Pregnancy is a beautiful thing but it can sometimes wreck havoc on the body.
Think about it. In order for your baby to have the room they need to grow in your uterus, especially as you get closer and closer to delivery, your organs and bones like your ribs and pelvic literally have to shift to make room.
If you can imagine, this major shift in your body can cause some difficulties with your posture, which then affects how your muscles throughout your body are engaging and can create imbalances.
Some common postpartum issues include:
Rib gripping
Rib flare
Glute clenching
Mom hip
Rib gripping is when your upper abdomen is clenching (right under your ribs) to create stability but also ends up creating a “mom pooch”.
Rib flare is extremely common and is when the bottoms of the ribs flare or stick outward which then makes the pelvis shift into an anterior pelvic tilt which is a fancy set of words for your butt sticking out. This puts more pressure forward onto your bladder
Glute clenching is when you are clenching and tucking your butt underneath you. Often times postpartum women will clench their glutes to help stabilize the pelvis due to decreased core strength. This pushes the hips forward and creates imbalance in the muscles surrounding the pelvis. It also makes your butt look like a pancake, so if you feel like your butt is flat, you may want to check your posture and if you are clenching your glutes.
Mom hip is that typical stance you think of when moms are holding a baby or child on one side of their hip while their weight is shifted toward that side to create stability. Doing this repeatedly is shifting where the bones of the pelvis are sitting, and how the muscles are engaging which can create imbalances which further exacerbates pelvic floor dysfunction.
If you find yourself struggling with any of these common posture issues, you are not alone, however there is still hope.
Book a free consultation with us to see how we can support you individually to improve your posture so can show up as your best self in motherhood and in life.