Question about sitting down and standing u

[Margaret]

Just got your DVD yesterday; diagnosed with a cystocele at almost 6 weeks postpartum (i’ll be 6 weeks in a few days)
A few questions:
Sitting on the couch – I sit at the edge of the couch, trying to stay on my tripod. I have a pretty flat back so I find that keeping a small pillow or even double rolled baby blanket under my tailbone helps tilt me forward a bit. Is this something I should be doing or just let my tailbone be wherever it is?
Same question for sitting criss cross on the floor – I feel like putting a small cushion or something under my tailbone helps tilt me forward and straighten my back – do I need to do that or just let my tailbone sit back? I feel like I’m maybe tilted too far back unless I have something there.

Finally – when standing up or sitting down – I know not to hold breath at any time if I can remember but should I be breathing in? breathing out? holding a kegel or clenching any stomach muscles? I feel like I’ve forgotten how to stand up and sit down since I’m so hyper aware of every muscle now.

Thanks! Sorry for a million questions in one post…

[Tasha]

Margaret,
The “wedge” under your sit bones is appropriate. Un-needed if you are on a chair that allows your hips to be higher than your knees, but certainly a help on the couch or floor where positioning is more challenging. You are essentially giving a lift to your hips to get them slightly higher than your knees! Nice work 🙂

As for getting up, I wouldn’t focus so much on breathe in or breathe out as I would on drawing your TA up and in when you go to get up. Remember when we are up and about (not laying down relaxing) that we want to breathe with chest elevation expansion. In this case, maybe a breath in with chest elevation and expansion will stop you from the short breath hold that you want to avoid when getting up. AND it will act like a vacuum lifting all air up into your expanding chest, drawing your pelvic floor up with it!

tasha

[Author]

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