An Aha! moment for postpartum mums and WW posture

Submitted by louiseds on October 24, 2008 - 8:41pm
Body: 

Hi All

As I was cuddled up in bed this morning after ....

No, let's start that again! I was thinking this morning about the postpartum problem of separation of the rectus abdominus, that all of us dread; that whole pointy belly thing.

It occurred to me that it only happens for two reasons. The first is that the transverse abdominus is such a big ole stretched sling after 9 months of supporting a belly, and needs to be toned up with ballet workout.

Secondly the separation is like when you have lost a button on your shirt at belly button level and the shirt gapes open, especially if there is more tummy in there than there was when you purchased the shirt! If you tuck the shirt in to a skirt it will gape less. If you grab it by the bottom of the tails at the front and hold the centre front edges of the shirt downwards it the gaping closes properly.

This is what happens when you allow WW posture to happen. The act of making your breasts prominent lifts the bottom of the rib cage, accentuates the lumbar curve and tips the pelvis forward slightly. The effect is to increase the distance between the pubic bone area and the underside of the ribcage, which are the top and bottom anchorages of the rectus abdominus.

This is the same effect as tugging on the front bottom of your shirt! So WW posture *should* help close that separation of the rectus abdominus, straight after birth,just by standing differently. Once 24/7 WW posture is in place the body can increase the tone of these muscles, the same as the pelvic floor muscles with simple, everyday movement. It is exactly the same principle as the 'tautening' of the pelvic floor muscles, allowing muscles to lengthen out into relaxed posture, so they can exercise themselves. Isn't that awesome?

Another tick for Wholewoman posture!

See, I told you sex is good for your brain.

Louise

granolamom

October 25, 2008 - 7:13pm

I think you're absolutely right about that louise. at least that's been my experience. I had a nasty separation after the birth of my second child, didn't begin to close until I started WW posture. it still gapes a bit, but not much. I think, if I remember correctly, that the rest of the separation problem is not so much due to overstretched muscles, but that the two muscle groups (right and left) are joined by a fibrous band. when that tears, it doesn't knit back together as easily as muscle. or maybe that's all wrong and mixed up, I've got a severe case of mommy-brain. and sex doesn't seem to be helping that at all.