Get a Stronger and Healthier Back for New Moms – Diet , Exercise and Posture

Do you know which part of your body is most affected post baby birth ? Yes its our BACK!! It’s sure is thrilling to see the new face in your world and you definitely want the absolute best for your little one :). But how to deal with the stabbing back pain you’ve had just after giving birth? Read on these handy 10 tips to get a stronger and healthier back for new moms 🙂

You have 50/50 chances to develop some back pain during your pregnancy and right after giving birth because of the weight you gained puts the strain on the back. And it’s not okay to ignore the constant pain radiating from the back because it can get severe in the future. So what you should do?

Post birth is all about healing your body to get you back on track. I have combined diet , work outs and posture tips to make it easier for you to understand.

• Diet

1. Avoid processed foods in favor of healthy ones to lose the weight and to keep the breast milk flowing (and we know breastfeeding shed the fat, I can tell from my experience).

2. Have plenty of poultry and lean meat that are packed with proteins to build the muscles faster and while calcium is essential for stronger bones (if you’re breastfeeding, you should have five servings). Vegetarians can opt for paneer , cheese , lentils , beans etc to get enough protein.

3. A well balanced diet of fruits , vegetables , fibers , cereals, fluids and water .

• Working out

No doubt that regular exercise is essential if you want to shed the weight needed to avoid back pains. Speak to your doc first on your health condition and the time from which you can start floor exercises / yoga/ mild walks.

4. Yoga is wonderful to strengthen the muscles and supporting the back, making your body more flexible, melt the fat, and providing a calming moment in one go. Try joining a yoga class nearby 🙂

5. Downward-facing Dog is a great total body stretch that targets the major muscles supporting the lower back. Go on all fours by placing the palms on the floor. Raise one leg backwards pointing the toes to the ceiling. Hold the position for few breaths before repeating on other leg.

6. Another position, the Cobra pose works to stretch muscles at the shoulders, abs, as well as the back. Simply lie flat while placing the palms face down on each sides of the chest and drawing your legs together on the floor, lift your chest with your back off the floor, extending as far as you can go.

7. Have regular back stretches to keep the bones to stay strong and mobile. Lie on the floor and bring the knees close to the chest so you feel a stretch on the lower back.

• Good posture

A good posture is essential to protect your back while your body is healing from the birth.

8. Hold your little one close to you to prevent your back from swaying (the same thing for heavy objects).

9. When sitting, keep your knee slightly higher than your hips to support the lower back. And if you prefer to sleep on your back, put some pillows under the knee to lift of the pressure to your back. Better yet, lie on the side with a pillow between the knees for a no-pressure sleep (no pun intended).

10. If you need to pick something up, it’s important to kneel down on one foot and lift up with the legs instead of your back. And instead of standing normally as you would, try to keep one foot forward a bit with knees slightly bent to take the pressure off (the lower back is still fragile!).

Practice these ten handy tips as part of your post birth habits and you’ll notice your back pain will disappear for good!

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