New parents may finds themselves with unaccustomed aches and pains, the problem is fairly universal.
Poor posture when holding your baby
A combination of awareness and revising the way you do things in your life can help with holding and feeding your baby without incurring pain in your own body.
Think about how your body needs support from the pelvis for the spine, support from the shoulders for the hands and arms.
The problem derives from dysfunctional movement that undermines your body’s natural system of support and fatigue from sleep deprivation, resistance, and unfamiliarity compound the problem.
Finding a different feeling in your body can be a step forward to finding pain relief.
1. Stretching and opening up your shoulders before you hold your baby
Wall push, find a wall or doorway and do this stretch
- Stand with one leg in front of the other. Place elbows on wall or doorframe below shoulder height.
- Push your shoulder blades down and back as if trying to squeeze them together, keeping your abs engaged and rib cage closed in.
- Slowly bend the front knee, stretching forward to target the shoulder and scapula.
- Increase the intensity by massaging the muscle tissue in the front of the chest, right below the shoulder.
- Hold 30 seconds, release, switch sides or change legs, and repeat one more set.
Behind the back stretch, while you do this stretch, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together to open your shoulders.
- Stand and reach both hands behind you, below your back.
- Hold your left wrist with your right hand and use your right hand to gently pull and straighten your left arm away from you.
- Move your head to your right side to give your neck a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and switch.
2. When sitting placing one or two pillows to support your back to avoid hunching over. Stick a few under your feet, too, to avoid bending toward your baby. A footstool, coffee table, or stack of books works just as well.
3. Switch sides when bottle-feeding baby.
4. Preparing your body can be key to correcting poor posture and relieving aches and pains. You can do this by scheduling an appointment for structural balancing with Neuromuscular Therapy and get an assessment today.
Related articles:
Prepare your body for postpartum recovery and health
Chronic forward head carriage
Postural balance during pregnancy