2 – Natural Pregnancy
Easing Backache in Pregnancy
Many of my clients complain of mild to severe backache at almost any time during their pregnancy…Unless they take my prenatal yoga class! So here is a few tips from my 25+ years of experience as a prenatal yoga instructor and 10+ years as a certified doula.
Nadine demonstrate the pelvic tilt
1) MOVING YOUR HIPS WHEN SITTING & STANDING
As my husband, Randall Winter advanced instructor in Ortho-Bionomy®, always says: “The human body is meant to move constantly“. Unfortunately in our society we have forgotten this old truth. At time of pregnancy, we are reminded many old truths and common sense! So first and foremost remember to MOVE your body. I don’t mean go to the gym everyday (although if you do, good for you!), what I mean is during your working day, keep your hips in movement… One way is to walk as much and as often as you can, take the stairs rather than the elevator, and perhaps, get one of those fitness balls that you can sit on (I have used them as a doula for 12 years, at the time I started they were called “birthing balls”). They come in 3 sizes; make sure your feet are flat on the floor when you are sitting on it with knees at a 90 degree angle for your safety. If you sit for long periods of time, like at the computer, you can sit on the ball and keep rocking gently back and forth, side-to-side or rolling your hips in a circle. Small motion is good, you can be discreet if you are at the office but it will mobilize your hips and tone all the muscles of your mid-section.
Natural Back Arch and how it affects your baby
2) USE THE PELVIC TILT as often as you think of it
What is a pelvic tilt? It is the motion you would do to bring your baby closer to your spine. It may be hard for you to find at first; one way to “learn” it is to get on your knees, put your left foot forward (knee in a 90 degree angle), left hand on your knee, roll your hips as if to bring your tail bone more under and until you feel the muscles in your right thigh tightened (they become as hard as a rock). Notice how it may also feel like bringing your baby closer to your spine. Another way I sometimes explain it in the yoga class is if you imagine your pelvis as being the first cradle of your baby, like a bucket filled with water… if you let your pelvis (your hips) roll backwards (as in arching your back more), the bucket/pelvis tilts forward and the water/baby falls out. Keep thinking of keeping the water in the bucket/your baby “closer to your spine” (closer to you). This is especially important when you find yourself standing for a long period of time like in
Hands & Knees Yoga Stretch on the Out-breath
line at the grocery store or the post office.
3) HANDS & KNEES STRETCH, 5 minutes everyday is all you need
That one is so easy to demonstrate and so long to describe in words that I prefer put it on a video post. Click here to watch it.
As you adjust your posture when sitting and when standing, you will prevent the “pull” that your baby’s weight creates on your back muscles otherwise and help prevent much discomfort by the end of the day. Randall last words on this topic are: ” This is good practice for everyone; you don’t need to be pregnant to benefit. Many digestive problems could be avoided if you make it a habit of gently moving your pelvis, especially during your long sitting periods”. And moms and teachers, please, let your kids “fidget” on his/her chair, they are “listening” to their bodies and keep moving for health!
5 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
1) TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF TO UNWIND, RELAX and CONNECT TO YOUR BABY I had this one as number 5 but then I realized that it was the most important one off all so I moved it up to first place! It might be also the most difficult one for you to do… So hard to slow down in our super stressed, overworked, sleep deprived society. So use to it, we think it’s normal. Having a baby is going to change about… everything in your life…So might as well start now, so your baby has a better start too. Neuroscience is discovering the evidence more and more that babies in the womb perceive and “remember” emotions and the general “mood” of the environment they are in (your womb). So slowing down, reflecting on what you want for this baby, what kind of life, what you are going to share with him is all great for both of you. In fact, for the 3 of you, including Dad as early as possible is going to be all better for you and for your baby too…(more later on that topic)
2) KEEP MOVING YOUR BODY! There are basically 2 types of women out there (concerning physical activity): you either love it or hate it! If you find yourself in the first category, continue what you are doing and perhaps lighten up the workout as you “grow” in your pregnancy or you may want to switch to some more gentle, more introvert type of exercise like Tai Chi (really good for balance and strength), prenatal yoga (will help with stress, better sleep and even reduces back ache when well taught) or Zumba Gold (dancing your way to health). If you find yourself in the second category, all the gentle exercises mention above are for you: they are easy enough for beginners and they are a great way to keep moving and adjust to the physical changes occurring in your body from week to week!
3) EAT FRESH! Meaning lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein. Eating often smaller amounts than usual might help reduce heartburn. A good simple tip is to increase variety, many different colors on your plate and increase quality -if you have never thought of organic foods or local farmers market, that is the time to do it- for your baby’s health!
4) WATER: Drinking it, soaking in it or letting it run on your body! Water is probably the most powerful, cheapest stress management you can find. Nothing takes the day off better than soaking in a bubble bath, with candles and a glass of… cool water! If you are not a bubble bath kind of girl, long showers running on your back do the trick too. And of course, drinking lots and lots of water is the secret to stay healthy: your body is working double shift so to speak and drinking water helps regulate the fluids in your body, it’s good for your kidneys, helps prevent constipation and keeps your weight to a healthy level!
5) SLEEP ALL YOU CAN SLEEP! As I just said, your body is working extra building a new human being inside of you (yes, it is happening, even if you cannot see “anything” yet!) It takes a lot of energy to do that, so remember it when you feel tired and notice you may not be able to pull the same amount of work as you used to. Plus, your sleep might be disturbed (in the beginning because of all the hormones changing) and also toward the end of your pregnancy, just because of the size of your baby. So naps are great! Putting your feet up and day dreaming, taking the time to have a “mind” conversation with your “little one”.
If you notice, all these tips address the comfort and well-being of the baby first. It’s true, you are taking care of two now!
