a stronger relationship with your PF outside of the dreaded kegel, & better understand how to use your deep core in the pushing phase of labor – making your pushing time drastically less, and heal quicker and safely pp! Give it a try and feel free to reach out if you need guidance- #fitpregnancy #fitbump #bellypump #thebloommethod #fitpregnancy #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyexercise #prenatalexercise #prenatalfitness #strongasamother

A post shared by The Bloom Method™ (@thebloommethod) on Mar 20, 2017 at 3:16pm PDT

The ‘belly pump’ is just one of a series of deep core exercises taught to mums-to-be by The Bloom Method fitness programme,

“The belly pump follows your breath with an inhale as the belly expands,” the programme’s founder Brooke Cates explained on Instagram.

“Exhale as you activate your pelvic floor and TA [Transverse Abdominis, deep core muscle] together. Keep the breath slow and controlled throughout the exercise.”

Belly Pumping aka Diaphragmatic breathing with Deep Core Engagement! Why do we think EVERY expecting mother should be adding this to her daily regimen? 1️⃣ Helps to maintain a connection to the deep core muscles throughout pregnancy {pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, & Multifidus} 2️⃣ Decreases low back & Pelvic pain due to the deep cores ability to stabilize the spine & pelvis 3️⃣ Decreases your chance of abdominal separation by creating a balancing effect of the Inhale- creating space for the baby & the Exhale – maintaining strength in the muscles of the deep core 4️⃣ Helps teach women how to effective PUSH during labor. Knowing how to use your deep core during the pushing phase of birth speeds up pushing time by over 70% 5️⃣ Provides more stability postpartum while speeding up healing times during this rehabilitative stage 6️⃣ Keeps the expecting woman in parasympathetic nervous system, providing de-stressing signals to her and baby {this is much healthier than the Fight or Flight space most people currently live in} ::Add belly pumps to workouts or do throughout your day to create more balance and strength to your pregnancy. Try while driving, siting at your desk, brushing your teeth, cooking, etc :: The Belly Pump follows your breath with an inhale as the belly expands, Exhale as you activate your PF & TA together. Keep the breath slow and controlled throughout the exercise! #fitpregnancy #prenatalexercise #birthprep #prenatalworkout #prenatalfitness #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyexercise #birth #labor #expecting #prenatalcore #pregnant #pregnancy #maternity #thebloommethod #boulder #colorado #aspen #aspencolorado #fitness #fitmom #exercise #core

A post shared by The Bloom Method™ (@thebloommethod) on Jan 30, 2017 at 7:20am PST

Speaking to Babble about her mission to change fitness for mums both during pregnancy and post birth, Cates explains that she started her company after noticing how many women expressed unhappiness about their bodies both while pregnant and then after giving birth. She noticed that many were feeling that becoming a mother meant ‘giving up’ their bodies.

“I saw a need for it,” she says. “I thought, ‘Wow, what a negative way to see becoming a mother.”

Cates says the benefits to soon-to-be mums of undertaking belly pumping exercises include decreasing lower back and pelvic pain, improving pelvic floors and helping to teach pregnant women how to effectively push in labour.

We love seeing athlete @angigreene add correct core activation exercises to her pregnancy. We call this exercise TBM's Deep Core Hold and recommend that all our mamas do this during pregnancy, along with several of our other deep core techniques. Exercises like this one provide endless benefits that support your body during & post pregnancy. Making sure to add some PF awareness to the exercise (both a softening & strengthening) will also help to build a better relationship with your PF decreasing your chance of incontinence & prolapse. Let's shift the way we see these "normal" pregnancy related issues. Diastasis Recti, PF issues, low back pain, hernias, extremely long pushing times, slow recovery post birth- these are ALL things that can be prevented when adding correct core exercises + being willing to shift core specific movement patterns while pregnant. Let's start approaching our pregnancies as a time to get stronger & more in touch with our bodies not an excuse to sit around and do the opposite. Pregnancy is incredibly empowering if you allow it to be! . . . . . . #fitbump #fitpregnancy #bellypump #thebloommethod #birthprep #boulderbirth #bouldermom #athletes #prenatal #pregnant #pregnancy #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyexercise #prenatalfitness #prenatalworkout #prenatalexercise #fitness #birth #babybump #expecting #labor #diaphragmaticbreathing #boulder #bouldercolorado

A post shared by The Bloom Method™ (@thebloommethod) on Apr 2, 2017 at 5:51pm PDT

Those currently wondering what happens to the baby when it ‘disappears’ wonder no more as apparently the baby slips into the mum’s rib cage on the deep exhale. Oh and belly pumping advocates claim the practice is completely safe.

Pregnancy CORE training doesn't have to be complicated but it does need to be smart. Keeping a strong core throughout pregnancy helps in more ways than you can imagine — ✔️prevention of Diastasis Recti ✔️more efficient pushing for birth ✔️muscle memory that helps with bounce back post birth ✔️a balanced pelvic floor musculature that's strong yet prepared for birth & after ✔️less aches and pains associated with pregnancy {SPD, low back pain, PGP} ✔️a stronger, more responsive core for the rest of your life. Add our techniques to everything you do, keep it simple & stay connected to your changing body over the course of your pregnancy & post birth. **This client experienced a successful VBAC + 0 abdominal separation or pelvic floor issues postpartum** #pregnancy #fitpregnancy #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyexercise #26weekspregnant #fitness #core #pregnancycore #diastasisrectiprevention #postpartumfitness #bellypump #thebloommethod

A post shared by The Bloom Method™ (@thebloommethod) on Aug 11, 2016 at 11:14am PDT

Gives a whole new meaning to the idea of sucking your tummy in, right?

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