Postural Awareness in Motherhood
Postural changes during motherhood are common. Sometimes these are due to changes that occurred during pregnancy, sometimes to compensate for muscle weaknesses, and some as a result of frequent lifting, carrying or nursing. Postural changes can have knock on effects on how our body feels. In this short blog article Gina talks about postural changes in motherhood and a sense of postural awareness can help us
As a Pilates teacher, I actually spend very little time focussing on clients’ standing posture. We don’t spend our lives standing still, we spend our time moving. So I am much more interested in how you move through posture rather than how you stand still. That said, I am going to start this post with an image of standing posture. Because, like most things, postnatally we want to strip it right back to basics and look at the fundamentals. Also, this is a really great picture to help you visualise that great posture that you are not only going to stand in, but move through!
This image shows two of the most common postnatal postures I often see Mums adopt. I call the image on the left the “balancing baby” posture. This is a posture that we often adopt when carrying our little one. Hips are thrust forward to take the weight of the baby, compensating for lac of support from the central column and upper body. She may be noticing feelings of tightness or discomfort around her hips, backside and lower back. If she can release this area, and try to find more support from her central column this may help.
In the image of the right she is showing what we call a lordosis, or anterior tilt of the pelvis. Often we may try to address this by tucking the pelvis under but what I LOVE about this picture is that the arrow is showing us that often what we need to address is not the pelvis itself but the position of the ribcage. Quite often this posture is a bit of a hangover from pregnancy. If she can think of gently bringing her ribcage into the back of her t.shirt this may help her find the more aligned posture of the central image.
I am much more interested in how you live and move through posture rather than standing still. I have put together a few tips below. Please don’t see these as a list of do’s and don’ts…we see enough online telling us what we are doing wrong! See them simply postural awareness tips relating to functional activities in motherhood. We’re not going to do everything “right” all the time, and you don’t have to, however bringing a little bit of postural awareness to your every day activities can be really helpful.
In terms of how you apply all this to your movement in your Pilates classes, that is something we will guide you through in class :)
Feeding your baby:
• Try to find a comfortable position with a good seated posture before you begin. I know, easier said than done right! But sometimes you will be sat there with a cluster feeding baby, or a baby that will only sleep if you sit totally still and don’t dare to move for hours!! So try to start out in a good sitting position. Ideally you should feel supported, pelvis in a neutral alignment (not tucked underneath you or sticking out behind you), shoulders relaxed and open. If you can comfortably have your feet on the floor even better - sitting with hips lower than your knees for prolonged periods, such as when you pop your feet up on the sofa, can cause some tightness around the hips and lower back.
• Support your body to help keep good posture. No one is expecting you to sit bolt upright, straight back as if you are balancing a book on your head and maintain that through an entire feeding session! Use cushions and other tools to help keep you comfortable and supported.
• Have all you need close by. There is nothing more frustrating than needing something that is just out of reach. You stretch to reach it and before you know it you are contorted into some weird position and unable to move back out of it for fear of invoking the wrath of a feeding or sleeping baby!
• If possible, avoid too much phone/tablet browsing whilst feeding. The default position here is usually head down to look at the phone, shoulders rounded, head forward of the spine. None of which is great for keeping neck and shoulders happy. If you are browsing your phone or tablet think about positioning it in such a way that it is a bit better for your neck, or using a stand.
Carrying your baby:
• Bend at the knees to lift, with support from your center. You may find it helpful to think about the connection breath we practice in class when you lift. Exhale. Connect sit bones, hip bones, ribs. Then lift whilst maintaining gentle connection.
• Remind yourself of your three point alignment: This is something I encourage you to find in class when we begin standing work; thinking of bringing the back of your head, back of your ribs and back of your hips into line. This helps you find a lovely standing posture, like that of the girl in the central image, whilst allowing the spine to live in its natural soft curvature.
• If you wear a sling or baby carrier, ensure it is well fitted. It should provide you with adequate support around your waist and shoulders. Visiting a baby wearing expert or sling library is a great way to find out which sling/carrier best suits you and your baby, and to seek advice on correct fitting so that you are not introducing tension into your body. For our Postnatal Pilates clients you can find information on recommended baby wearing experts in your client zone.
Pushing a Buggy:
• Set your buggy up properly: Make sure you adjust the handle bar and buggy set up so it suits your body. The biggest issue I see is people having the handlebar too low so they end up pushing down on the buggy, rounding and taking tension into the shoulders. With your hands on the handlebar your elbows should be relaxed and your shoulders relaxes and open.
• Maintain a supportive central column: Try not to collapse down into your buggy. Think about maintaining a supportive central column. Watch out for sticking your bottom out, particularly when going up a steep hill. Find the power in your legs and centre to help get you up there.
• Look towards the horizon when you can rather than always down at your baby. Your head is the heaviest part of your body and generally it will go where your eyes go.
A few other considerations:
Consider the set up of the changing stations, bathing units etc. that you use at home. If you are struggling with discomfort, could you adapt these slightly to help you?
How do you carry your changing bag? Those things can be heavy! Do you always carry your bag on one shoulder? Is your bag shape, weight or carrying method affecting your posture? Could a different style bag, such as a backpack, help?
Think about your footwear. Have you jumped straight back into your gorgeous high heeled shoes? These will shift your centre of balance and therefore affect your posture. I love a pair of heels, but I can feel the difference in the back of my legs, bottom and lower back when I wear them too much nor for too long!
Household tasks or returning to work: What postures do you find yourself living in, or performing repetitive activities in? How might these be affecting you.
Posture isn’t static, it is something we move through. Don’t become so obsessed with finding the perfect standing posture that you end up holding yourself rigid, restricting your ability to move. If you are finding your body has areas that feel tight, uncomfortable or tense perhaps start to think about some of the postures your body moves through during a day. Perhaps some of the hints and tips in this article can help you to feel a little more comfortable.
NOTE: This is general information and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek the advice of a medical professional if you have any concerns about your body or wellbeing after childbirth.
* A confession. I can’t remember from where I acquired this image. I saw it and saved it thinking what a great image it was but I no longer remember the source. So apologies to whoever created this image for omitting to credit you in this article! I will happily credit the source once I find it!