Maintaining good posture during pregnancy is necessary for any expectant mother. You want to have minimal straining on your back during the whole time. This means you have to train your body in the right sitting and standing position as well as the best position when lying down. With the right posture, you’ll be able to avoid those intense shoulders, neck, and back pains associated with bad postures.
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We shall have a look at some of the advisable sitting positions on a chair during pregnancy. How you sit will depend on whether your chair has any back support or not. You certainly want to avoid any bad sitting postures because you could be putting your baby and your health at potential risk.
Why You Should Invest in Chairs During Pregnancy?
Purchasing a pregnancy chair may seem luxurious and expensive. However, you need proper rest and enough comfort, and so does your baby. Invest in a chair that will give you adequate comfort. It is worth investing in your comfort.
During pregnancy, you are likely to experience frequent body aches. Investing in a comfortable chair helps ease such pains in the body. For working pregnant ladies, pregnancy chairs can help you work more comfortably. Ordinary chairs may be uncomfortable while going around with your day-to-day activities. Thus you are more productive at your workplace.
Pregnancy chairs are a go-to for any pregnant lady. They make our pregnancy journey easier with enough comfort. Poor posture can cause health complications to both the mother and the baby. Maintaining the right sitting and standing posture helps align your baby at a proper birth position.
Body aches such as neckache and backaches are a result of poor posture. Good sitting and getting up habits ease the tension on your back or neck. One may still experience some complications, even after delivering. It is important to take care of your body during pregnancy.
Also read: How To Get Up From A Chair During Pregnancy?
Sitting on a Chair During Pregnancy
Women are advised to sit with their backs straight, shoulders back and posterior touching the back of the chair. There’s also the option of using pregnancy pillows, a small towel, or even a lumbar roll to support your back while sitting. Other tips about sitting on a chair during pregnancy include the following:
- You should choose a hard and straight chair to sit on and as mentioned earlier, you can decide to have a pillow or towel for the extra support.
- It is also important to ensure that your feet are placed flat on the surface or floor. Make sure that you avoid slumping at any cost.
- If you feel like you need extra support, there’s also the option of using a footstool. This will help you reduce the strain on your lower back by raising your feet, especially in situations where your chair isn’t short enough for you to place both your feet o the ground.
- You should also avoid sitting in the same place and position for a long time. Take short breaks in between and do some safe stretches at least after every half hour.
- If you know that you’ll be seated for a while, you can always do a few legs stretches to improve blood circulation.
- Sitting at the edge of the chair when fully slouched is another way to sit during pregnancy. You should ensure that you raise yourself with your back curved then stay in that position for a few seconds. You can adjust your body at around 10 degrees but ensure that your body weight is evenly balanced on both hips.
- If you’re sitting on an office chair ensure that the height is adjusted correctly and you can easily reach the desk without straining your body. You can pull the chair closer so that you can rest your arms on the desk as a way to relax your shoulders.
Sitting Postures to Avoid During Pregnancy
Good sitting posture is essential during pregnancy but there are those bad postures that should be avoided. Highlighted below are some of the postures to avoid when sitting on a chair during pregnancy.
- For you to ensure a smooth and adequate flow of blood throughout your body, it’s advisable to avoid crossing your legs when sitting. This way, you’ll avoid getting varicose veins or any swollen ankles.
- Although slouching may feel comfortable, it is crucial to avoid it at all times.
- Do not sit in the same posture for a long time. Be sure to change your sitting posture or at least stretch after some time.
- You should avoid putting abnormal abdominal pressure from bending or twisting your waist. If you need to turn, it is advisable to turn your whole body instead of twisting your waist.
- Refrain from sitting with your feet hanging. You should place your feet flat on the floor to avoid getting swollen from the increased blood flow to the legs.
- Avoid sitting on chairs without any backrest or support. This can include anything like stools. You certainly do not want to strain your back unnecessarily.
Choosing the Right Chair During Pregnancy
Having established how important good sitting posture is during pregnancy, it is pretty evident that choosing the right chair during pregnancy goes a long way too. Whether it’s at home or in the office, how do you choose the right chair during pregnancy?
- Select a comfortable chair. You can opt for a chair that well-cushioned for the ultimate support and comfort.
- Choosing the right size for your chair. You need to consider the amount of space you have. You certainly do not want to buy a chair only to realize that you do not have adequate space for placing it.
- Check the width of the chair. A suitable chair should be wide enough to accommodate your body frame. It should be at least 12 to 19 inches wide and adjustable to your body.
- Consider a chair that offers lumbar support. By choosing a seat that has a good backrest or lumbar support, you will be able to support your spine and avoid any intense back pains.
- Choose an adjustable chair. This is advisable, especially in the office. You want a chair that you can adjust to suit your height and not leave your legs hanging when you sit.
- Choose a chair with the reclining function. Adjustability and comfort are among some of the important things when it comes to choosing the correct seating for pregnant women. If it has a reclining function and a footrest then both functionality and comfort are some of the things you no longer have to worry about.
- Choosing a massage chair. With backaches being so common for most pregnant women, getting a massage chair would certainly be the ultimate solution. It gets even better when you opt for one with a heat feature and a recline function!
- Look for a kneeling chair. This is especially suitable for those in the final weeks of their pregnancy. Apart from pain reduction, the chair is also suitable for improving your posture instantly.
Importance of Comfortable Pregnancy Chairs
- Easing backaches during pregnancy. With a comfortable chair, you will be spared of the pain associated with using uncomfortable chairs during your pregnancy period.
- You can utilize the chair even after your pregnancy. For instance, if you opt for a chair with a recline, swivel, or rocking function, it can always come in handy when it’s time to breastfeed your newborn baby.
- Relieving any abnormal abdominal pain. With a comfortable chair, you won’t put any unnecessary pressure on your abdomen thus maintaining a comfortable posture.
- Taking care of your unborn baby’s health. Bad sitting posture not only affects your health but also the babies. By using a comfortable chair, both your health and the baby’s will be safe since you won’t be putting any unnecessary pressure on your belly.
- If you have a comfortable seat, you can sit for a long duration without having to worry about your posture. But be sure not to overdo it.
Conclusion
From the best sitting postures, bad postures to avoid, to choosing the right pregnancy chair, there’s a lot that you can do to ensure that you have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Considering most women are known to suffer from cramps, backaches, neck pain, and numbness among other things because of bad posture, you certainly want to avoid this by adopting a healthy posture.
By going through some of the tips highlighted above, with the right posture and comfortable chair an uncomfortable pregnancy should be the least of your worries.