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DVD Reviews: Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning

Fit Pregnancy Magazine: Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning BeFit-Mom, $22; befitmom.com The scoop: Filled with restorative moves such as Kegels and belly scooping, the DVD also features an abdominal-strengthening program. Why you'll love it: Helene Byrne, a perinatal-exercise specialist, provides information on reconditioning the muscles most affected by pregnancy and labor.

Core Strength Proves Key After Baby Arrives
Bay Area Parent, 2007

A few weeks after delivery, a mother's cardiovascular strength can return and the discomfort in the low back can feel improved. Her abdominal muscles, however, prove not to be so resilient. Dong a simple sit-up remains elusive and committing herself to a regimen of crunches is not the solution.

Instead, postnatal fitness expert Helene Byrne focuses on slowly restoring integrity to the new mother's pelvic floor and working on core strengthening, specifically the all-important, oft-neglected transverse muscles. "When that gets tight, a whole host of doors open up to you," she says of the ensuing, essential dynamic stability that's created. "I prepare the body neuromuscularly," she adds. "The body is doing layers of jobs during one exercise."

The Alameda resident and author of "Exercise After Pregnancy" is the creator of the new "Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning" DVD — complete with exercise resistance band. The mom, former dancer and self-proclaimed "pretty hard-core jock" offers women a back-to-basics, gentle reentry into the realm of conditioning, with proper positioning as a cornerstone. Exercises such as heel slides, toe taps, and belly scoops — which realign the pelvis — are reflective of Byrne's muscle specificity, whereby, she says, "What your practice is what you get. Classic gym exercises have nothing to do with being postpartum."

Mom's Favorite Stuff: Real Mom's Reviews of Everything for Mom and Baby

After having my second child, I was really looking for a workout that would help me get my body back in shape, without doing more damage (as I had heard crunches can do). I read about the BeFit Mom fitness program, so I went online and checked out the site (http://www.befitmom.com/). It is so informative in explaining how pregnancy really affects a mother's body. Honestly, I wish that I had heard about this site during pregnancy, because there are so many resources explaining what type of exercises are safe in pregnancy. For my post-partum workouts, I decided to purchase the Bounce Back Fast DVD and book, which comes complete with an exercise band.

The DVD and book arrived quickly, and I felt that the book was very informative. The DVD is wonderful. Helene is very engaging during the workouts (not annoying at all, as I sometimes find with exercise videos), and explains everything, including how a woman's stomach has changing during pregnancy. These exercises are perfect for strengthening a woman's core after pregnancy, and won't cause any additional damage.

I would encourage all pregnant moms to check out http://www.befitmom.com/ either during their pregnancies, or when they are beginning their post-partum exercise program.

Family Review Network

The "Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning" DVD presents a truly innovative postpartum reconditioning program that will have you looking great and feeling terrific—fast! Unlike other programs that offer a run of the mill assortment of exercises that have little relevancy to postpartum needs, the BeFit-Mom system—which fitness expert Helene Byrne created and honed over many years of helping hundreds of new moms get back in shape—provides a unique set of progressive exercises that specifically target postnatal physiology and concerns. Here is what our reviewers are saying about the site, the book, and the DVD:

Chocolate Fingerprints: It was only a couple of weeks ago that I started doing level two in earnest, and I can already tell a difference in how my jeans fit. Also, my transversus abdominus is getting stronger, thanks to the exercises in the book. I can tell because my lower tummy no longer bulges very much during crunches. I can't wait until I'm ready to graduate to level three and try those exercises the correct way!

From Melissa's Desk: This book offers new mothers a comprehensive guide to reconditioning after pregnancy that features a safe, easy to follow, and amazingly effective 3-step program that systematically rebuilds the postpartum body and prepares you for the almost nonstop physical demands of motherhood.The best part for me was these exercises work no matter how postpartum you are!

Here's What I Think: I will admit, I haven't done it like I should, but when I did, I felt better and seemed to have more energy. I have a long way to go before I am back in shape, but this DVD can help get me there.

Moms In a Blog: The exercises are easy to do and I feel more confident in how my body is starting to look.

O Momma Reviews: Firstly, I haven't seen a postpartum exercise DVD that specifically talks about and deals with the abdominal separation as this one does. The exercises themselves are very gentle and easy going, much like pilates and yoga.

Our Seven Qtpies: The exercises in the book are not difficult and it teaches you how to do the exercise correctly. (No painful crunches! But the correct way to work the entire abs, not just one part.) But she also touches on many other areas that need work, too, like posture and restrengthening the pelvic floor.

Rockin' Mama: I know this may not seem significant but I have lost 3 pounds since starting this program (normal weight loss is 1/2-1 pound per week). I've used this program to supplement my walking and have found the program targeting abdominal separation to be particularly helpful. What's really great about the program is that it can be started just days after giving birth (unlike most fitness programs).

Sage and Savvy: BeFit-Mom is an excellent resource for women who are pregnant or recently gave birth on how to stay fit. The site focuses on different types of exercises, why they are good for you, and how they can help during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post-partum recovery.

The exercises were not strenuous—they were indeed very gentle on my body. Helene was very thorough in her explanations of the different exercises and how they are beneficial. My body feels great whenever I do the exercises.

Summer's Nook: So I tried the video and I like it. It's all about strengthening your core and helping with abdominal separation if you have it. The moves are definitely safe for doing very soon after delivery, definitely strengthen and the instructions are very clear and easy to follow. I was surprised at how sore seemingly simple stretches and slow movements could get me. And I really liked Helene's reminders to keep your tummy sucked in throughout.

Mommy In Pink

Bounce Back Fast After Pregnancy!
There is hope for moms everywhere with the help of Helene Bryne and the Be-Fit Mom System! I recently came across a copy of her DVD Bounce Back Fast Post Natal Core Conditioning and her very popular book Exercise After Pregnancy: How to look and feel your best. Helene Bryne is a fitness instructor and a professional dancer with over twenty years of experience. She created the Be-Fit Mom system to help women regain their strength and recondition their bodies after childbirth. Be-Fit Mom helps to prepare your body for the super physical demands of motherhood, I just wish I came across this system sooner. I am now 4.5 months postpartum and with the help of Be-Fit Mom, I have realized that I still have diastasis recti or abdominal separation from my previous pregnancy. Helene teaches you how to recognize this problem and teaches you several safe and effective moves to fix the problem. The great thing about the moves she teaches, is that they are safe to use days after giving birth...she starts you out with Gentle First Moves to help you to slowly regain your strength. You then progressively move into the more advanced Bounce Back Fast workouts with targeted moves that help to realign the spine, provide core stability and flatten and tone your midsection. The end of the book features a section dedicated to teaching mothers how to properly lift baby gear, hold our babies and sit while breastfeeding without doing potential harm to our bodies.

I feel so much more informed about my body post pregnancy than I did before an it's nice to know that I have a resource to make sure I'm using proper form while exercising, which is crucial to how effective these exercises will be working for you! By using the Be-Fit Mom System, you will....

  • Speed healing from labor and delivery
  • Restore Pelvic Floor Muscles
  • Develop Deep Core Strength
  • Speed Up Postpartum Weight Loss
  • Realign and Lengthen your spine
  • Repair Abdominal Separation

EBAY REVIEW

Myangel423
Hey Hot Mamas! I have a NEW Be-Fit Mom Bounce Back Fast Post Natal Core Conditioning DVD waiting for YOU to buy! I started doing this DVD after I had my twins and Helene Byrne is a MIRACLE worker! My tummy started to strengthen and tighten in a matter of days! You will truly be amazed.

On Parenting Review

Getting Back into Shape After Childbirth
Much to my dismay, my body has never been the same since I've had children. My formerly flat tummy is no longer flat. I've got stretch marks and saggy skin (especially after my pregnancy with twins). And ... well, I won't go into any other details. Suffice it to say, this body hasn't seen a bikini in years! Pregnancy does a lot of strange things to the body, both temporary and permanent. I always thought these changes were just something that I'd have to live with, but I've recently been introduced to several products that can help new moms counteract some of the negative impacts of pregnancy on the body and get back into shape faster. Keep in mind that you should NEVER go on a starvation diet or engage in a strenuous exercise program to try to look like some of your favorite celebrities after they've just had a baby. That's just not healthy or safe! But there are programs available that can help you without hurting you.

Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning (DVD)

This award-winning DVD by Helene Byrne, a nationally recognized perinatal exercise specialist, fitness author and certified personal trainer, is just what your body needs if you've recently had a baby. This gentle but effective program helps to rebuild the abdominal wall from the inside out, develop functional core stability and realign the spine. What I especially like about this DVD is that it isn't your standard workout video. Helene really educates new moms about the physiology of their bodies.

The DVD also contains two different workouts. The first one, "Gentle First Moves," can be started just a few days after birth. It helps the body to heal from labor and delivery, relieves discomfort, stretches sore muscles, protects vulnerable joints and ligaments, and even starts flattening and firming up that "jelly belly"! Once you can easily do this program, you're ready to move on to the second workout, "Bounce Back Fast!" This helps you to develop deep core strength, realigns and lengthens your spine, repairs abdominal separation, restores pelvic floor muscles, and much more.

This DVD even includes a free exercise resistance band inside the package, which increases the effectiveness of the exercises. Bounce Back Fast is a fabulous and safe program that new moms can do in the privacy of their own home at their convenience. Each workout is about a half-hour, so it can be squeezed in while your baby is napping.

Helene Byrne is also the author of a book, Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best, and founder of BeFit-Mom, which provides moms with expert information on prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise for healthier pregnancies and recovery. Please visit www.befitmom.com to learn more about the Bounce Back Fast DVD, the Exercise After Pregnancy book and the BeFit-Mom program. (And you get a special price if you buy both the DVD and book directly from www.befitmom.com!)

Now What Baby

Getting back to your pre-pregnancy strength is a huge challenge....at least it has been for me. I go to sleep thinking tomorrow is the day that I will work on getting my body back, tomorrow I will exercise, and somehow tomorrow I end up thinking the same thing that night. Bounce Back Fast by Helene Byrne targets all of the areas of your body that are affected by pregnancy. The DVD is far from exhausting and very different from any other fitness DVD I had ever tried. It uses post natal core conditioning to whip your body back into shape. The DVD is a blend of dance, yoga, and even pilates plus it comes with a resistance band to use with your workout. It has two different work out programs and the first one is actually gentle enough to use as early as a few days after giving birth. The programs are short too (30 -35 mins) and you can get a full workout in that tiny span of time. I found Bounce Back Fast to be very effective and easy to use. The instructor does an excellent job of explaining every step right down to how you should be breathing. While the workout is complete it isn't exhausting and it surprisingly left me feeling energized & relaxed at the same time (a rare combo for me).

BeFit-Mom also offers an amazing book called Exercise After Pregnancy. I found it incredibly useful and very simple to apply to my life. I was really shocked by how quickly I felt progress. I loved the step by step photo instructions and the way you could workout at your speed. I was also interested by the very detailed explanations of each exercise. It was fascinating to know why each move worked and how to get the most out of each movement. BeFit-Mom has an extremely helpful website as well where you can find tons of links and info about ways to get fit, as well as pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, even postpartum resources.

Book Reviews: "Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best"

Moms Favorite Stuff

We reviewed the BeFit-Mom DVD a few months back, and now, Perinatal Exercise Specialist Helene Byrne has just released the 2nd printing of her book "Exercise After Pregnancy - How to Look and Feel Your Best". If you recently had a baby, chances are you've realized that your body doesn't look exactly the same as it did pre-pregnancy. Helene's book and DVD offer safe, effective exercises that you can do post-partum and are targeted to the problem areas that new moms have.

I love Helene's approach to exercise - she spends a lot of time explaining how your body changes during pregnancy, discusses the separation of stomach muscles (diastasis), and explains when it is safe to do each exercise. The book is also set up in sequential order with some more advanced exercises towards the back. The pictures are very helpful in demonstrating the exercises, and use real post partum moms!

Another thing I love about this book is the last chapters, which explain how to carry your body in everyday activities such as carrying your car seat carrier and holding your baby, in a manner that won't hurt your body.

Parent's Press

"Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best" (BeFit-Mom, 2nd edition)
Oakland fitness instructor, Helene Byrne has produced the must-have post-natal workout book, now in its second printing. It's a straightforward look at postpartum recovery, giving new moms a different perspective on the changes a women's body goes through during pregnancy and birth. Refreshingly, Byrne provides her readers with detailed explanations of bodily changes and how each movement she recommends affects those changes.

"The abdominal muscles stretch to an astonishing degree and become unavailable for spine support," Byrne writes. "After birth the abs look, feel and function more like pudding (no one ever warns you about this) and no longer can effectively support the spine and the internal organs."

Byrne focuses mostly on strengthening the muscles that have been stretched and loosened. There's an emphasis on Kegels and core conditioning, rather than the aerobic activity that most fitness regiments introduce at six months postpartum. The book shows real postpartum moms performing each exercise.

Unlike most postpartum fitness books, "Exercise After Pregnancy" dedicates a whole section to abdominal separation, a common occurrence in pregnancy, and offers proper posture techniques for nursing, picking up, and holding your new baby.

Byrne has also created a DVD with all the same moves and information. "Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning" uses strength training and fitness cans to help new moms get back into shape. The DVD is broken into two sections, "Gentle First Moves" and Bounce Back Fast," each giving easy step-by-step instruction.

Momtrends

First, new moms will want to pick up Helene Byrne's book Exercise After Pregnancy. Thanks to Byrne, I discovered I have split abdominal muscles and have learned some exercises to rectify the situation. (For more tips and advice read her informative website, BeFitMom.com) The book also helps moms battle lower back pain and build core strength necessary to take care of ourselves and our babies. Or as Bryne says is "Reestablish the fundamentals of good neuromuscular technique." No quick fixes here. Just a sound exercise program to get you strong and flexible.

"This really helped reduce my tummy separation"

by Ms. A. Walters, January 23, 2009
This book really worked for me. It has a good set of varied exercises, with clear explanations and pictures of how to do them properly. It grades the exercises so that you can build up to more challenging ones as your tummy gets stronger. As far as I am concerned, the proof is in the pudding, as I had suffered from a severe tummy separation for 2 years after baby number 1, which would not close despite doing all sorts of specially targeted exercises. After baby number 2 my tummy separation was 6 fingers wide. I followed the exercises in this book for six months, and the separation is now down to 1 finger wide and starting to close altogether. Fantastic book - and big thanks to the author for writing it!

"Great book"

by Shannon M. Janeczek, July 25, 2008
This book gives you the low-down on why you have Mommy Belly and truly how to get rid of it, by building muscle in the right places and which muscles to build up, in the right order. I for one HATE doing crunches because I have neck and shoulder problems as well, and the exercises in here are really easy for me to do. There's no equipment needed, which is wonderful for someone just coming off an unpaid maternity leave. I look forward to having a flat tummy again very soon.

"I Agree, Better than the Mummy Tummy book"

by Santa Clarita Mom, June 21, 2008
This book has helped my stomach within weeks. I previously purchase the Lose Your Mummy Tummy book and there was not any significant change in my stomach with that book. With the Exercise After Pregnancy book by Ms. Byrne, you get varied exercises that not only help your stomach, but your lower back and posture. It has enough varied exercises at different experience levels that you won't get bored compared to the Mummy Tummy book. After doing a few sets of the exercises in the Exercise after Pregnancy book, you can feel a difference. For anyone with diastasis recti, I highly recommend this book over the Mummy Tummy book. My lower back has felt better and is beginning to straighten out more after my 2 children were born as well as my stomach muscles are tightening up and my stomach is becoming smaller. I still have a small ponch on me, but no one has asked if I'm pregnant for the past few months.

"Better than Loose your Mummy Tummy",

by Catie L, April 10, 2008, Wakefield, MA USA
I bought this book when I was 22 months post partum. I still have abdominal separation, and have been afraid to do ab exercises for fear of increasing it as I know doing ab exercises incorrectly can make a separation worse. I first bought Loose your Mummy tummy, but sucking in my stomach 100x at a time, up to 10x a day wasn't for me. The exercises in this book are challenging, but completely do-able, and I'm noticing that my ab separation is closing after only 3-4 weeks of doing the exercises, not even doing them every day. Great book!!

"Professionally written with excellent real-life advice"

by Lee-Ann Niazi January 28, 2008
Helene has done an amazing job with this book and has included actual postpartum women as well. The exercises are integral for any new mother wanting to get her body back into shape the right way. In society today, it is all too easy to get caught up in the new diet or exercise fads but Helene creates several easy to follow programs that focus on the core muscles that are so often overlooked. I've noticed a difference already after just a couple of weeks. Thanks Helene.

Pampered Pregger and Beyond Telelclass: Ab Rehab After Cesarean

Download Sound File

Total Fitness Radio Show with James Williams and Catherine Carrigan

How to Flatten Your Abs After Pregnancy with special guest Helene Byrne

Having a baby radically changes a woman's body both during and after pregnancy, and predisposes her to back pain and many other problems. Find out what every mother needs to know about to quickly and safely rebuild the abdominal wall and develop a strong core and back. Fitness expert Helene Byrne joins your hosts and welcomes your questions.

Listen to Helene speak about reconditioning after pregnancy on Total Fitness Radio with James Williams and Nina Lynn

Listen using Windows Media Player

Zegee.com Radio Interview with Helene Bryne

Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning DVD Front Cover (downloadable pdf )

New web site helps women stay fit during pregnancy and have healthier babies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (downloadable pdf )

Contact: Helene Byrne,
Phone: 510-530-5710
Fax: 510-530-2416

OAKLAND,CA—BeFit-Mom publishes a free internet resource at www. befitmom.com that provides extensive information on prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise to help women have healthier pregnancies and babies.

Gone are the days when doctors speculated that moderate to rigorous exercise might negatively impact fetal development. It is now widely recognized that participation in regular fitness activities during pregnancy provides numerous outstanding physical and psychological health benefits for the mother and her developing baby, and is a key determinate of maternal, fetal, and childhood health.

However, recent studies estimate that only 15% of all pregnant women are meeting the minimum guideline of walking for 30 minutes on most days of the week, as recommended by ACOG (the American College Of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).

"The mission of BeFit-Mom is to motivate and inspire all women to be as fit and healthy as possible during pregnancy by giving them the tools, information, and support that they need," explains perinatal fitness expert, author, and founder of BeFit-Mom, Helene Byrne. "Most women don't realize the numerous and truly profound health benefits that exercise during pregnancy generates, both for herself and her baby, and that these benefits can have a positive impact on her entire family."

Fit mothers have easier pregnancies with fewer complications, shorter labors, fewer "C" sections, gain less weight, and bounce back from pregnancy and childbirth much more quickly than less fit women. Just as importantly for expectant mothers, fitness activities relieve anxiety and stress, elevate moods, boost energy levels, improve self-image, and enhance self-confidence and overall quality of life.

As an added bonus, babies born to fit mothers are leaner, stronger, and healthier from day one, and have dramatically reduced risk for developing health problems like obesity, diabetes, and asthma later in life.

Many of today's women are very health conscious, want to stay fit and active during their pregnancies and beyond, but are unsure about how to safely modify their fitness activities as pregnancy advances, or cope with the many physical discomforts that plague pregnancy, such as back pain.

Unfortunately, misconceptions, half-truths, and contradictory advice about prenatal and postpartum fitness issues such as heart rate, heat regulation, abdominal separation, ligament laxity, and proper exercise modifications still persist, causing unnecessary confusion, anxiety, and sometimes injury to expectant mothers.

To set the record straight, befitmom.com provides scientifically accurate, comprehensive information, advice, and support on all aspects of maternal fitness and exercise so that every woman—no matter what her fitness level—and her developing baby can reap the significant health benefits that a fit pregnancy provides.

The web site explains how pregnancy impacts posture and balance, ligament length, joint stability, and muscular functioning, and offers advice on how to safely adapt and cope with these physical changes. Other pages discuss contraindicated activities, cardiovascular exercise—including tips both for the very athletic and the less fit—proper strength training and core conditioning modifications, safe stretching techniques, abdominal separation, pelvic floor health, heat regulation and hydration, positional low blood pressure, and more.

Weight gain is a natural, healthy, and necessary part of pregnancy, but apprehension and anxiety about excessive weight gain afflict most expectant women, especially with a first pregnancy.

"Many of us are hyper-conscious of our body weight before we even become pregnant," explains Byrne, "and during pregnancy, we have frequent reminders that reinforce that preoccupation as we are weighed, measured, and evaluated during every prenatal checkup. Almost all pregnant women worry that they'll gain too much weight and that they won't be able to slim down afterward."

Complicating the issue, more women now enter their childbearing years either over-weight or obese than ever before. This has lead to a corresponding increase in the occurrence of gestational diabetes and other serious pregnancy complications that threaten the health of both the mother and her unborn child.

Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes may have impaired blood sugar regulation from birth. Other studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were significantly overweight before pregnancy or gained too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to become overweight as children.

But the amount of weight an expectant woman gains, or her ability to rebound afterward need not be left to fate, or luck. To help women meet this challenge, befitmom.com offers practical tools and reassuring advice on how to safely and effectively optimize prenatal weight gain and postpartum weight loss. Caloric requirements charts, which take into account height and weight, body composition, and activity/fitness level allow women to estimate their individual caloric balance points throughout pregnancy and again while breast feeding.

"Eating a high-quality, nutrient-rich diet—in the proper amount for one's individual metabolism—and participating in regular physical activities, are the keys to controlling excessive weight gain during pregnancy, to loosing weight quickly after childbirth, and to insuring that your baby is off to the healthiest start possible," says Byrne.

Pregnancy opens a unique window of opportunity for women to improve their overall health and wellness. Concern for her baby fuels the expectant mother's motivation to be more fit and adopt other healthy lifestyle choices.

As we all know, obesity and low fitness level during childhood are now commonplace, and cause myriad of physical and psychological problems. Because fit, healthy moms have stronger, healthier babies, and fitter families, promoting maternal fitness provides a potent antidote to this seemingly intractable health problem.

Good health and fitness habits established during pregnancy can last a lifetime and provide a springboard for better family health and wellness. Physically fit mothers demonstrate positive role modeling, and pass on solid health and fitness habits and values to their children, which serve as the most powerful determinate for our society's future health.

About BeFit-Mom founder Helene Byrne

Helene Byrne is a nationally recognized perinatal fitness specialist, author, and certified Personal Trainer with over twenty years of professional experience which runs the gamut from group exercise and private training, to Pilates, yoga, injury rehabilitation, and special populations.

A former professional dancer, Helene was inspired to focus on prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise after the birth of her son. Drawing on her knowledge of Pilates, dance, yoga, and cutting-edge fitness techniques, she created a unique system of exercise that quickly and effectively restores the body after pregnancy and childbirth. Both her book, "Exercise After Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your Best" (Celestial Arts, 2001) and DVD, "Bounce Back Fast!: Post Natal Core Conditioning" (BeFit-Mom, 2005) have received wide acclaim in the fitness and birthing communities, and with women everywhere.

Through her workshops, she has had the pleasure of helping hundreds of women recondition their bodies after childbirth and live active, fit, healthy lifestyles.

Helene speaks regularly at fitness conventions, and has appeared on many radio and TV programs championing the numerous and outstanding benefits of prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise.

Her mission is to motivate and inspire all women to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy and beyond, and to become positive role models that lead their entire families toward better health and wellness.

For interviews and feature story ideas please contact her at:
or 510-530-5710