Essential Stretches for New Moms

You have probably spent the last several months working through achy hips and a tight lower back during pregnancy, but now you are holding your sweet bundle of joy and feeling a whole new area of tension in your neck and upper back!—This is what we call “the new mom strain.”

Rocking your baby and looking down at their sweet, sleeping face, can cause a pinch in the neck. Breastfeeding can also add a great deal of stress to your body whether it is with a newborn or an older baby. You may find yourself hunched over in a rocking chair, or in bed, with your shoulders rolled forward. Then, there is all the new gear- the car seat and diaper bag to carry around with them! This is a lot of new stress to our upper back and necks.

It is important to take time to heal, and care for yourself. This is true whether you are freshly postpartum or a few years out. The last thing moms need is back, shoulder or neck pain.  So in order to take care of yourself, stretching/yoga is a must.

If you are feeling “the new mom strain” of shoulder, neck and/or back pain, give these stretches a try as a means of relief:
​

Neck Stretches:

Bend your head to the side, ear towards your shoulder, holding for 3 breaths before slowly bending to the other side. Repeat with rotating the head so the nose points to the shoulder. Move slowly through these stretches and do no pull on the neck. Think about lowering the shoulders down and back for added stretch and relaxation.

Eagle Arms: 

Eagle Arms: can be done kneeling, seated or standing               
Hold your right arm straight out, then cross the left arm under the right and bend the elbows bringing the palms of your hands together. Push your elbows down keeping your palms together. Take a deep breath into your upper back, as you exhale allow your elbows to sink towards your chest. Take a few breaths here, then switch to right arm under left, and repeat.
​

Towel Stretches:

Vertical—Standing, or sitting on your knees, place your left hand over your head holding the towel behind your back. Take your right arm behind your lower back and grab onto the other end of the towel. Slowly bring your hands closer together. If you can do this without a towel, clasp your hands. Hold for a 3 slow breaths, then switch sides.
  
Horizontal—Standing or kneeling, hold a towel a little wider than shoulder distance apart (this will depend on how tight your shoulders are).  Inhale while bringing your arms above you, then exhale your arms behind you, followed up by inhaling the arms back up and exhaling down to the front. Repeat for 5 rounds. Think about inhaling through your nose, and exhaling through your mouth.
​

Standing Forward Fold:

​

---

​​Interlace your hands behind your back. Inhale deep into your chest and exhale as you fall forward letting your hands fall over your head. Relax your head and take 3 slow breaths before returning to standing.

​Cat-Cow

Start in a crawling position; hands are on the floor under shoulders, and knees are under hips. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, slowly round your back pulling your belly button to your spine, tucking your tailbone under and bringing your chin to chest. Then with your breath in, drop your belly, lifting your tailbone to the ceiling and your head up. Repeat this five times.

​Child's Pose:

In child’s pose reach your arms way out in front of you, palms flat on the floor. Take a deep breath into your upper back and as you exhale relax your chest towards the ground. Sink your hips back while trying to extended the hands as far away from the body as you can.​

Alternate stretch in child's pose:
​Start kneeling, and prop your arms up on a block, side table, or chair, and let your chest relax towards the floor as you exhale. Hold for 3 breaths.

​Thread the Needle:

Starting in child’s pose, thread your left arm underneath your chest and look up to the ceiling under the right arm pit. Hold for 3 breaths, and repeat with the other arm. You should feel this stretch along the inside border of the shoulder blade and spine.

​Doorway stretch:

​Standing in a doorway place your right elbow, forearm and palm flat on wall. Step your right foot forward and press your chest through the doorway. Breathe deeply into your chest and lungs, exhale allowing your chest and shoulders to relax. Repeat on the other side.