7 weeks pp

Kristen,
It will take some work to quiet your RA, but simply your awareness through your descriptions already has me thinking we’ve got a good shot at it 🙂

Let’s simply start with good standing posture. Unlock those knees, make sure your tailbone has a slight lift, your belly is drawn slightly up and in, your chest is up and your hands are open. From this position of open, neutral spine posture, simply draw a breath in with chest elevation and expansion. You should see this lift your rib cage, and draw your belly in and up a bit. Now let that breath out but DO NOT let your tummy out. Repeat, again drawing your breath in with chest elevation and expansion – see your chest expand in the mirror – and release without letting your belly out. Repeat this one more time. Note with each breath, your belly is drawn in a bit more – this is a very elementary beginning to a hypopressive breathing technique and I like this simplified breathing technique to help people find their Transverus Abdominus. Some will get a bit of a back ache by the 3rd breath and that is okay – note the TA attaches to our lumbar fascia and with these 3 breaths we are taking our TA to a shortened position that really squeezes our midsection and pulls on our lumbar fascia.

You are right that I like hands and knees positioning to find your TA and I coach you through this thoroughly on the dvd. Keep in mind, we have controll over this muscle that can tighten up like a corset our midsection from above our hip bones to our lower rib cage. Do not allow your rib cage to curl forward toward your spine or your pelvis to tuck into a posterior pelvic tilt that would activate our RA and you will have control over this over-active muscle.

As for breastfeeding – don’t over think it – just relax with your baby! That will not make or break your rehab.

As for the NY/NJ area, I don’t have a direct referral, but if you go on to http://www.apta.org and go under the Find a PT tab, you can type in your zip code and look for women’s health therapists in your area.

As for play on the floor – I do recommend stomach or hands and knees because it activates extensors and TA – 2 very important muscle groups! As for sitting on the floor – this is tough. I always sit side saddle if I have to sit on the floor because my hamstring tension prevents me getting into neutral spine in every other position. In side saddle, I can keep my chest up, although my lumbar spine is side flexed so this still isn’t ideal!

As for the car – I just got a new one and I was really disappointed that the seat would not tilt my knees lower than my hips like my old one…so I have a couple towels that I place under my tush to lift my hips. Bottom line, you want to be able to roll forward on your sit bones so getting as far away from a bucket seat is my recommendation!

tasha