Calling all postpartum moms ready to rebuild their core strength and say goodbye to low back pain! There’s a powerful technique you absolutely can’t overlook: diaphragmatic breathing, also known as the “connection breath”. This simple technique can be a game changer for your post-pregnancy recovery and core strengthening routine. Let’s dive in and explore how diaphragmatic breathing can transform your postpartum fitness journey!
Pregnancy:
How Does My Breathing Change During Pregnancy?
Let’s talk about the incredible changes your body goes through during pregnancy to make room for your little bundle of joy. These changes can impact your breathing and ribcage position, but diaphragmatic breathing is here to restore balance and functionality. Brace yourself for the key changes:
- Diaphragm position: As your uterus expands to accommodate your growing baby, your diaphragm may feel a little crowded. The limited space for your diaphragm to expand downward, makes deep breaths a bit more challenging.
- Ribcage position: With your baby’s growth, your ribcage expands outward, creating a wider trunk (and bra size) that may catch you off guard.
- Breathing pattern: Adjustments in diaphragm and ribcage position can impact your breathing pattern. You might notice shallower breaths or shorter inhalations as your body adapts to the reduced space. It’s common to rely on chest breathing during pregnancy, utilizing smaller neck and shoulder muscles for respiration.
Will My Breathing Return to Normal After Pregnancy?
Let’s be real, sometimes our breathing patterns linger even after the baby arrives. This might keep your ribs flared out, causing discomfort. There’s hope on the horizon, and it starts with diaphragmatic breathing.
When you are able to exhale and draw our ribs inward properly, it allows your core muscles to engage properly. This helps keep your trunk in a proper stack alignment (less low back curve), and your breathing to resume to a more efficient pattern. All this starts with getting back to better diaphragmatic breathing!
By mastering diaphragmatic breathing and connecting with your breath, you teach your ribs and diaphragm to find their sweet spot. This allows for:
- Improved core activation: Say hello to a stronger core as diaphragmatic breathing activates those deep abdominal muscles, including the transverse abdominis. We’re talking serious core stability here!
- Better body function: Diaphragmatic breathing aligns your ribcage and spine, leading to improved posture and reduced stress on your back muscles. It’s all about feeling good in your body!
- Pain alleviation: Wave goodbye to low back pain as diaphragmatic breathing regulates intra-abdominal pressure and eases strain on your back.
Diaphragmatic Breathing for Rib Flairs
Let’s talk about rib flares, those sneaky culprits that inhibit core strength and mess with your alignment. This is where diaphragmatic breathing comes in to play. It helps bring your ribs back into line and maintains a better alignment postpartum. By allowing your ribs to draw inward, you’ll notice improvements in your posture, core engagement, and overall trunk stability.
During pregnancy we may have to opt for an inefficient breathing pattern. But once that baby arrives, we want to return to a better overall pattern. Diaphragmatic breathing combats shallow breaths and expands your diaphragm, activating your core muscles. Say hello to proper breathing mechanics and better lung function!
Poor posture, specifically rib flare, can result in an anterior pelvic tilt. This can lead to an exaggerated curvature in the lower back, causing the core muscles to elongate and lose strength. When the core muscles fail to engage effectively and the low back is compromised, it can lead to discomfort and potential discomfort.
The position of your ribcage can have a significant impact not only on your breathing but also on connecting with your core muscles. When your ribcage is in a neutral position, your lungs have more room to expand and contract, allowing you to make sure your ribs are moving and positioning properly. When the ribs are in the best position (and stacked directly over the hips) you are able engage your core muscle in a much more efficient manner.
On the other hand, if your ribcage is collapsed or compressed, as can happen when sitting for long periods or having poor posture, it can limit your lung capacity and prevent you from taking deep breaths. This poor positioning also has an effect of your back muscles and alignment, which can create discomfort.
So remember – maintaining good ribcage alignment and posture is important for optimal breathing! Practicing exercises that encourage ribcage expansion, such as 360 breathing, can help to improve your breathing mechanics, promote better lung function, and get your started in the right direction for finding those abdominal muscles in postpartum.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
How To Perform Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing is a technique that involves inhaling deeply and expanding your ribcage in all directions, engaging your diaphragm, deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and back muscles. When you inhale deeply during the 360 breath, your diaphragm contracts and moves downward, which creates space for your lungs to expand and your ribcage to widen.
As you exhale during the 360 breath, your diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, which helps the ribs to relax downward. This also makes it easier for the deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor to engage as well. By activating and drawing these muscles in, you are strengthening them in a position that assists in improving your core muscle engagement throughout your daily activities.
Let’s give it a try! It’s simple, effective, and oh-so-rewarding. Here’s how you do it:
Inhale deeply, expanding your ribcage in all directions. Feel your diaphragm contract and move downward, creating space for your lungs to expand and your ribcage to widen.
As you exhale, feel your diaphragm relax and move upward, allowing your ribs to relax downward. This activates your deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. You’re building strength from the inside out!
The Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing
Are you ready to unlock a world of benefits with diaphragmatic breathing? Let’s explore what it has in store for you, postpartum moms:
- Improved Core Activation: Diaphragmatic breathing ignites those deep abdominal muscles, providing vital support to your core and bidding farewell to low back pain. Say hello to a rock-solid core!
- Enhanced Posture: Diaphragmatic breathing plays a crucial role in improving your posture by aligning your ribcage and spine. This proper alignment is essential for your body to function optimally and for you to experience an enhanced sense of well-being.
- Effective Core Pressure Management: chieve the perfect balance of abdominal muscle activation and diaphragm movement with diaphragmatic breathing. Bid farewell to excessive pressure on your low back as you welcome rock-solid core stability with open arms!
Diaphragmatic breathing is a great tool for postpartum moms. It’s time to rebuild your core strength and bid farewell to low back pain. Embrace the transformative journey of diaphragmatic breathing, make it an integral part of your postpartum fitness routine, and experience the incredible benefits it brings to your well-being and comfort. You’ve got this!
Having trouble with Sciatic Nerve Pain? Check out these exercises and stretches that you can start today here
