Dear mama, you're doing something absolutely incredible. Your body is creating, growing, and nurturing life. But along with all that beauty and miracle, you might be noticing some not-so-comfortable changes in how your body feels—and how you're standing.
If you're experiencing back pain, neck tension, or feeling like your posture has completely fallen apart during pregnancy, please know: you're not failing at anything. Your body is doing exactly what it's designed to do, and the postural changes you're experiencing are a natural response to the extraordinary work happening inside you.
Let's talk about what's really going on with your posture, why it's changing, and most importantly—how you can find some relief and support during this season.
The Beautiful Burden: How Pregnancy Changes Your Center
From the moment that little life begins growing inside you, your body starts adapting. And one of the most significant changes happens to something you probably never thought about before: your center of gravity.
First Trimester: The Subtle Shifts
Even in those early weeks when you might not be showing yet, your body is already changing. Hormones like relaxin are flooding your system, softening your ligaments and joints to prepare for birth. This is wonderful for delivery, but it also means your joints are less stable than before.
You might notice yourself feeling a bit "looser" or perhaps slightly less balanced. Some women report feeling more tired, which can contribute to slouching or letting their shoulders roll forward, especially when dealing with morning sickness or fatigue.
Second Trimester: The Growing Curve
As your baby grows and your belly expands, your center of gravity shifts forward. Your body, being incredibly smart, tries to compensate by adjusting your posture. What typically happens is:
- Your lower back increases its natural curve (called lumbar lordosis) to counterbalance the weight out front
- Your pelvis tilts forward (anterior pelvic tilt)
- Your upper back might round more to balance the forward shift
- Your head tends to move forward, especially if you're looking down at your growing belly
None of this is "wrong"—it's your body's attempt to keep you stable and upright. But these compensations can create tension and discomfort in your back, neck, and shoulders.
Third Trimester: The Full Load
By now, you're carrying significant weight—not just your baby, but also increased fluid, the placenta, and the expanded uterus. The average woman gains 25-35 pounds, and much of that weight is concentrated in your abdomen, pulling your posture forward.
Your lower back curve is now quite pronounced. Your shoulders might ache from the constant forward pull. You might catch yourself waddling slightly because your gait has changed to accommodate your new shape. And standing up straight for any length of time feels nearly impossible because your body is working so hard just to maintain balance.
This is also when many women start experiencing:
- Sciatica (shooting pain down the leg)
- Upper back and neck pain
- Shoulder blade tension
- Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position
- Shortness of breath (partly from your baby pushing up on your diaphragm, partly from your rib cage being compressed)
Postpartum: The Fourth Trimester
Here's something many women aren't prepared for: your posture doesn't immediately "bounce back" after delivery. Even after your baby is born, your body needs time to heal and readjust.
The ligament laxity from relaxin can persist for months, especially if you're breastfeeding. Your abdominal muscles have been stretched and weakened. Your pelvic floor has been through an incredible ordeal. And now, instead of carrying weight in your belly, you're carrying your baby in your arms—often in positions that strain your neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Add in sleep deprivation, frequent feeding positions, and the constant bending and lifting that comes with caring for a newborn, and it's no wonder postpartum posture can be just as challenging as pregnancy posture.
The Muscle Story: What's Really Happening
Let's talk about what's going on beneath the surface—in the muscles that are supposed to support your posture.
The Stretched and Weakened
Your abdominal muscles, particularly your rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle), are dramatically stretched during pregnancy. As they stretch, they also weaken. These muscles play a crucial role in supporting your spine and maintaining your posture. When they're not functioning properly, other muscles have to pick up the slack—often leading to overcompensation and pain.
Many women also experience diastasis recti—a separation of the abdominal muscles along the midline. This further compromises core stability and makes it even harder to maintain good posture.
Your pelvic floor muscles are also under tremendous pressure and stretch during pregnancy. These muscles support your internal organs and work in coordination with your deep core muscles to stabilize your pelvis and spine. When they're weakened or overstretched, your entire postural foundation is compromised.
The Tight and Tense
While some muscles are getting overstretched, others are getting too tight:
Hip flexors: As your belly grows, these muscles at the front of your hips spend more time in a shortened position. They can become chronically tight, pulling your pelvis into that forward tilt and contributing to lower back pain.
Chest muscles: Between your growing breasts and the tendency to round your shoulders forward (especially when tired or uncomfortable), your pectoral muscles can become tight and shortened. This pulls your shoulders forward and contributes to upper back tension.
Upper trapezius: These muscles, which run from your neck to your shoulders, often become overworked and tense as they try to hold your head and shoulders in position against the forward pull of your changing body.
The Forgotten Glutes
Your gluteal muscles—those strong, powerful muscles in your backside—should be helping to stabilize your pelvis and support your lower back. But when your pelvis tilts forward due to pregnancy, your glutes can become "turned off" or inhibited. They stop firing properly, which means they're not doing their job of supporting your posture and protecting your lower back.
This is one reason why so many pregnant and postpartum women experience lower back pain—their glutes aren't providing the support and stability they're designed to provide.
The Weight on Your Shoulders—Literally and Figuratively
There's another aspect of pregnancy posture that we need to acknowledge: the emotional and mental weight you're carrying.
You're probably worried about your baby's health. You're preparing for massive life changes. You might be anxious about labor and delivery. You're navigating physical discomfort, hormonal shifts, and a body that feels less and less like "yours" as the weeks go on.
All of that stress and tension? It manifests physically. Stress causes you to tense your shoulders, clench your jaw, and breathe more shallowly—all of which contribute to poor posture and increased pain.
And here's the thing that rarely gets said: you don't have to carry all of this alone. The physical burden is real, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. There are ways to lighten the load, find support, and move through this season with less pain and more comfort.
Finding Support and Relief
So what can you do? How do you support your posture when your body is constantly changing and you're carrying all this weight?
Gentle Movement and Stretching
Safe, gentle movement is your friend during pregnancy. Walking, prenatal yoga, and swimming (if you have access) can help maintain muscle tone and flexibility without putting excessive strain on your changing body.
Focus on stretches that open your chest, release your hip flexors, and gently strengthen your glutes and upper back. Even 5-10 minutes a day can make a noticeable difference in how you feel.
Mindful Positioning
Pay attention to how you're sitting, standing, and lying down. When sitting, try to keep your feet flat on the floor and avoid crossing your legs (which can exacerbate pelvic asymmetry). Use pillows to support your back and under your belly when lying on your side.
When standing, try to distribute your weight evenly between both feet and avoid locking your knees. Think about gently lengthening through your spine rather than forcing yourself into a rigid "correct" position.
Support Tools That Actually Help
This is where the right support can make a real difference. Unlike rigid braces that simply hold you in position (and can actually weaken your muscles over time), you need support that works with your body.
The Pcore dynamic back brace is designed to provide gentle lower back support while engaging your core muscles. For pregnant and postpartum women, this means:
- Supporting your lower back without restricting your movement or breathing
- Helping to activate weakened core muscles
- Providing compression that can help with the feeling of instability
- Reducing strain on your lumbar spine
- Can be worn comfortably under or over clothing
The beauty of Pcore is that it's not doing the work FOR your muscles—it's helping them remember how to do their job while providing the support you need during this challenging time.
As your body heals and you begin to rebuild strength postpartum, adding PostureMedic can help retrain your upper back and shoulder muscles. It gently strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades while stretching your tight chest muscles—addressing the root cause of that upper back and neck tension that so many new moms experience from feeding and holding their babies.
Give Yourself Grace
Perhaps most importantly: be patient and kind with yourself. Your body has been through something extraordinary. The changes to your posture aren't a sign that you're doing something wrong or that you're "letting yourself go." They're a testament to the incredible work your body is doing.
Healing takes time. Rebuilding strength takes time. Finding your "new normal" postpartum takes time. And that's okay. You don't need to have it all figured out right now. You just need to take the next small step toward feeling a little better, a little stronger, a little more supported.
You're Not Alone
If you're struggling with posture and pain during pregnancy or postpartum, please know that you're not alone. Most women experience these challenges. And while they're common, they don't have to be your permanent reality.
There are ways to find relief. There are tools that can help. And there's a whole community of women who understand exactly what you're going through.
You're carrying so much—the weight of new life, the hopes and dreams for your baby, the physical demands of pregnancy and motherhood. Let us help you carry some of that burden. You deserve to move through this season with as much comfort, support, and strength as possible.
We're Here for You
Mamas, we want to hear from you:
- What stage of pregnancy or postpartum are you in, and what postural changes have you noticed?
- What's been your biggest challenge with posture during this season?
- Have you found any strategies, exercises, or tools that have helped you find relief?
- What advice would you give to another mama who's struggling with similar issues?
Share your story in the comments below. Your experience matters, and it might be exactly what another woman needs to hear today. We're in this together, and together, we can support each other through the incredible journey of motherhood.
Transforming Bodies Wholly and Naturally