Let’s be realistic, who has time for self-care exercises with a newborn? Here’s a tip you can incorporate into your breastfeeding routine to help keep your posture healthy while breastfeeding.
Once your baby is all settled and feeding: Pull your head back and up so that your C-spine is straight/stacked, and you can imagine a string pulling the top of your head towards the ceiling. Your gaze should be forward, not down. The best way to remember this is to make a double chin. Heck, make as many chins as you can – the more the merrier! Your challenge is to hold this position until Baby requires your attention and you have to look down again. It shouldn’t hurt, but it might feel like the front of your throat is fatiguing. That’s good! Repeat as you can throughout the feeding session. You’re getting a double-whammy here by building strength in your deep neck flexors (important but forgotten muscles along the front of your spine), and releasing pressure from your sub-occipital muscles (the muscles at the base of your skull that never get a break).
Sarah Crocker, RMT