When I first “cracked the code” on stabilizing and reversing prolapse, and wrote and published Saving the Whole Woman, I set up this forum. While I had finally gotten my own severe uterine prolapse under control with the knowledge I had gained, I didn’t actually know if I could teach other women to do for themselves what I had done for my condition.
So I just started teaching women on this forum. Within weeks, the women started writing back, “It’s working! I can feel the difference!”
From that moment on, the forum became the hub of the Whole Woman Community. Unfortunately, spammers also discovered the forum, along with the thousands of women we had been helping. The level of spamming became so intolerable and time-consuming, we regretfully took the forum down.
Technology never sleeps, however, and we have better tools today for controlling spam than we did just a few years ago. So I am very excited and pleased to bring the forum back online.
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Best wishes,
Christine Kent
Founder
Whole Woman
MeMyselfAndI
May 31, 2011 - 11:42am
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Posture
I think it will become second nature to you in time - So in the end you will 'relax into posture' rather than seem to force yourself into it.
granolamom
May 31, 2011 - 6:39pm
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breathing and posture
hi christianna
learning the posture takes a while, your body has to figure out new ways of doing things its always done differently. that said, breathing shouldnt feel like a conscious effort. you might be right, that its just a matter of your abdomen stretching out to allow for normal diaphragmatic movement. if you arent accustomed to breathing with your diaphragm, but mostly by using your shoulders, then your diaphragm might not be used to all the new work either.
just to double check....are you otherwise healthy? sometimes certain neuromuscular disabilities, history of chronic lung infections or smoking, cystic fibrosis,etc, can make it hard for a person to use the primary muscles of respiration (diaphragm).
I'm a bit confused by your post though...I think (and I could be all mixed up so I hope someone will jump in and correct me if I am wrong) that when you breathe in, your low abdomen should expand. the way breathing works is by expanding the lung space so air flows in. your stomach wouldnt be pushed in while taking a breath.
I think that if you've been lifting your shoulders to breathe for 20 years, its going to be a re-learning process for you. maybe louise will be able to help out here...she knows alot more than I do about breathing.
louiseds
June 1, 2011 - 12:17am
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I think you are right Gmom.
I think you are right Gmom. Christianna has been breathing using her shoulder muscles for a long time. It will take some time for her to relearn breathing, using her diaphragm more.
Christianna, we are all built exactly the same. Our body has many muscles that assist in breathing, but the diaphragm is the largest in area, and quite thin, just like our abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. It has the most ability to ensure that we are able to fill our lungs well, in conjunction with relaxing the abdominal muscles. Yes, your belly should expand as you breathe in.
The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle joined to the bottom of the rib cage, and the false ribs, with some bits extending down to the lumbar spine. When we breathe in we are unconsciously contracting the dome, so its roof moves down and forwards, pushing our upper abdominal contents diagonally, downwards and out the front, forcing our abdominal wall outwards from the top down. At the same time the abdominal muscles passively relax to allow this to happen.
Lying down is a good way to learn how to breathe 'into your belly, but probably learning to push your belly out, then relax it, would be a better first step. Muscles become more responsive to brain signals, whether conscious or unconscious, if they are regularly stretched and contracted to the full extent. Doing cat and cow stretches on hands or elbows and knees will also help your abdominal muscles to move through their greatest range of movement. Cobra is another yoga pose that will help to stretch your abdominal muscles. Simply pushing your lower belly out, then relaxing it, is another one. Strange sensation, kind of pleasant and tingly.
It will probably take some time to learn, but bit by bit, your body will obey you more often, until it is finally second nature.
Louise