looking pregnant in posture

Hi orange,
You don't have to push your tummy out at all, just relax it. Lumbar curvature will happen on its own as you do the whole woman work. Just keep remembering those basics: relaxed belly, shoulders down, chest lifted up, not out.
I remember always trying to force it in the beginning, sticking my butt out and forcing my tummy out, I think trying to make things happen sooner. It takes time to build the body into a different posture than what we were previously used to holding.
I wish you could see Chrisines's daughter Nikele in the second wheel yoga DVD. She makes whole woman posture look downright sexy. I think that we have this image of ourselves as these tight abbed models instead od what we truly are. Anyway, rambling here.
Just remember to relax and don't be too hard on yourself. Your confidence will come with your body as the posture does.

It is hard to see ourselves in a new image. Especially when what we see in society is just the opposite of whole woman. Hopefully, when more women start moving around in whole woman posture, that will be the new normal, and we won't have to have this initial uncomfortable body image.

AG is correct, pushing your tummy out is not a part of this posture. Relax it, and pull the chest up strongly. My desire not to look like I had a beer belly was my biggest ally in remembering to pull up the chest.

Orange, I think most of us have had to make some wardrobe adjustments in order to assume WW posture, because you cannot be cinched in at the waist, and you cannot be constricted in the belly. And indeed, there is a body-image thing that goes along with this. I had a revelation of sorts last year, when I first laid eyes on a new worker in our office. She was youngish, curvy but not overweight, and she had the most gorgeous sexy WW posture I had ever seen that close up, because she did not dress to disguise her shape. A light bulb went on in my brain and I suddenly realized how beautiful this posture is, which Christine had been saying all along. I made a decision then to drop about 5 pounds and stop trying to hide my belly from the world. It was one of many defining moments in my prolapse journey! - Surviving

Dear Orange, I have been away from the forum for awhile and out of the United States. I was touring Madrid, Avila and Toledo Spain. We walked between 5 and 9 miles a day on very uneven stony roads. If one thinks the hills of San Francisco are steep, well they are nothing compared to Toledo, Spain. What helped me in all this difficult walking was keeping the posture taught by Christine. Managing prolapse is not a simple matter it takes concentration, practice and consistency. I am small in figure, five years ago at the age of 70 after carrying my very heavy grandson upstairs the physical symptoms of prolapse fully manifested itself. My doctor confirmed my diagnosis and did not argue with my decision to try to manage this problem naturally. I have a medical background and was totally opposed to any surgical intervention. When I researched prolapse and found Christine Kent's work I knew I found what I was looking for. I am 75 and can tell you from experience a non constricted belly is a small price to pay for successfully managing prolapse.

Great post NFP and wonderful to hear from you! Accounts like yours so great to read. - Surviving

Hi. I just joined the forum and found it very helpful to read all the posts. I am 67 years old and have never had any health issues and definitely no female reproductive system problems. I have always been active and in pretty good shape. We have been doing a reno on our house the last six months and I probably got carried away lifting things and moving furniture around. I had my annual physical in September and everything was perfect. Then about four weeks ago I had some feelings like I was getting a urinary tract infection or a yeast infection. Burning and swelling and stinging around the vagina. The feelings kind of came and went and I finally went on line last week to look up yeast infection and UTI symptoms and stumbled on cystocele. I got a mirror and looked up inside and saw and felt a soft pink bulge. I have been totally freaked out for four days and have read every possible online article, forum, and thread on other women's experiences and treatments. It just seems like prolapse surgery has such poor success rates and am not wanting to deal with the side effects of estrogen cream. If it was just like a stomach hernia I would do the surgery but prolapse surgery and the possible consequences described everywhere online is frightening. I see my (female) doctor tomorrow but have been upset and ruminating on how this will change my life and my ability to take care of my grandchildren, etc. We took the kids and grandkids to Disney World last March and have been making plans to do it again but now I worry that I won't be able to manage, especially if symptoms get worse.
I sleep all night and don't have stress incontinence or leaking and have mainly the burning and pressure as symptoms. I have been looking on line to see if there are any new and minimally invasive surgery techniques recently. Even the pessary route as an alternative to surgery doesn't sound like it has been great for women.
I found this Whole Woman site and it has given me the most comfort. I have ordered the book and the DVD and am so hoping that I can manage this on my own. In fact, reading the posts here made me feel lucky since there are so many young women having horrible experiences with prolapses. I am trying not to be too upset. I understand that it's not life threatening but it is life altering and I am such a worrier. Will see what doctor says tomorrow.

Hi orange,
I've just written a short response to greeneyedgirl re standing posture and WW posture, which you might find helpful.
I think also we need to re-adjust our visions of health and beauty. For many of us who flat abdomens are flattening our internal organs and giving them the space they need, and is positively unhealthy. Women naturally have feminine curves. I now view curves as beautiful and healthy.
In WW posture, the abdomen is lifted up, along with the straight legs, arms by the sides, chest open and broad, head not too high/too low... In this position the abdomen is actually curved by slimmed. As soon as you shoulders round, back stoops, knees bend, chin out... etc. these things can cause the abdomen to slump/stick out. Its a different kind of curve.
Many of us may need to lose a little weight though;)
Love yourself and your curves! xwholewomanuk

Hi Lueez and welcome! You are on the right track by finding WW - I thank my lucky stars for it each day of my life. A cystocele is quite manageable with the posture work. And it is work! If you've spent your adult life pulling in your stomach and tucking your butt (most of us have!) then what you'll be doing is re-training your body and molding it back little by little to that natural spinal shape we had as kids - with a lovely lower lumbar curvature that gives our pelvic organs a place to move forward into the belly. In the process you will be enhancing the overall health of your hip joints. It is a win-win and I'm glad you are here. Keep us posted! - Surviving

Thank you for your post. I guess the first few days and weeks of the prolapse experience are a bit lonely and fear easily takes over. My husband is trying to be supportive but I don't think he has a clue. Ha ha. Even when I showed him prolapse images.
I want to wait to see the doctor and get a better sense of what is going on before I talk to family and have a plan to tell them so I don't upset them. Just from the WW site I have learned so much about managing one's prolapse(s) and for all the reasons put forward, don't want surgery. I hope it doesn't come to that. I have never had surgery. Definitely don't want estrogen treatment and even the first option of a pessary doesn't sound like it comes without problems.
And it is incredibly hard to stop pulling in one's stomach and bum. Been doing it all my life and thought it was good for me. But I can honestly say the WW posture does seem to change the feel of things down there somehow when I do it. Look forward to the DVD and book and getting educated on posture.
Thanks again for your post, Surviving, and will check back in with the forum soon. Lueez
By the way, I live in Canada.

Lueez, if you have not already, I want you to take 20 minutes (before you see your doc) to watch the first video on the Video page under Resources on this site. The doc is likely to recommend surgery, or a pessary, or pelvic floor PT/kegels, or just not doing anything at all until things get worse. All of these are bad ideas. She will undoubtedly not be aware of Christine Kent or WW or any kind of postural approach to this issue. I did not even see my doc when I discovered my prolapse, because it didn't take me long on this site to realize that she was not likely to have any "solutions" that interested me. Doctors are great in many many areas, but sadly, not in this one.

So go see her with eyes open. And don't feel like you need to rush into sharing all of this with family members, at least until you have a better idea what's going on and what you are going to do about it. This might just be too much information for some of them. Wait until the fear and confusion has passed - it will! Meanwhile, we'll be your prolapse girlfriends. - Surviving

Hello Surviving60
Thank you so much again for your posts to me. So I saw my doctor today and I was ready for all the pitfalls with regard to advice on surgery, hormone treatment, etc. I was pleasantly surprised. I do have a cystocele but she said it is only "half way down" and of no interest to surgeons. :) and that I could manage it myself. She suggested hormone suppositories for two weeks which would clear up the symptoms of dry vagina which it seems are my presenting symptoms. But she was more than open to my decision to deal with estrogen and vaginal dryness with a naturopathic treatment. She recommended PT for Kegels, etc., but I am so pleased to have my WW dvd and book on the way. I think this will be the life long answer to managing the fact that I do have a cystocele which is not a problem at this time but could be in the future. I will be checking in with you and WW from time to time. I don't know how to say thank you for being a beacon in the darkness of my fears this week. God Bless..

So happy for you Lueez that you were able to see the doc and set your mind at ease, without having to confront any pressure towards surgery. I wish more doctors would take a conservative approach like that......I would love to think that is a new trend as more and more bad stuff gets put out there about the dangers of going under the knife.

The indication that your prolapse is still mild is a good break for you, and I can assure you that it will be quite manageable for a lifetime if you throw yourself diligently into this work. Which you can't help but do when you start to delve into Christine's work even more. You are on your way, my friend! Keep us posted. - Surviving

Thanks Surviving. Will do. I feel grateful that I was able to detect the cystocele myself via information on the internet before it was at a critical stage, and of course, finding this wonderful supportive WW group. I am 67 and my horoscope says I will live to be 92. I plan to get there with all my teeth and ALL MY ORGANS. :) Maybe no more lifting sofas tho.
Feeling very lucky today and eager to start my posture training. Good luck to you too and I will check in again soon. It is wonderful work that you are doing moderating this site and communicating with women like me.

I'm always wondering if the heavy weight lifting I used to do has contributed to my problems of prolapse. I used to do weights three times a week. I am missing the lifting but I probably won't continue now.

Cleo, I'm sure that it did contribute. It's quite possible to carry a fair amount of weight safely, if you hold it close to your body and maintain all the important elements of posture at the same time. But lifting, even normal things that we do as we go about our day, have to be done very mindfully. Think about the body angles and stresses that occur during the lifting of a heavy weight....ouch! - Surviving

Hi Cleo,
Years ago, when I saw a urogyn, he told me that he when he saw prolapse in younger women, it was with the heavy weightlifters.....heavy sigh.....
I was never into heavy weight lifting, but I have been working out avidly for many, many years. Even after prolapse, giving up resistance work wasn't something I was comfortable with. I personally find so much value in working with light weights and happily I have found that this can very easily be worked into many of Christine's exercises. I do mean light weights though- I typically don't use anything more than my 3 pound hand weights.....6 lbs is lighter than most newborns, so, when worked with in proper form, shouldn't be a problem. I love doing the plies with the weights- sometimes i hold them in my hands with my arms crossed in front of my chest. Sometimes I actually hold them on my head, or with my arms extended over my head. I will often hold the plie and then lift and lower on my tip toes....things like this....
I have a large mirror that I work out in front of to assure I hold my WW posture at all times, and I never rush my movements...they are slow and controlled. But I certainly feel that fantastic 'burn' as I fatigue my muscles...I love knowing that I can help combat age related muscle loss while still applying all the WW methods. I think you might find you don't have to give up weights completely as long as you are willing to modify and think about them from a WW perspective. Good luck! gr8fl