Not only does your body completely change when you have a baby, so do your daily activities. The combination of the new movements of nursing, rocking, and lifting your baby, and a weaker core can create muscle tension in ways that you may not have ever experienced.
Here are 3 key stretches that will help alleviate some of the physical stresses of being a new mom.
As always, make sure to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
1. Chest Opener
What it counterbalances: Hunching over while nursing, rocking, or lifting your baby.
How to: Sit up tall in a chair with your feet grounded. Place your hands behind your hips with your fingertips facing your hips. Take deep breaths and feel your shoulders opening and your chest extending towards the sky.
2. Hip Flexor Stretch
What this stretch counterbalances: Sitting for long periods of time with your new baby.
How to: Start kneeling on one knee. Take a moment to square your hips. Gently lean forward until you feel a stretch in the top of your quads and in your hip flexors. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or more. Repeat on both sides.
3. Wide Legged Forward Fold
What it counterbalances: Stress buildup in the shoulders and neck.
How to: Stand with your feet in a wide stance. Take a deep breath and hinge forward from your hips. Place your hands on the floor or your ankles, let your neck relax and feel the tension melt away from your shoulders, neck, and spine.
As you perform these stretches, try breathing deeply and telling your body that you love it. It might sound silly, but a little bit of body love goes a long way during your postpartum fitness program.
