Mama, Jump Please!

'Mama, jump please!' are the exact words that came from my toddler as we bounced on the new trampoline.

His eyes looked at me as if to say, 'but Daddy does it, so I want you too do it too Mama'.

And it killed me.

I thought I could get away with crawling around on all fours and have a win-win.

A win for my toddler and the fun we could have.

And a win for my pelvic floor given I was only two months postpartum from the birth of our second son.

I’d been consistent with my Core Rehab for Mamas program since week two postpartum. I had been building my walking up at a steady pace. I was feeling great.

So, the 'naïve me' would have said 'yeah sure, why not!'

It's only the pure fact that the last 10+ years I've spent helping women who were months or even years post-birth recover back from pelvic floor dysfunction or pelvic organ prolapse.

It's the fact that I do know better, and that I could easily have no symptoms whatsoever of pelvic floor problems, but a solid jumping session on the trampoline with my toddler could have me peeing my pants the next day.

I know all this.

But, is was still hard to say no.

I opted for running (well kind of running) around chasing him saying 'I'm going to get you' and his squeals of joy and laughter bringing me the satisfaction that was enough.

Enough, until he stopped and said: 'Jump higher Mama'.

Which means pick him up and jump as high as possible.

And at that point I had to get off the trampoline.

I had to.

Stay connected with us for more postpartum health videos and tips at my PregActive Pregnancy YouTube channel.

I can put up with my toddler's disappointment in that moment, but I can't put up with weeks and months of issues from over doing it too soon.

There is a point where you have to draw the line, and for me, that was it.

I wanted to desperately to jump with him. But just like I have to wait for that night out with my girlfriends of care-free drinking of cocktails (when does that happen again by the way?), jumping on the trampoline will also have to wait.

There are certain things we sacrifice as Mothers, and especially in those early months postpartum. Sometimes it can feel that all we are doing is sacrificing, that there is little left to sacrifice, but as the weeks and months move on, you do emerge back.

But you don't bounce back.

There is no bouncing back post-birth. It doesn't happen. Not in real life.

Yes, there are Instagram photos that will have you believe otherwise, but let me tell you a little secret'.

The social media world does not always portray what's actually happening. So don't compare yourself to someone else's air-brushed, filtered selfie.

And when it comes to jumping. There are parts of your body that, post-birth, will move with force when you jump, and that force can be too much for the soft tissue that's trying so hard to repair.

Be kind, to yourself, to others, and to your pelvic floor.

You are fine, until you're not.

And trust me, you don't want to test those waters.

It's a long, hard, uphill battle to recover back from a pelvic organ prolapse. And there can be a lot of embarrassing leaks on the journey.

So do yourself, and your pelvic floor justice, stay clear of the trampoline, do your Core

Rehab exercises and know, that one day you';ll be jumper higher than Daddy ever could!