Postpartum Tips
How to Hold a Baby:
There are SO many tips and tricks for the postpartum period and we’re going to cover some basics here. First things first, let’s go over to hold your new little! I can sit here and preach about “perfect posture” all day long, but that’s not realistic and in all honesty, not always ideal. Our goal is to try to engage the core to maintain an upright position. We are trying to avoid constantly clenching our glutes and hanging out in a solid lean back or shiftiness to the side (see photos on the left). When we are hanging out at the end range of a joint we aren’t firing the supportive musculature needed to maintain an “ideal” position. Will you carry perfectly and stand gloriously tall 100% of the time? No. Do I expect that? No. Am I slightly hunched over as I write this? Mayyybe. I AM looking for awareness of, “where are my hips?” Is one hip holding the weight of a child solely on its own while it hangs out on its lonesome away from the rest of your body? Is your low back arched or are you feeling a good deal of tension in your glutes? If so, we’d just like to make a few little tweaks to help decrease discomfort and get those stabilizers kicked on to help hold us up and decrease discomfort! If you are looking for specific recommendations, feel free to book an appointment, here!
Not Ideal Holding Postures More Ideal Holding Postures
Easiest Way to Pick Up a Car Seat:
While we’re on the topic of carrying. Have you been taught a less common, but WAAAY more comfortable way to carry your little bundle of joy around in their oh, so light and not-at-all-cumbersome car seat? This helps keep little one closer to you and limits the amount of that awkward side lean that comes with holding that car seat out to the side so your not smacking your leg when you walk!
Next on the list… How to Pick Up a Baby!
There are many ways to pick something or someone up, but my favorite during the prenatal period (so it carries over to the postpartum period) is a hip hinge. The glutes and core can be difficult to find early postpartum, but with some work, we can get this basic (basically wonderful) movement down! This allows momma to kick on her glutes and deep core rather than rounding her low back and throwing out a prayer as she lifts her little from below. The connection breath (exhaling and recruiting the pelvic floor and deep core through a movement) added in with a hip hinge allows for less load/ pressure on a healing abdomen and pelvic floor and begins that brain-muscle connection patterning to kick up and helps momma to feel more stable and supported. THIS IS GOLD for the postpartum period! Check out the Hip Hinging Guide for more in-depth info!
Postpartum MIDBACK, NECK AND SHOULDER TENSION:
The mid-back is typically tight because the shoulders are frequently rounded forward and down from feeding, carrying and all the things. If we can get the chest opened up, we can decrease that discomfort. Down the line (or ideally prior to pregnancy) STRENGTHENING the mid back to engage the muscles that keep those shoulder blades tracking nicely is what will fix/ prevent this, but until we are able… we maintain. Check out the Postpartum Mid Back Pain Blog for some recommendations on how to decrease that sassy discomfort!
Hi there!
My name is Dr. Dani and I’m an In-Home Chiropractor to busy individuals and families within the Denver Metro area. I love working with the pregnancy, postpartum and pediatric populations and strive for quality care through extended appointment times, follow-up recommendations and education so that you can feel both empowered and cared for! I truly just love supporting women!
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