Hey hey, barrebabes,
Greetings from babyland! Diego is now 8 weeks old, getting bigger and more adorable by the day, and I am slowly getting the hang of mothering and loving (almost) every second of it. Today I have some alignment tips I’ve been working with, and some totally indulgent photos of my favorite little guy because its just wrong to keep the cuteness to myself!
alignment tips for mamas... and everyone
One takeaway from the past 2 months of breastfeeding for hours, slow evening strolls, and pacing the apartment at 3 am with a 10 pound baby in my arms is that the physicality of early motherhood is not to be underestimated. It's tedious, repetitive, and largely sedentary, and all those things combined with constant lifting, carrying, and downward focus towards the baby can quickly etch in unwanted movement patterns. Those patterns take their toll on the body quickly, creating not only tension and pain, but also some of the dreaded, um, aesthetic changes of motherhood. Posture is everything, friends, so below I discuss some common postpartum woes such as the "breastfeeding hunch," the poochy tummy (and corresponding back pain) and the deflated, uninspired booty (and corresponding weak pelvic floors) and what to do about them.
head first - a slight tuck of the chin helps bring the head into proper alignment with the spine and turns on posture & core muscles lower down. as you stand, imagine you have a heavy nose. you might feel the back of your neck lengthen, or you might feel the tiny muscles around your spine in your mid-back (your multifidi) turn on. whatever happens, you should look & feel taller. practice this for awhile and not only will you reduce trap tension and tight pecs, you'll look instantly better in photos from your effortlessly beautiful posture.
breathe deep - but not into your belly, unless you're in yoga class (where belly breaths serve a specific purpose). i've said it before, but your lungs are not your stomach, so while it is necessary to breathe deep, the belly doesn't always need to expand on your inhale. instead, think of inflating your lungs to your sides and back. running a finger along the collar bones from throat to shoulder tips helps me feel the breadth and openness of my upper body and allows for deep, full breaths, without jamming shoulders back and down and causing even more neck tension.
practice coordinating movement and breath, like during a simple squat: inhale as you lower, pause for a moment at the bottom, then exhale to rise. this simple exercise not only works all your favorite squat muscles, it actually helps strengthen and coordinate the pelvic floor by expanding and contracting your diaphragm, which in turn presses down (on the inhale) and lifts up (on the exhale) on the pelvic floor muscles.
release your ribs - this is the hardest one for me, but i think it's also the secret ingredient to my upper body strength and posture challenges overall. many of us tend to flare our ribs forward and out, especially when we pull in our abs. instead, think of drawing the ribs together at or just underneath the bra line. no bra? feel the bones that frame your diaphragm an inch or so under the nipple line and and bring them slightly together and in towards your back. this is simple enough when standing still, but try it while practicing upper body stretches and heart openers and really feel the difference.
don't tip or grip -if you've taken my class, you are probably pretty familiar with proper alignment and stabilization of your pelvis, but just to recap - tucking tail under is no good. sticking tail out is no good. you want to "preserve the curve" of your lumbar spine while bringing pubic bone in line with hip bones (and front ribs). but make sure you're not gripping anything to accomplish this posture (i tend to grip my rotators). "grip" is different from "engage" or "activate." so by all means, activate your muscles during workouts, but the rest of the time, better let them chill. check in with your own grippy patterns by actively relaxing your muscles during common activities, like waiting for the train, brushing your teeth, cooking, etc. you might be surprised by how much is held and how often.
Form follows function, so while my goals this summer are more about feeling strong and capable than they are about how I look in a bikini, at some point the two are intertwined. Moreover, these tips aren't just for mamas, though - if you also are dealing with sedentary, repetitive, downward-focused movement patterns (think desk job), these moves will help eradicate the physical evidence, so to speak. Even if you don't have any back pain or pelvic floor issues and have a super flat stomach and rad glutes, consider these tips preventive medicine.
And finally... here's Diego!
See you soon!
Annie
