My Story- Emily mother of 2~

My only regret with The Tummy Team is that I didn't go sooner.  Kelly seriously changed my life.  Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of what a blessing my three sessions were and how I will never be the same.  I'm continually recommending it to friends when they complain about back pain, a floppy tummy or elimination problems.

After two children (both C-sections, one emergency at just under 28 weeks and one planned at 39 weeks), my tummy had a bulge that just wouldn't go away.  Two years later, having taken up running for the first time in my life and doing Weight Watchers, I still couldn't get my tummy to firm up.  A friend told me about The Tummy Team when my youngest was about a year old and I just wish I had gone in right then instead of waiting.

In my first appointment, not only did Kelly teach me fabulous exercises that allowed me to engaged all of my abdominal muscles (including my transverse, which I didn't even realize I had no clue how to engage), but she also explained (TMI warning) how to properly have a bowel movement.

For years I have struggled with constipation no matter my diet and spent a lot of time pushing as a result.  I also had recurring back pain for the constipation that pain medication couldn't help.  Using the method and position Kelly recommends, I have been able to keep my back pain mostly at bay and find quick relief when the pain does resurface.

Although I still have extra weight to lose around my mid-section, I can now feel the lines of my abs underneath that have curves like you see on super-toned exercise instructors, all without a single crunch.

And as if that weren't enough, Kelly also gave me the skills and proper positioning I needed to correct my poor posture, which has been poor since my early teen years when I developed early than my peers and hunched to not look like I was flaunting my chest.  I tried unsuccessfully in high school to get better posture with the help of a physical therapist...it was simply too uncomfortable to do what she was asking.  But Kelly enables correct postural alignment in correct timing with abdominal control so as to make the change without major pain.

Over the course of my three appointments, I saw changes I never would have dreamed were possible.  To top it off, Kelly is such a sweet, warm and loving woman whose care for others shines as she shares her amazing wisdom.  Even though I felt like I had the tools I needed to be successful as I finished, I was sad to not get to see Kelly every other week anymore.  She's truly one of a kind!

My Story- Joy~ mom of 5.

During the beginning of my 4th pregnancy I had horrible, horrible pain around my belly button.  I often had to lay down on my back and hold my insides in so that the pain would go away.  For years after the pregnancy I had to wrap up my middle to hold everything in place.  I started looking for help so that I could be free from the pain.  Anything but surgery. 

It wasn't until after my 5th child, about 4 years after the pain started, that I learned about the help that Kelly Dean offers.  After a few appointments and a few months of doing the exercises that she gave me, the pain went away.  My own muscles can now hold my insides in without anything wrapped around my middle.  I can pick up my children.  Also, my back pain is gone.  It was well worth the time and money I spent to learn how to develop a strong core.  I'm so very grateful to Kelly for helping me! 

Joy Cruz- Mom of 5!

My Story~ Jane 52 year old mother of 5.

I first heard about the Tummy Team through my Gyn Dr. Jane Ahearn.  She handed me some printed materials about diastasis recti and The Tummy Team.  This intrigued me, since I was aware I had diastasis recti and had previously consulted with a specialist who have given me the option of surgically fixing it or just letting it be. 

 

 I had opted to just let it be, resigning to the fact that my 5 c-sections had made it impossible to have a tight tummy ever again. But I wasn't happy with how my tummy bulged in a very unevenly distributed pattern despite my regular efforts to do sit-ups and ab work in my daily work-outs.  

 

I was excited that there was hope for my belly, and I signed up for the Tummy Team class starting on 9/27/11.  Through the classes, I was shocked to learn that the ab workouts and exercises I was doing were contributing to the problem, and the uneven bulging of my tummy was due to the 5 finger-wide, "deep" cavern in my tummy muscle.  My intestines were protruding through the cavern, and the muscle was building up around each side of the cavern.  

 

At the first class, we received our abdominal splint, which I wore faithfully.  We also learned the proper way to help close the diastasis through core-building exercises, proper movement through daily activities, and posture improvements.  My post-class measurements showed that my waist size had decreased by 4 inches, and the depth of my diastasis had significantly improved. See stats below.  I am extremely pleased with the results that I have achieved from The Tummy Team.   Kelly is a very personable and knowledgeable instructor.

 

                9/27/11                11/8/11                    4/12/12

Waist:        34                        30                            ---

Upper:        3.5 deep                3 med                    2 shallow                      

Middle:        5 deep                  3 med                    2 shallow

Lower:         5 deep                  2.5 med                  2 shallow

 

My Story- Heather, mom of 2.

  My diastasis story goes back to my pregnancy with my first born son. When I am pregnant, I carry the baby straight out in front. My husband would often comment about not being able to tell that I was pregnant until I turned around and you could clearly see my humungous belly. I'm pretty sure I could get some small objects to orbit around me towards the end of the pregnancy.  I ended up getting a Modella maternity belt to help hold the belly up. After I recovered from my first c-section, I began doing sit ups to strengthen my abs and noticed that my belly protruded up in a football shape. At one point, my husband poked it down with his hand, but it popped right back up when he lifted his hand.  I had no control over the middle of my belly.  A few months later, I noticed that my abs were firm along the sides of my belly, but the middle was still flabby and soft.  A friend told me to do more sit ups to strengthen my belly. At that point, I was currently doing a work out video that had me doing 100 pushups and 100 sit ups.
  When my son was 1 1/2, I became pregnant again and grew just as big as I did with the first one.  The maternity belts in the department stores were not helping me at all with the pain and weight of carrying straight out in front, so my OB/GYN wrote a prescription for a medical grade maternity belt that I picked up from Sante Mama in Vancouver, Washington. While I was purchasing the belt, I noticed a pamphlet for the Tummy Team, took it home, and began reading about diastasis.  I realized that I probably had one ever since I was pregnant with my first child.  I asked my OB/GYN about it after I had my second child and she checked me and said that if I had one it was at most a 2 finger split and that the only way to fix it was with surgery and no surgeon would work with me until I was done having babies. For almost a year, I stopped doing sit ups, but still had a pooch and was constantly asked if I was pregnant. At one point a well intended lady said, "Oh you poor dear! Look what those babies did to your belly!"
  In the fall of 2011, I went to a free tummy check that the Tummy Team offered and found out that I had a deep 6 finger wide split.  It was encouraging to find out what was wrong with me and also disappointing to see how wrecked my body was.  I attended a 6 week Tummy Team session in the winter of 2012 and went from a deep 6 finger wide to a deep 4 finger wide split.  I "feel off the bandwagon" after the class ended and didn't do the daily exercises, but I still didn't do sit ups, jerk myself out of bed, and braced my tummy whenever I picked up my sons.  A few months later, my husband and I started talking about trying to have another baby, which motivated me to get back to healing my diastasis. I joined Fit2Be studios, which has immensely helped me to not get bored with tummy safe exercises. Now, my split seems to be flirting with the medium 2 finger wide mark (although I might not be measuring correctly. I think I am though).  I still have a ways to go, but I haven't gotten the awkward "When are you due" question in a long time.

Heather- mom of 2.

My Story~ Sarah, mom of 5 month old.

From Tummy Team client~

I first heard about The Tummy Team through my naturopath. I had been complaining about a sudden "pooch" despite the hundreds of sit ups and a paleo diet. She encouraged me to check it out. I lollygagged for a while, but then I got pregnant and she REALLY encouraged me to look into taking a class...and I am so glad I did! 

I took the prenatal course starting when I was about 12 weeks pregnant. I was by far the earliest along in my pregnancy, but was thrilled that I had a months to strengthen my core and to "practice pushing". I committed to doing my sets; my husband even joined me (he was sore after the first day!). I can't speak highly enough of how instrumental this class during my labor. Despite my wishes to have a natural birth, I opted to have an epidural after 22 hours of hard labor with no progression. Despite the epidural and not being able to feel where to push, my muscles retained the memory from my practice. I knew exactly how to push which is a great feeling for a first timer.

I've continued my exercises post labor (though not as frequent as I should) and I had a relatively flat stomach a mere 4 days after birth...it was pretty incredible. 

I highly recommend the The Tummy Team!

Thanks,

Sarah, mom of 5 month old baby boy

Your Story

We have heard so many amazing stories and we know that the story of others often help us find the healing we need.  We will be listing personal stories from our clients over then next few weeks. If you would like to send your story, we would love to hear it.  Simply send it to info@thetummyteam.com and put My Story in the subject line.  Your journey could help someone else.