Tips For a New Mother's Spine.

1. Feeding
A lot of time is spent getting to know your little one while feeding them. It is very important to pay close attention to your posture while you are seated and cradling your baby. While feeding, shoulders have a tendency to roll forward, the chest caves in, and the neck curves forward, and the head droops down. Repetitive stress such as this will lead to breathing changes, headaches, sense of fogginess, muscle soreness and weakness, and possible tingling in hands and arms.

• Nursing / Bottle-feeding:
  

1. It is extremely important for you to switch arms while feeding. This ensures that you strengthen both of your arms equally and one side does not fatigue more than the other. For your baby this plays a major role in the development of their neck muscles and eye movements.
2. Recline slightly or use a support beneath your baby, such as a Boppy Pillow or My Breast Friend. This takes the load off of you arms and shoulders and decreases the stress placed on your Thoracic spine. Remember that the Thoracic spine provides nervous stimulus to your lungs, heart, and breast tissue.
3. Check where your head is when feeding the baby. We all like to gaze at them as they eagerly slurp and drift off to sleep, but most of the time your head will end up tilted in the same direction, even if you change arms.
   
   Try this: If your baby is cradled with their head on your left arm, rotate your head to the LEFT and tilt to the RIGHT. Then switch your baby to the right arm and make sure to rotate you head to the RIGHT and tilt it to the LEFT. It may seem uncomfortable at first, which is simply and indication of a motion restriction or muscle shortening in your neck.
4. After each feeding session stretch your arms. Do some shoulder rolls, link your hands behind your back, hold a broom stick on each end and bring it behind your back.

• Solids

1. If you are sitting to the side of your child, switch sides from left to right and try to minimize spinal rotation.
   
2. It is best if you sit directly in front of your baby and on the same level, rather than leaning down or having to reach up.
   

2. Sleeping

Whether you choose to stay close to your baby at night, or wish to place them in a different room, there are a number of habits to keep in check. After all, a well rested and pain-free parent is much more adapt to meet the needs of their developing child than one who is suffering on top of sleep deprivation.

• Co-Sleeping

If your baby sleeps in the center of the bed, and you nurse at night, make sure to switch sides. Constantly rotating to your left (or right) will compress the same shoulder and may start to create a scoliosis-type curve in your spine.

1. Use a pillow that supports your neck, not your head.
2. Use a pillow between your legs when on your side to prevent lumbar and pelvic rotation.

• Crib/Bassinet

If possible place the crib in a room so that it is approachable from both sides.

1. When laying your baby down try to prevent any twisting. Either position yourself so that you only have to bend forward at your waist, or separate the process into 2 movement, first bend, pause, then twist. This allows your muscles to lengthen appropriately and prevent spasm.
2. If your crib is co-sleeper (we used the Arms Reach Mini Co-Sleeper to conserve space) and is against the bed, alternate what side it's on weekly.
   

3. On the go
Whether you are taking a road trip, running to the store, going for a walk, or a run, the state of your body needs to be as important as the placement and comfort of your little one.

• Driving
1. Change the location of your car seat. I know that it is more convenient for the car seat to be stationary on the right side, but this forces you to always twist to the right if it's an infant one (or left if it's for a toddler). TWISTING places the greatest stress on the tiny ligaments that support our discs. So, either switch the seat placement from side to side, or put it in the middle and come from different sides to take the baby out. Remember that the baby may also be turning his/her neck toward the closest window, and switching sides will benefit their muscle and visual development.
2. Shortly after delivery and for the year ahead use a lumbar support in your vehicle, even if it's just a quick trip to the store.
   
• Baby-Wearing
1. Whichever sling, wrap, or carrier you choose, keep in mind that as soon as the weight you carry exceeds 10-15% of your own body weight, your spine is greatly affected.
   
2. If you wear a sling, change sides each time you wear it from shoulder to shoulder. If you don't, you will feel discomfort in your neck and shoulders, and may get more frequent headaches. If your sling is resting close to your neck, rather than out by the shoulder, you are interfering with the brachial plexus that may lead to numbness and tingling in your hands.
3. If you use a front carrier, or a backpack, make sure that there is some type of upper and lower back latch to keep your shoulders from sotating forward and distribute the weight throughout your entire spine, rather than front-load.
   
4. Please realize that when your baby is straddled facing you or facing out, there is a certain unnatural degree of leg and pelvic external rotation. This plays a role later on when they are beginning to crawl, stand and walk. So limit the time of continuous wearing to 30-45 minutes. If you will be out longer, just take them out, stretch their legs for 5-10 minutes and continue. more on this topic in upcoming blog....
   
• Baby/Toddler Carrying
1. We have a tendency to naturally put more weight on one leg vs. the other. Try standing in a relaxed pose and see which way your body shifts. You will generally buckle one knee slightly and turn the other leg out. This becomes a problem when you are trying to cook, vacuum, write, or talk on the phone with your right hand and your baby is hanging out on your left hip supported by your left arm. Try to switch hips from time to time to recreate balance in your pelvis and spine.
2. If you have a gassy/colicky baby who will only be calm in a football carry (my little Sasha was like that for the first 3 months of her life due to some post-delivery intervention), switch arms. If you always carry on your left arm, their head will be turned to the right. So, hook your hands together and cradle their belly, and switch arms.
3. Racking your little one to sleep either in a cradle hold or over the shoulder hold may be more comfortable for you on one side. Switch to the other shoulder to even out the load and also change your head tilt.
   
• Stroller
1. Choose a stroller with an adjustable handle heaight, or one more appropriate for the person who will be the primary "stroller-pusher". I just got a great little umbrella stroller perfect for me (I am 5'4''), but I would not recommend it for anyone even 1/2'' taller.
2. Check to see where your wrists are on the stroller handle. Are they twisted, flexed, or laterally bent? Are your elbows straight or bent while pushing? Pick one where your wrists are in a neutral position and your elbows are slightly bend.
   
3. Choose a stroller that matches your activity level. If you want to get back into running, pick one that is lite and easy to maneuver. If you like slow sedentary walks on forest trails, pick one with sturdy wheels.