Stance, as it is called in medicine, is the proper and balanced arrangement of the skeletal parts in a way that protects the support structures of the body from damage and deformation. In simple terms, it is the position or alignment of body parts.
Correct posture is formed as a result of the balance of each body part in relation to other body parts. This balance is a process that develops over years. At birth, babies' entire spines are bent forward. When the child begins to lift his head within three months, the cervical spine curves forward and a slight depression, which we call cervical lordosis, occurs. When the child begins to stand, the lumbar spine begins to curve forward. This lumbar depression is called lordosis. Between these inward curves in the waist and neck, there is a slight outward curve in the back, which is called kyphosis.
Correct posture is where the least energy is used, there is no abnormal load on the ligaments, bones and joints, the center of gravity is on the foot support surface. It describes a position held. Posture is normal in most young people. But due to spinal changes that occur with age, normal curvatures begin to disappear and deteriorate.
During pregnancy, with the growing abdomen, some normal physiological changes begin to occur in the spine. The hump of the back increases with the weight of the abdomen and breasts. Likewise, in order to meet the increasing abdominal weight, the waist hole increases and tries to pull the center of gravity to where it should be. For this reason, the increased waistline and back hump, especially seen in the last stages of pregnancy, is normal as long as the posture is not excessive. But it may not be easy for everything to return to normal after pregnancy. Additionally, other factors come into play during the postpartum period. The mother is now with her newborn baby 24 hours a day. When you think about the work done for the baby, you can see that almost all of it is done by bending over. The mother is always in a forward-leaning position, from breastfeeding to changing diapers, from feeding to bathing. In addition, lifting and carrying a growing child every day puts an excessive burden on the mother's spine. In mothers who take a long time to breastfeed, the neck becomes flatter and the back hump increases, especially since the head is tilted forward for a long time. Growing breasts make this process even more difficult. It makes it worse. The situation is even more serious, especially in mothers who have gained a lot of weight during pregnancy. During the postpartum period, the mother cannot pay the necessary attention to her own body because she cares more about her child than herself. Additionally, losing weight is not easy during the postpartum period and requires time. As a result, all mothers' posture deteriorates to a greater or lesser extent after birth. In general, a postpartum period with a decreased neck cavity and an increased head position, breasts enlargement, back hump and an increased waist cavity is almost inevitable. These posture changes cause pain, especially in the neck and back area.
Weight control during pregnancy is the most important thing that can be done to minimize the degree of this posture disorder. Appropriate abdominal exercises and stretching exercises for the back and leg muscles during pregnancy prevent the back hump and waistline from increasing.
The answer to the question of what we should do to prevent these disorders from being permanent after pregnancy is "what the mother should pay attention to" and "what she should do." We can divide them into two groups as "necessities". During this period when the mother is closely involved with the child, she should minimize forward bending activities. In other words, there should be restrictions on work other than those that are mandatory. The baby should be lifted as little as possible, and overweight children should get help if possible. Heavy grocery bags should not be carried. She should breastfeed her baby in a suitable position without bending over too much. The first thing a mother needs to do is to start a diet program. He/she should definitely exercise together. The exercise program should first begin with activities such as long-term walking, jogging and cycling, which are performed at low intensity and do not tire the heart and muscles, which we call aerobic exercise. Pregnancy-related deconditioning improves significantly with these exercises in approximately 1-2 months. Mothers who have not had a cesarean section should start abdominal exercises immediately after birth, and mothers who have had a cesarean section should start abdominal exercises a few months later. In addition, stretching exercises that provide good muscle flexibility at the end of exercise should not be neglected. When some weight is lost within 3-6 months and the condition reaches a sufficient level, the posture disorder will improve significantly. The next thing to do is to strengthen the deep muscles around the spine in a balanced way. It is to completely eliminate the posture disorder with strengthening pilates exercises.
If this program is strictly followed, the mother's posture can become better than before pregnancy. Let's not forget that a healthy posture is a must for a healthy body.
Love to all mothers
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