While nursing your baby especially in those early days at home, moms usually find themselves in the same positions throughout the day. Repetitive motions can create aches and pains in the neck and back. Here are some helpful stretches that can be incorporated into your daily routine:
Head rolls-rolling the head slowly around in a circle
Neck stretch-bringing the ear over the shoulder, while extending the opposite arm away from you and taking a deep breath while relaxing the neck (see photo to right)
Eagle arms- twisting one arm on top of the other while holding hands or meeting palms. Slightly lifting elbows up while breathing into the upper back and shoulders (see photo below)
Interlacing fingers and lifting arms with your palms towards the sky, keeping shoulders down and opening the chest and squeezing shoulder blades together
Interlacing fingers behind your back with straight arms and opening chest (photo below)
Being aware of your posture in a seated position, are your shoulders rolling forward? Roll them back!
A yoga ball is a great tool! Laying on a yoga ball face-up and letting your head hang over the ball helps to elongate the vertebrae
Use a tennis ball against the wall while using your body weight to massage gently between the shoulder blades where knots commonly form
Pressing the arm into the wall to open and stretch the chest muscles (photo below)
Be well and stretch often!
Nicky Prince, IBCLC