The nine-month journey of pregnancy is filled with joy, exhaustion and transformation. You will also feel tiny kicks coming from within. You will see your body change and stretch in ways that you have never thought possible. The expanding belly, fuller breasts and strange swellings in your feet and fingers are all signs of hormonal changes.
Posture is often overlooked amid all the discussion about baby names, ultrasounds and cravings.
It matters. It matters a lot.
We’ll talk about your posture during pregnancy and why it can cause discomfort (and even pain). And we’ll show you how a little Scandinavian invention named Posture Mom could become your new bestie.
Is my posture really that important?: Fight the Pregnancy Slouch
You might not think much of your posture when you consider the changes that occur in your body while pregnant. You’re busy with the process of growing a child. Isn’t this enough?
Your posture is quietly performing the heavy lifting in the background.
Your body will try to compensate for the shift in your centre of gravity as your belly grows. Your spine will tilt, your shoulders will round, and your back muscles will strain to keep you balanced and upright. The increased weight of breasts, combined with the hormonal softening of ligaments due to relaxin (thanks), creates a perfect storm of posture imbalance.
It doesn’t stop when the baby is born.
The same can be said for feeding, rocking, carrying and leaning on a crib twenty times per day. No wonder many mothers experience chronic tension, fatigue and nerve pain after childbirth.
The Pregnancy Slump: More Common than You Think
You’re not the only one who has noticed that you are hunching your shoulders forward, with your upper back rounding and lower spine aching. This is a common posture mistake that almost all pregnant women fall into. You may catch yourself doing this while:
- Scrolling your phone while lying in bed is something we’ve all done.
- Sitting with your feet on the couch
- Carrying your child on one hip
- Early morning breastfeeding or bottle feeding
They add up. Over time, these habits can:
- Lower Back Pain
- Neck and Shoulder Tension
- Headaches
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and arms
- Fatigue and lack of sleep
Poor posture can affect your breathing. Slouching will compress your diaphragm, which makes it difficult to take deep breaths.
Enter Posture Mother: Simple Solution to a Heavy Load
How can you combat the pregnancy slouch, then? It’s possible to remind yourself constantly to “sit straight,” but who has the time to do that when you’re trying to balance work, fatigue, and a growing stomach?
Posture mother is the answer.
Posture Mother, designed by Swedish Posture, a Scandinavian company that is known for its innovative and minimalist wellness products, gently guides the body into alignment. Imagine it as a discreet, soft harness that gently whispers “Hey, straighten your back up” without being uncomfortable or restrictive.
What it does
- encourages you to move your shoulders back in a natural and ergonomic position
- Engages postural muscles, without forcing them
- Supports the upper back and body all day
- Helps you develop a better posture over time by training your body
What’s the best part? Wear it underneath your clothes, and no one would know.
What is it?
The Posture Mother is elegantly simple. The Posture Mother system is elegantly simple. It features lightly-padded, adjustable straps that you slip around your shoulders and torso. The tension of the straps, once in place, offers a subtle cue for you to sit or stand up straight.
The device does not hold you like a rigid brace. It simply reminds you that your muscles should engage correctly. This encourages you to use natural strength instead of becoming dependent on it.
It is a great tool for:
- Third-trimester changes in the body of pregnant women
- New mothers spend hours each day holding and feeding their babies
- You can recover from back and shoulder problems caused by pregnancy.
Why didn’t I know about this during my pregnancy?
You may be wondering, “Where was this when I needed it?” You’re not the only one.
We need to change this. Many women are unaware of the importance of posture during pregnancy. We are so focused on what we eat, avoid and how to prepare ourselves for labour, that we neglect how to carry ourselves physically throughout the journey.
Posture affects everything, including your comfort, confidence, ability to breathe, spinal health and core strength.
Many mums have said that prioritising their posture would have saved them from months of pain, and prevented issues such as:
- Postpartum back problems
- Neck strain caused by nursing
- Reactivation of the core is poor
You can still make changes, even if you are in the second trimester of your pregnancy, have a toddler or are years beyond the baby phase.
Pregnancy pain: Good posture is part of the solution
Pain during pregnancy is commonly accepted as inevitable. But it does not have to be. Many common discomforts are caused by postural stress, which can be reduced or even eliminated with better support.
Take a closer look:
1. Lower Back Pain
Your lumbar spine (lower back) will curve more as your uterus grows to compensate for the weight shift. This causes pressure to be placed on the lower vertebrae, muscles and surrounding tissues.
The Posture Mother gently realigns your spine to relieve lower back strain.
2. Upper back and shoulder tension
Heavy breasts (yes, sometimes they double in size!) The rounded shoulders that result from using the phone, carrying or feeding children, and even if you are not on your phone, can cause a knot between your shoulder blades.
The device encourages a neutral position of the shoulders, which can help to relieve tightness as well as to reduce shoulder strain.
3. Headaches and Neck Pain
Slouching can cause your head to lean forward. This adds pressure to your neck and spine, up to 5kg per inch. This can cause headaches and stiffness in the neck.
The Posture Mother can help improve neck alignment and may reduce tension headaches due to poor posture.
4. Breathing & Core Activation
Slouching causes your diaphragm to compress and prevents deep breathing. This also causes your abdominal muscles to disengage, which are already stressed from pregnancy.
The upright position helps improve breath control and engages your core.
The benefits of post-baby care are not just for pregnant women
Physical strain is common during the “fourth trimester”, those early months following the baby’s birth. You are healing, sleep-deprived and moving your body in new ways.
Your posture is often neglected, from stooping over the bassinet or feeding in an awkward position to marathon sessions.
It’s important to keep your alignment in this period, not just for comfort.
- Reduce the risk of back problems
- Supporting your pelvic floor and core rehabilitation
- Prevention of tension-related injuries
- Maintaining energy levels and reducing fatigue
Posture Mother is a silent supporter through it all, like the friend who gently reminds you that you should lift your chin to take a deep breath.
Real Talk: Is it Comfortable?
It’s a fact: nobody wants to wear anything bulky or itchy underneath their clothes.
Posture Mother is a:
- Made of soft and breathable fabric
- Designed to Move with Your Body
- Easy to adapt for different body sizes and shapes
- Wear it under any clothing and you won’t notice.
Wear it during short periods of time during the day. For example, when you are sitting at your computer, feeding your child, or taking a stroll. It helps you develop postural memory over time so that you can maintain a tall posture even when you’re not wearing it.
Why not just do posture exercises?
You should, yes!
It is important to strengthen your postural muscles. This includes your upper and lower back. Even with the best of intentions, sometimes our bodies can fall back into old habits, especially when we are tired, pregnant or holding a baby that is crying.
Consider Posture Mother a complement to your posture exercises, a way to reinforce good habits gently while your muscles catch up.
A small tool with a big impact
The changes that pregnancy brings to your body and your life are too numerous to count. Amid all the chaos and newness, it is easy to overlook something so basic as standing straight.
It’s not just about being confident. It’s about:
- Protecting yourself
The spine is a good way to get started
- Reduce daily discomfort
- Supporting your breath with strength
- You will feel better about your body during and after pregnancy
Posture Mom doesn’t work like a miracle, but it does. It is a wearable, practical reminder that you deserve a life filled with grace, support and less pain.
Last Thoughts – Stand tall, Mama
This might be just the thing you need to get back some comfort, whether you’re pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or simply need a little more peace in your life.
Your posture is important.
It is important to you that you are comfortable.
You matter.
