Although your female body was designed to reproduce, it can be uncomfortable at times when you are pregnant. Most people have poor posture to start off with and the added pregnancy weight places even more abnormal weight on joints and stresses muscles and tendons, often leading to pain. Additionally, poor posture does not adequately support internal organs, (including your uterus where your little baby lies) circulation is hampered and an environment more favorable for disease and dysfunction is created.
So how do you know what muscles are tight? Take this stretch test. People commonly make the mistake of stretching muscles that don’t need stretching and not stretching the ones that do need it. If you are stretching correctly and you do not feel tightness, that muscle doesn’t need stretching. Your stretches will help keep muscles in balance helping maintain proper posture thus, decreasing your aches and pains.
These pictures were taken awhile ago so please excuse James as our male model!
Perform each stretch 3-5 times per muscle.
All stretches were taken from “How to Eat Move and be Health” Paul Chek.
