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The Best Sitting Position after Normal Delivery
Recovering from childbirth involves a variety of factors. Learning the best sitting position after normal delivery isn't challenging, but there are some things to keep in mind. Whether you had a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section, sitting may be uncomfortable after baby. This is normal, but it should improve with time.
The Healing Process
Your body took months to grow a human and prepare for childbirth, and it takes at least 6-12 months to heal after delivery. While it's important to start to incorporate movement and activity back into your routine once baby is here, the reality is that you will be doing a lot of sitting. Think of all the times you'll be sitting with baby: feeding, snuggling, possibly while baby naps, soothing. Given that you may find yourself sitting far more than you're used to, there are a few key things to remember.
Posture and Movement after Delivery
Why is posture so important once baby is here? Practicing good posture and movement patterns can help prevent or alleviate a lot of issues that are common in the postpartum period. Here are some things practicing good posture (sitting or standing) can help with:
- Lower back and upper pain
- Neck pain
- Pelvic pain (especially right after delivery)
- Core strength
- Improve breastfeeding
- Limits forward head posture
- Headaches
Sitting Position after Normal Delivery
When thinking about your sitting position after normal delivery, there are a few things you can consider. Think about these key things when it comes to sitting posture. "Normal Delivery" assumes that you had a vaginal or c-section without any significant complications. It's unlikely that even a delivery that was more complex wouldn't benefit from good posture. However, if you had a complicated delivery and are dealing with extenuating circumstances, talking to your healthcare provider or a pelvic floor physical therapist might help you figure out other strategies.
How to achieve the best sitting position after normal delivery:
- Sit with your shoulders stacked over your hips (not rounded forward or slouched back)
- Sit with your ears in line with your shoulders
- Avoid sitting on the edge of the chair
- Support your back with a lumbar roll or rolled up towel
- Feet flat on the floor
Things to avoid:
- Constantly looking down while breastfeeding
- Always looking down at your phone
- slouching
- An unsupportive bra
Sitting Position after Normal Delivery: With Baby
When baby is with you, there are just a couple of things to consider in addition.
- Bring baby up to you when feeding. Use pillows or a Boppy pillow to bring baby closer to you rather than you having to lean forward to feed baby.
- Keep shoulders relaxed, avoid drawing them up towards your ears
- Unclench your jaw
- Keep your ribcage stacked over your hips along with your shoulders and ears
- Use a towel or lumbar roll at your back
Postural Exercises
To help make it a little easier to sit (and stand) with good posture, there are some exercises you can do to help.
- Chin Tucks
- Neck Stretches
- Foam Roller Mobilization
- Shoulder Blade Squeezes
- Puppy Pose
How to Fix Aches and Pains
If you've already found yourself with some aches and pains and maybe you're a couple of weeks in, there are some things you can do to help. While it's important to consider posture and movement patterns in the future, those may not fix the pain immediately. Here are some suggestions to help alleviate pain:
- Heat for upper back or lower back pain
- Look at your phone with it right in front of you rather than down
- Set your computer screen at a height to match the level of your eyes if possible
If you want to learn more about postpartum recovery, get your FREE guide to exercise postpartum. Learn what exercises you can start with as soon as you get home. Head to our link HERE.
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