Mindy Lagdameo: A Journey Back to Yourself
Fitness trainer Mindy Lagdameo tells us how advocating for her body allowed her to heal after childbirth.
This story by Mindy Lagdameo appeared in the Modern Parenting Mother’s Day and Father’s Day May 2024 issue.
When I got pregnant with my first child, I remember everyone telling me that everything was going to change as soon as the baby was born. My pregnancy went smoothly, and up until I gave birth, nothing had changed so far in any part of who I was — I was still coaching Crossfit for four hours every day.
I was confident in my body, and if there was one thing I thought wouldn’t change, it was what my body could do.
Yet I was so wrong.
My due date came and went, and my plans of a quick, unmedicated birth was replaced by painful, induced labor that ended in an emergency C-section.
While I hobbled out of the hospital with a brand new, beautiful baby girl, I on the other hand, was completely lost.
So, no – unlike the rest of my fitness peers, I did not bounce back.
I looked in the mirror and did not know who that person looking back at me was. She looked like me, but she didn’t feel like me at all. The more I looked at my body, the more I couldn’t recognize it. I couldn’t even feel the middle section that used to be my physical core!
What is Diastasis Recti?
I later found out that I had a condition called diastasis recti and core dysfunction. In short, my abdominal muscles were separated. It’s a common phenomenon that happens during pregnancy, and 40 percent of women who have diastasis recti still have it six months after giving birth.
Our core is much more than just abs—it’s also made up of our diaphragm, muscles between the ribs, mid- and lower back muscles, hips, bum, and pelvic floor. All of these parts work together to form our core, which helps our body rest and digest, react properly to situations, manage pressure within our internal organs, and move properly. And here I used to think “working on my core” was just for looking good in a bikini!
During pregnancy, our brains switch off the connection to the core so that it can do its temporary job of growing our babies. It is also during this time when some parts of the core stopped working, and others have to compensate. Our core is so much more than just a sexy six-pack—it is the powerhouse of our body. Losing my connection to my core after childbirth helped me realize how much I relied on it.
Welcoming the new me
Advocating for my body made a difference. I began researching my condition and found the information I needed to help me understand what I was going through. Soon, I had designed a program that healed and restored my core. It took years and tears, and at one point, I remember thinking that everything was hopeless.
With patience and perseverance, I made it. Was my journey perfect and as fast as others? Not at all.
The first step was to learn about my new body, and love and accept it. Through this process I also found my purpose, and have helped so many others like me who have struggled with postpartum diastasis recti, and need help feeling like themselves again.
If you are reading this and are thinking, “Oh, this is exactly what I am going through,” I hope you realize you don’t have to struggle. Our children will change us in every way, but this does not mean that you have to get lost in the process.
If you have reached this point, then your journey back to yourself has already begun. Get ready to learn and embrace this wonderful, messy, and tear-filled season in your life, as you work towards who you are now and who you are meant to be, for your family and for yourself.
To read the full article, grab a copy of Modern Parenting Mother’s Day and Father’s Day May 2024 issue —available on sarisari.shopping. Download the e-Magazine from Readly or Press Reader for more exclusive features and stories.
Photography KIM SANTOS OF KLIQ, INC.
Shot on Location at AGC Power Holdings Studio
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