A little bit ago I learned about MomBodFitness, a site/program/products dedicated to helping moms with pregnancy and post-pregnancy core strength. Having a strong core is really the basis for almost any fitness program you’d want to do, so it’s essential to worry about getting that in shape and keeping it in shape.

The owner, Celeste, not only is certified in pre/post-natal fitness, she’s a mother herself and has been around the block with various products out there designed to help moms. And when nothing seemed exactly right… she did like so many entrepreneurs that change the world do and created her own solutions!

She offers a postnatal maternity splint and a ReCORE to help moms correct abdominal separation that occurs during pregnancy.  This isn’t purely for vanity… like I said, a strong core is so important for so many aspects of life. Whether you want to run or just want to be able to carry your child comfortably and play with them without injury.

I bought the FITsplint Maternity to wear while running and it has made a HUGE difference. Previously I felt like I had to go to the bathroom the whole run… even if I had just gone before stepping out the door. The FITsplint helps lift and support my burgeoning belly to relieve that urgency. It also helps me to not feel so front-heavy.

It’s slim, it doesn’t show under my clothes. (Of course, for the most part I’m wearing my husband’s old Nike Dri-Fit shirts that have shrunk over time. Too small for him, too big for me… so I could probably wear a fanny pack under the shirt and it wouldn’t show!) It retails for $44.95, so it’s not super cheap, but it’s also a well-made product that is easy to use and I felt it was worth the price.

It gets a little sweaty, naturally, but I just air it out after a run and then I can put it in to wash as needed/desired. Machine washable is ALWAYS a good thing!

I reached out to Celeste and she was kind enough to answer some questions for me (and all of you) about the FITsplint and her ReCORE program.

How did you develop the FITsplint?

By the time I was pregnant with my 3rd I was pretty disappointed in the maternity support options out there. Being a pre/post natal trainer myself.. I felt women who exercised (especially jogged) needed better support across the belly. I also wanted to make a versatile design that could work as a post-natal splint as well. I knew splinting was a more effective way of holding abdominal separation close together….so I designed a support and splint with 2 straps that can separate during pregnancy and splint after pregnancy.

I’m currently pregnant, barely in my third trimester. The maternity FITsplint seems like it would handy for exercise. But it can also just be used for comfort from everyday life, right? Are there limits as to how long a person should wear it during a day?

That’s right, the Maternity FITsplint can be worn whenever it is needed. It works great as a general back support, can gently lift the belly off the bladder to help reduce pressure, has helped women with sciatic pain and can properly support women with diastasis recti during pregnancy.

I noticed that the FITsplint maternity  can be used postpartum. How does the maternity version differ from the postnatal version?

It is actually the exact same design, only in smaller sizes. Since the Maternity FITsplint is fully adjustable it will fit after pregnancy but the material will wrap all the way around the back. Some women may not buy the FITsplint until after pregnancy or may prefer to buy the Post-Natal sizing for a better fit so I offer both Maternity and Post-Natal.

How soon after delivery can a mother wear/use a FITsplint?

Women can wear the FITsplint within days of a vaginal delivery. If they have a c-section, they will want to wait until the incision has healed.

Is it something they need to wait for a doctor’s clearance for exercise, or will just splinting start the healing process?

Women should wait until doctors clearance for strenuous exercise or the ReCORE program. The FITsplint is fine to wear immediately post-partum. I recommend that every woman wears the Post-Natal FITsplint after childbirth because most women have some degree of abdominal separation after pregnancy. And since no one knows how well their connective tissue will heal… wearing the FITsplint and doing corrective abdominal exercises will ensure the best recovery possible. Splinting the stretched out abs and connective tissue close together will protect from further stress on the area and hold the muscles in the correct position for optimal healing.

Other belly wraps claim to help reduce postpartum bleeding and guiding the uterus size back down to normal when used in the first 6-8 weeks. Does the FITsplint do the same?

Those are claims associated with other products. While the FITsplint can be used for compression, it also splints to effectively bring the stretched out abdominal muscles and weak connective tissue close together for optimal healing.

Is the ReCORE program something that is started immediately after birth, or is that something that a woman should wait until doctor’s clearance?

There are a few very basic isometric ab exercises I feel women should be given to do within the first month to help improve blood flow to the weak connective tissue and to help re-establish the brain/muscle/nerve connection (especially in women with c-sections) but yes, the 6 week ReCORE program should be started after clearance from doctor or midwife and when the mom feels ready. I train women from 2 months post to 5+ years postpartum.

Is the ReCORE program a one-size-fits-all program, or is it customized to each individual participant?

Right now it is customized to each of my clients (inhome or online) since I do every program personally, but I hope to make a ReCORE DVD soon so more women can have access to a comprehensive core reconditioning program that address pelvic floor, abs, back, glutes and alignment. When post-natal women are able to re-strengthen the muscles from the inside out, women are able to get a stable, balance core that is ready for the demands of rigorous exercise. So many women jump the gun on running or other strenous activities without getting their foundation (the inner core) strong again….and injuries and core issues become a problem down the line. (Crunches do not strengthen the inner core muscles)

I saw on your website that you compete in running races and triathlons. What’s your favorite race distance? 🙂

I love running but prefer speed over distance. I think that is why I love the 5K and sprint triathlons. I like the benefits of cross training as well. One of these days I might get the itch to run another marathon, but right now with 3 children and a business, I have limited time for training and the short distances suit me well 🙂

I was not compensated for this in any way. I bought the belt with my own money because it seemed like a sound investment and a worthwhile product. My investment paid off too!