Exercise in the Perinatal Period

Less than 15% of women meet guidelines for recommended amounts of physical activity during pregnancy. Physical inactivity is the 4th leading cause of mortality worldwide and an independent risk factor for pregnancy complications. As healthcare providers it is our duty to promote health and wellness throughout the lifespan and the perinatal period is all too often overlooked. We don’t receive any significant education on fitness during our training, yet our clients look to us for answers that we don’t actually have. We do the best we can with the knowledge that we have but this is often based on a combination of life experience, common sense and myths, many of which we will debunk in this course.

This course is designed for healthcare providers who work with people throughout the perinatal period who are motivated to improve their ability to motivate and support their clients to get or stay active throughout the perinatal period including their postpartum return to fitness.

In this course, we will review:

· Guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy (including their evolution and what is missing)

· Anatomy of the core/pelvic floor (through a new lens)

· Anatomical and physiological changes that occur in the perinatal period (genetics update)

You will learn:

· Comprehensive assessment skills for diastasis recti and pelvic organ prolapse

· Strategies for supporting your client’s fitness goals

· How to grow and better utilize your interdisciplinary team

You will leave with:

· Resources for you and your clients including:

o A movement/modification library

o Additional continuing education opportunities

o A private Facebook group for ongoing support as you begin implementing new strategies

AUTHOR OF COURSE - Tanya Tringali is the owner and founder of Mother Wit Maternity & Consulting Services. She is a Midwife on a mission to provide wellness services that promote optimal pregnancy outcomes, safe and satisfying birth experiences, and ease the transition into parenthood. Mother Wit is committed to reducing maternal morbidity and mortality by helping people make lifestyle and healthcare choices that are sustainable and improve their quality of life. Tanya is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, CrossFit Level 1 Coach and Pregnancy; Postpartum Athleticism Coach. She is a member of the Global Pelvic Health Alliance (Pelvic Guru) and has studied with Antony Lo, The Physiodetective an Australian Physiotherapist in his Female Athlete level 1 and 2 courses. Tanya works with people who are navigating fitness throughout the perinatal period and particularly enjoys helping people who have diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, and stress urinary incontinence that impact their work, lifestyle, hobbies and goals. She also provides education to healthcare providers with the goal of dispelling myths, reducing fears, and improving their evidence base so they can better support their clients’ goals. Tanya is Adjunct Faculty at NYU and Georgetown. She has presented on this topic at the American College of Nurse Midwives Annual Convention in 2020 and is the co-author of the new chapter on exercise called, Physical Activity and Exercise in the Perinatal Period in the upcoming 3rd edition of Prenatal and Postnatal Care: A Person Centered Approach of which she is also an editor.