Feet Position

Submitted by sybille on May 28, 2004 - 10:16am
Body: 

Someone had mentioned (Me thinks Christine) that she used to walk with her toes pointed waaaaaaaaaaaaay out. So did I. Note the past tense. I work in a hospital and just happened to look down at my feet after becoming more cognizant of directing my pubic bone down.

My observation: The small of the back is just right; the butt does not overly stick out and above all, the feet are pointed straight ahead. Trying to force my feet out when posture walking did not work. I couldn't do it. The hips were aligned properly and not "out" so that insides could "cave in."

After all these years; after walking slumped over; after four babies; after numerous attempts at losing weight (want to lose 20); I am STANDING TALL! And my insides are "rejoicing" feeling securely snugged in place between the hip bones.

Now the posed question:

The belt? What kind of belt, Christine? Any kind will do? I normally don't like to wear belts; I don't have a waist and am built like a 2x4 board. Straight. No curvateous indent looking at me straight on. Of course, we will forget the top; gravity has been most unkind. I guess the posture walk will keep the back of the belt in place and I just have to wear it closer to the pubic bone? I am a slow learner, so you will have to s-p-e-l-l it out.

Sybille

Christine

May 28, 2004 - 10:59am

Hi Sybille!!

Isn't it just amazing??? :D This is like discovering ourselves for the first time...very profound, spiritual, and above all FUN work!!!

Here's the deal on the pants...any pants pattern that you like will do. Start with something pretty basic. Don't use a hip hugger pattern, because we want the back to be higher than that. Decide if you want the zipper to be in the front or the back. You are going to want to redraw the top of the pants. I can't give you exact instructions here and you will have to use your best judgement. You'll probably want the finished front about three inches below the navel. After checking the fit of the pattern to your body, take a deep breath and cut the pattern front, beginning at the center front and gently sloping the cut up to the original side seam. You can trace everything onto paper and save the original pattern, but that's up to you.

Now you will want to raise the back a bit and to do this just tape a paper extension to the back pattern piece. Starting at the side, draw a new line sloping gently up to the center back, maybe about an inch higher than the original. Don't make this too extreme...if it's too high there will be a lot of gap at the small of the back.

Now redraw the facings. You can use the original facings, and simply lay them onto the new pattern and redraw them. The back facing pattern piece will need to be extended with extra paper.

This is all there is to it! I sew all my zippers in by hand. I learned that from a THREADS magazine a few years ago and it's really true that they are sturdier, easier, and look better than machine stitched zippers. At any rate, the front zipper will end up being very short! Yes, the belt buckle ends up being much closer to the pubic bone.

Just make belt loops and wear them with a one-and-a-half to two inch belt for good support. These pants tip your torso into the posture and are so-o-o-o comfortable. The belt is held in place just fine, because we are really sort of horizontal in this area. You'll see!

Have fun!!

Christine

ps...I don't have much of a waist anymore either. The extra fun is making tops to go with these. Find a pattern that you like and take extra care to get the hem to end right at the belt buckle. This is a very lengthening look that I think you will find attractive.

sybille

May 28, 2004 - 11:40am

Hi Christine! (My oldest daughter's name is the same as yours)

The pants sound almost maternity. I wonder if a very light weight panel could be included in the front, color coordinated to the pants, just in case the blouse is lifted for one reason or the other. Would hate to have my panties shown, especially if they "clash." Belt loops are good and thank you for the size belt.

Sybille

Christine

May 29, 2004 - 8:11am

Hi again Sybille!

...but where is the panel going to be attached to? Elastic around the waist! I never thought about it before, but the pants are the same shape as many bikini underwear - high in back and low in front.

This may not be a style for everyone! The tops I make are fitted to my torso (tightly I might add so they give support and make bras obsolete) and so don't fly up...but I had to laugh at your image:7 My experience with the waist constriction has been so extreme that I have to share it and see if others are helped with this solution.

The shape of the body I am promoting is not "pregnant." We need a belly to counterbalance our butt, however, ideally it should be firm and rounded, not flopped out in front. The longest line that can be drawn through the female pelvis is from about three inches below the navel to the outermost aspect of the buttocks. This shape is created over several years through the forces of intraabdominal pressure and gravity. The more "horizontal" (and its not really horizontal, but it's certainly not vertical either...it's about half way in between) we can make this area, the more our organs are drawn up. Try it, but remember the head/neck/shoulders to prevent an unnatural sway back.

It's going to be neat to see all the different ideas for solutions now that we have some insight into the basic design issue.

Christine

sybille

May 29, 2004 - 2:34pm

Hi to You Again, Christine

mmm........ I personally am not bothered by lightweight elastics, so a panel would not bother me. You are right in promoting the bikini look, but then I never really looked good in that. The fembrace could be worn and the front elastic on each side shortened to allow the top to fit above the pubic bone. Everything else could be left as is. I wore one this morning without any sewing and found it quite comfortable, though the front side elastic would have to be shortened. I don't wear it with the included panties; I would be washing daily. So I disconnected the contraption and if I am doing physically hard work, will put it on, though I dare say I really don't need it even now. More psychological in nature, I think.

Will sit and stare at that thing for a while this afternoon and then do some "creating". I don't want to make a $60 mistake and be out my only one. I could not find the elastic they use and I am still looking. It would be easy to whip up a few if I could. Then I wouldn't mind making a few minor adjustments and a few nip and tucks here and there and if I mess up - oh well.

Sybille

Christine

May 29, 2004 - 4:11pm

Gosh, I must say...the image of a bunch of women getting creative and cutting into fabric instead of a bunch of surgeons cutting into them is heart warming, indeed. Oh, by the way...did you hear there's a severe shortage of carpenters these days..... :-)

Christine

May 30, 2004 - 8:48am

...implying there's hope for the out-of-work surgeons...good thing I didn't become a stand-up comic!

hilltop55

May 30, 2004 - 10:57am

I am a newbee to your site. Ordered the book and WOWEE got it super quick. I went to my gynecologist 3 weeks ago.Was diagnosed with a tipped & prolapsed uterus (that's been going southward for quite some time)a rectocyle and cystocele. She's suggesting hysterectomy and other "tightening up"in the near future. She did give me a Pessary to try. Seems to be working as far as comfort for me, don't feel like things are going to fall out. BUT I have questions to ask before I see her again early next week so hope someone (CHRISTINE??) can help. 1) Using the pessary, will this prevent this surgery procedure? 2)Is there a way to remove the pessary at night that is NOT uncomfortable? I seem to get a slight 'burning sensation' when I take it out. If I have to bend it in half to put it in yet it's open when taking out?? Need better instruction on that! 3)I'm trying to do the posture but it feels foreign to me, like I'm slightly swayback or something? mmm.Will keep working on that though, need to strength the muscles.
I really appreciate all the information from everyone and hope the downloads will soon get to me - have not been able to get them yet. The sharing of our health concerns is so heartwarming.
Thanks
Margaret }>

sybille

May 30, 2004 - 9:51pm

Hi Margaret,

I, too, wore a pessary when first diagnosed for about a year, but couldn't justify the taking in and out without thinking I was in some way irritating the already fragile tissue, so stopped wearing that and opted for the fembrace and had worn that every time I was doing something extra physical in nature, which was usually all the time.

Fast forward to today. I have tried the posture and the sitting on the floor as well as the self manipulation of the Mayan massage and today, (drum roll), for the first time in almost four years, I went hiking with absolutely nothing extra on. No pessary; no fembrace. Except for a couple of times where I felt slight pressure, I felt remarkably "normal." Of course, I walked the posture; I sat the posture and when needed I admired the flowers, bending over for a few
seconds and then onward. I will never be like I was pre-prolapse, but I will take this feeling any day. I have (had?)a tipped uterus, Grade I-II cystocele and a "small" rectocele. I can live with those "global" adjustments.

Hope, with all the kind and helpful hints, you likewise will be able to use your pessary minimally, if at all, and that you will feel tons better. By the way, I named my pessary "homer." He is in retirement and hopefully for good.

Sybille

Christine

May 31, 2004 - 8:53am

Welcome Margaret,

I can't say it any better than Sybille. As she said, it's going to be a combination of factors that keep the "southern migration" in check. First and foremost is the posture, because as you've hopefully read, we need to provide a shape so that the intraabdominal pressures moving through the pelvic area pin our organs into correct position rather than blowing them out.

You might try the sea sponge, as many women are finding greater comfort with it than with the silicone types. "Homer" would be a perfect name for mine, too, and I'm happy to say that the uncomfortable fellow is tucked away in a drawer for ever.

About pessaries preventing prolapse from getting worse...I think it might be a good idea for women who are in the very early stages, such as yourself, to wear a pessary until the anatomy is repositioned a bit better. My thought being that because the cervix is so stretchy and prone to elongating, every effort should be made to stop that process as early as possible.

Anyway, Margaret...it's a journey and I hope you will become as adept as many of the other women here at listening and responding appropriately to the "call" of prolapse.

Wishing you well,

Christine

hilltop55

May 31, 2004 - 4:09pm

Thank you so very very much, Sybille & Christine! I can just feel your empathy and understanding over the weblines! I'll be seeing the Dr. Tues morn and seeing as I'll be in bigger town will look and see if there is a store where I can get the sea sponge there or will go online when I get home. I agree too about putting in and taking out the pessary, The delicate tissues don't need to be aggrevated any more than necessary. The Mayan massage, where can i find out the "how to-do's" for that?
I'm an active woman, lift the 50# dog food sacks about once a month,make cement stones every so often and can NOT even imagin a life of being limited to 20# weight??? Don't do it often but if I want to lift something I will!
I'm also going to get a balancing ball to sit on at the computer and keep reminding myself to walk the walk and sit the sit! Thank you again for your encouragement ladies.
Margaret