New Year...New Baby?

I am not going to sugarcoat it– pregnancy isn’t easy! Studies show that the energy expenditure of pregnancy is similar to running a 40-week marathon. Research has found that the highest metabolic rate that humans can handle is 2.5 times their resting metabolic rate. During pregnancy, women function at 2.2 times our resting metabolic rate…for nine months! Remember this, remember that you are doing a lot in growing that human being, and give yourself some grace.

By sharing that statistic, I am not trying to scare you or stress you out, but rather give you the opportunity to connect more with your body, to tune inward, and to learn what “listen to your body” truly means. It is common to hear that symptoms like low back pain and incontinence are just “par for the course” of pregnancy. While it may be common, it does not mean this dysfunction is normal. We often receive solutions that spot treat rather than address the root cause of the issue. Would you continue to pick the same weed every couple of days, or would you make sure you pull the root the first time? While not everything about the journey of pregnancy is within our control, much of it is. I am here to help you take control of the things you can control. Let’s stack the cards in your favor!

I have been lucky to be a part of many pregnancy journeys, and support multiple expecting families. I have learned that it is entirely possible to stack the cards in your favor for a more comfortable pregnancy, easier birth, and smoother postpartum recovery. In fact, it is a beautiful time to connect deeper with yourself as you move through the life-changing experience to parenthood. With a few simple movement tweaks and mindful hacks, you can begin to feel more comfortable again, starting today with functional movement.

Functional Movement
Your daily movement habits can directly impact the way you feel during pregnancy. I am sure you have heard plenty of recommendations for soothing pregnancy-related pain like doing yoga, stretching before bed, or buying fancy prenatal pillows; however, I am guessing that you rarely hear about how to avoid the pain/discomfort in the first place. The truth is, the body adapts to how you use it throughout the days, months, and years– and not just your time spent in the gym. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym before you start to feel stronger, more comfortable, and more resilient. Our body adapts to what we ask it to do most of the time. Think of how you sit in a desk chair, drive in the car, what shoes you normally wear, and how you hold your child/children (most likely with your hip popped to the side to hold that heavy toddler, right?) You can make simple, at home tweaks and start feeling a difference immediately. Work smarter, not harder, with functional movement.

The majority of women who come to our office for a prenatal assessment are dealing with painful symptoms of misalignment and compensation: constant low back or hip pain, round ligament pain, and core/pelvic floor weakness. Putting these simple habits into practice can lead to massive relief within a few days. Don’t discount the power of small, smart adjustments.

Habit 1: Getting Out of a Chair
The way you are sitting and standing might be contributing to your pelvic floor weakness. This movement is the perfect opportunity to use your glutes and lengthen your pelvic floor (which is an important factor in easier vaginal births!).  The proper form includes keeping your knees on top of your ankles, leaning forward, and sending your hips behind you as you rise to stand and reaching your upper body forward to counterbalance as you reach your hips behind you when you sit.

Habit 2: Picking Things Up
If you added up the time you spend unloading the dishwasher, pulling clothes out of the laundry, and picking up toys from the floor, you might start to feel like you spend all day bending over and standing back up. A lot of us tend to do these tasks by rounding the spine rather than hinging at the hips, often contributing to pregnancy-related back pain and less birth space in the pelvis for the baby to come through. Instead of rounding-and-tucking, practice untucking the hips, maintaining length of the spine, and hinging at the hips. It will feel awkward at first, but it’s the best way to promote a strong core and pelvic floor. Plus, picking things up like this will build the muscles in your legs and glutes. These muscles are key to pelvic stability, and with a stable pelvis comes less pelvic pain for you.

Habit 3: Sitting Posture
Finding a neutral pelvis while sitting is extremely beneficial for pelvic floor health and making space in your pelvis for your baby. When we unconsciously tuck our pelvis all day long, it can create a lot of tension in the pelvic floor, and we want that floor to be nice and relaxed so that a baby can pass through with ease. Instead of forcing yourself into a neutral pelvic position, use a bolster to adjust your sitz bones up higher and gently relax into a more neutral pelvis. Getting into this position should never be forced, but feel natural. Also, if you spend much of the day sitting, try to mix up your resting positions. Additionally, try to minimize crossing your legs, as this can put torsion on the pelvis, which may contribute to pelvic pain and asymmetry. The best position is your next one. So, mix it up!

One Last Recommendation
Feeling overwhelmed yet? I get it. Being creative about how you use your body takes some time, thought, and intention. However, once you make a habit out of caring for your body this way, it becomes second nature. Soon you’ll find your body getting stronger and able just by moving a little bit differently.  And honestly, the coolest thing about all of this is that the same things that tend to make pregnancy more comfortable, birth easier, and recovery smoother are also the same things that help our core, pelvic floor, and whole body function better and be more resilient for life. I don’t know about you, but I want to feel good in my body for many, many years to come and functional movement is a big part of that for me.

Keep in mind I don’t recommend trying to make huge changes all at once. Go slow and make small changes here and there, adding in a new thing every few weeks. Practice varying your movements such as which hip you carry your groceries, to which hip you carry your baby.  The power of these small changes will multiply, impacting your core, pelvic floor, and whole body function, which will support an easier birth process. You got this, mama!

Dr. Lauren Block earned advanced credentialing in prenatal care from Palmer College of Chiropractic. She is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association and is certified in the Webster Technique which is specifically designed to care for pregnant mothers.