Posture Once Baby Arrives

Posture Once Baby Arrives

Save yourself the neck, back and wrist pain! This simple guide will help you with optimal positioning to avoid pain and tension with kids. Having and maintaining the correct posture will help save your lower back, your pelvic floor, and help prevent any further damage to things like Diastasis Recti and Prolapse.

Breastfeeding (and sitting too):

When you breastfeed it is so important to be mindful of your body, the tension you are holding and the support you have. Sometimes, when you are out and about it is not always easy or ideal, but having the awareness is crucial.

You want to make sure you do not have tension on either side of your body. That means, both shoulders, your abs, legs and face are all relaxed. Use the chair and pillows as much as possible. Lean back, using a small pillow at your lower back if you need, and rest into the chair. You do not need to hold yourself up. Then place a pillow under the arm that is holding the baby. Bring the baby to boob not the boob to baby. Let your wrist go. You should have enough support from the arm of the chair or pillows that you do not need to hold your baby. If you are reading or looking at your phone, bring it up to your face level, do not look down at the book or phone.

Changing tables or cribs:

It is super easy to get into really bad habits when lifting your baby out of their cribs or changing their diapers. If you can raise your changing table, you should. Same with the crib, make sure it is as high as possible (where it is still safe). Try not to hunch or round your back as you lean over, instead, utilize a hip hinge. A rounded back is going to be really bad for leaking, prolapse and healing your Diastasis Recti. When you go to lift, use an audible exhale. Breathing out will help pressure management while you lift baby.

It is also helpful to try and change your baby in different positions and ways. This helps you and them. We never owned a changing table or used a dresser. We changed our kids on the couch or floor. It was much easier on our bodies (especially the back). We used a portable changing pad and kneeled on the floor in front of the couch.

Rounded back Flat back, hip hinge

Standing with your Baby:

When holding your baby or carrying them around there are some more ideal ways to stand that will help keep your body healthy. Do not let your hips hang forward. Instead, lean forward slightly. With the slight forward lean, think about keeping ribs stacked over pelvis. If you are letting your hips hang forward, then your ribs are flared open and back behind your hips. Make sure you are using your arms for support (this is why we lift weights mommas)! When you have your child on your hip, try not to shift your hip out to the side. You want to stand with your ribs and hips stacked instead. Our body looks for the path of least resistance and leaning your hip out will mean you are hanging on your bones and ligaments, which is terrible for them, instead of using your muscles. Using your muscles is harder and makes you more tired, therefore you body tries to avoid that. However, hanging on your joints is not good long term for the body. No matter which way you are holding baby, make sure you are switching sides frequently. Keep your body in balance!

Stroller walking:

When pushing a stroller be mindful of any tension in your body. Keeping your shoulders down and away from your ears, without letting them round forward. Lean forward slightly from your ankles, keeping your hips tucked (use your glutes). Keeping your gaze forward helps keep your chest tall and forward as well. You also want to have a stroller that allows your hands to be waist height, with your elbows bent in by your body.

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