Pregnancy is an incredible journey, but with it also comes with own challenges. Accommodating a growing baby inside your body will change your posture, comfort levels, and mobility. While nutrition, exercise, and prenatal care get most of the attention of pregnant women, there is something else that should not be overlooked-good posture.
During pregnancy, your body undergoes several changes, when you stand, lie down or even sit. In this blog, we’ll get the closer look of how good postures benefit your pregnancy journey and some of the sitting postures during pregnancy that can keep you comfortable and safe.
BEST SITTING POSTURES DURING EACH TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY
Maintaining proper sitting posture during your pregnancy helps reduce prevent pain and discomfort, ensure good circulation of blood, and help your body adjust. Sitting positions during pregnancy make all the difference as your pregnant belly grows.
Let’s see, how pregnant women’s sitting position make difference during every trimester of pregnancy-
SITTING POSITION FOR PREGNANCY IN 1ST TRIMESTER: CORE SUPPORT
Even at such early times in pregnancy, you may not yet have the visible bump, but it’s when your body starts getting ready for some serious changes. This is the ideal time to make good posture habits.
Sitting up Straight: Select a chair with a straight back. Sit with your back supported and shoulders relaxed. Let your feet rest on the floor with proper alignment.
Avoid Slouching: Slouching can strain the lower back and shoulders. You may use a little pillow to support your lower back, if you want to.
SITTING POSITION FOR PREGNANCY IN 2ND TRIMESTER: SUPPORT FOR BACK AND HIPS
Your bump will be more apparent during the second trimester. The increased mass can change your center of gravity. Backaches may also become more common, so adjusting your sitting postures during pregnancy can now be expected.
Pelvic Tilt Sitting: Sit in a way that you have your hips higher than your knees. Sit on pillows or use a footrest to elevate your feet and sit down. This helps to remove the pressure from your lower back.
Leaning Forward Slightly: If you are sitting at a desk or dinner table, lean forward slightly while sitting near it with your back resting against a chair. This allows for some space in your belly and promotes more blood flow there.
Using Lumbar Support: Using a rolled-up towel or cushion to support your lower back helps ease the pressure on your spine and is also a good comfortable sitting position during pregnancy.
SITTING POSITION FOR PREGNANCY IN 3RD TRIMESTER: PROMOTING COMFORT AND ALLEVIATING PRESSURE
During the third trimester, your bulge of a belly puts extra pressure on your back, hips, and pelvis. So, proper sitting positions during pregnancy will ensure that one avoids discomfort.
Open Leg Sitting: Sit with your legs apart but a little separated from each other. This helps in opening additional space for your belly and working against the pressure applied on your hips. Position both feet firmly on the floor or on a footrest.
Elevating Your Feet: If you have swelling in your feet and ankles, place your feet on a stool or ottoman so that you are just above the level of your heart. This will increase the flow and cut down on fluid retention.
SITTING POSTURES TO AVOID DURING PREGNANCY
A proper posture is extremely required to ensure a healthy pregnancy and comfortable experience. In the case pregnant women’s, sitting position is wrong then it will put quite a strain on your back, hips, and abdominal and thus may give potential discomfort or complications.
Given below are some of the sitting positions that you should avoid during pregnancy time to keep yourself and your baby safe:
- Slouching
- Avoid slouching: It compresses your stomach and puts more weight on your lower back, which probably causes back aches and poor blood circulation.
- Crossing Your Legs or Ankles
Don’t Do It Because: Crossing your legs might cut off the proper flow of blood to your body down there, thus increasing the possibilities of swelling, varicose veins, and cramping of the legs.
- Sitting in too low chair or deep sofas
Reasons to avoid: Deep soft chairs or low sofas cause persons to sink in, and at times it can be really aching to get out of them, especially during the later months of pregnancy, and it can be stressing to back and hips.
- Leaning back without support
Reason to avoid: Sitting without support to the lower back is also a strain and painful, especially when the belly starts to grow heavy. It can also compress your diaphragm and make it a chore to breathe.
- Staying for long periods with raised legs
- Avoid this: Elevated feet reduce swelling, but staying in such a position for too long might limit blood flow to the abdominal region.
- Sitting Crossed Legged on the Floor
- Avoid It Because: Sitting cross-legged on the floor can be quite demanding for your hips and pelvis. It causes a prickling and numb sensation in the legs.
PROMINENT ROLE OF NUTRITION AND GOOD SITTING POSITIONS FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY
Maintaining sound health during pregnancy is vital for the mother and her child. Nutrition and pregnant women’s sitting position play an important role in keeping healthy during pregnancy.
The role of nutrition:
- Helps in foetal development- Nutrients such as folic acid, iron, calcium, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids are required to facilitate the development of the baby, mainly the brain, bones, and organs.
- Good Nutrition Prevents Complication During Pregnancy: Good nutrition prevents anaemia, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. An adequate diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, ensures that there is smooth functioning of the mother’s body.
- Enhances Maternal Energy: Pregnancies bring about a tremendous rise in the amount of energy that the body needs. It will provide the necessary calories and nutrients that would keep her all energized and healthy.
- Maintains weight: Gain of the right amount of weight is what should be expected in a healthy pregnancy. Sufficient nutrition serves to avoid unwarranted weight gain or loss, which may be complicated.
CHOOSE TRIMACARE PREGNANCY SUPPLEMENT FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY
Trimacare prenatal tablets are formulate for pregnant women to help them optimal foetal development. It mainly comes for the pregnant woman in utilizing the multivitamin, concerning complications to bring about a healthy growth of a foetus.
With over 20 essential nutrients in each prenatal pill, the body is sure to be equipped with the right kind of nutrient pack. Thus, Trimacare is a complete prenatal solution. Trimacare is a trusted brand of prenatal multivitamin tablets developed by experts according to WHO and ICMR guidelines and having an endorsement by leading Gynaecologists all over the country.
CONCLUSION:
As pregnancy progress, body witness several changes. Good sitting posture during pregnancy is one simple yet effective way in which you could benefit your body and your baby.
FAQs
Why should you maintain proper posture during pregnancy?
Good posture helps ease back pain, reduces the tension in muscles, and aids in the better flow of blood. That aside, it even facilitates the proper growth of the baby, especially if there is more room for the baby to move about comfortably.
What is a good sitting posture in pregnancy?
Sit with your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and feet flat on the ground. If you need to, use a cushion under your lower back and make sure your knees are tucked a little higher than your hips.
How to Improve Your Posture When Pregnant?
Pay attention to how you sit, sleep, and stand. Sit on ergonomic chairs, avoid crossing your legs, and take frequent pauses to stretch out the muscles. You can work out with prenatal yoga to keep core strength strong for better posture.
Should I use a pregnancy pillow to support my sitting position?
And a pregnancy pillow, to boot, provides another form of support to your back and your hips, so sitting is an activity more favourable to your body and even works to improve your posture.