GASP! Did she really just say that?
Did the YOGA TEACHER tell me NOT to STRETCH?
Okay, okay, everybody relax. Here’s why I’m (sort of) saying not to stretch.
When you’re pregnant or lactating, you’re most likely hypermobile.
Even some of us who are neither of those things are naturally hypermobile.
Psst—hypermobility is when your joints can move beyond a normal range of motion. So basically, your body is stretchier than it “should” be.
So in pregnancy (and even when you’re lactating—actually even through a few months after you finish lactating), your RAGING hormones are loosening things up a bit.
This is actually a good thing, since a pregnant body is preparing to give birth. Hormones loosen you up, pelvis opens up a bit, and the body says, “Let this baby out!”
(In case it needs to be said—this happens even if you end up having a c-section.)
Buttttttttt those “loosening up” hormones can allow extra unnecessary movement in the meantime, which means things are shifting in ways they normally wouldn’t.
So now you’ve got tons of muscles working overtime, or basically doing somebody else’s job, and they start to complain.
(Don’t we all, really?)
Those muscles get tight, you get sore, and so what do you do?
YOU SSSTTTRRREEETTTCCCHHH. (You stretch. ha!)
But remember that you’re already kinda extra stretchy.
And by answering a stretch with a stretch, you might…overstretch.
You might actually make yourself more sore, and make your problem worse!
So what to do?!
Strengthen. Stabilize. Build. Don’t just stretch.
I have a bunch of simple drills in the Birth & Beyond library designed for this exact purpose: to strengthen those stabilizing muscles so that you’re not as sore as often.
I also often incorporate hip stabilizing drills toward the end of all of my yoga classes.
Join us for a class, check out B&B, and say goodbye to complainer muscles and hello to a new, strong you!
