Changes during pregnancy

Every month the female body is altered by hormonal dance. Pregnancy brings huge changes in the physical, emotional and mental body. That will affect all the systems of the woman’s body. Many of these systems alter their size, their structure, and even their function to meet the needs of the baby. Because the body works as a unit, even though is divided by systems, change in one system leads to changes in another.

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Increased Lordosis

The expanding uterus causes a progressive lumbar lordosis. Lumbar lordosis leads to low back pain in 40-50% of all pregnant women. The growing abdomen and enlarged breasts cause the woman’s center of gravity to shift forward. This shift increases the stress on the joints causing the lower back, head, and shoulders to curve forward, the knees to be hyper-extended, the calf muscles to tighten and the feet to pronate. These changes can cause 80% of women to have low back or pelvic pain. Though this change is unavoidable, it can be helped by moderately reducing the increased pressure.

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Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor muscles are like a hammock. The pelvic floor holds the organs up high, headed towards navel. When the hammock is damaged or weakened, and lost support and strength to hold the organs, the organs may start to collapse into or fall through the vaginal canal. 50% of women that give birth have this problem.

The pelvic floor muscles are connected to and work very closely with the lower abdominals, the lower spine and the diaphragm which helps make for a more stable core (connection - groups of muscles working together to give more strength). During pregnancy there is increased pressure on the pelvic floor. The pelvis carries the baby like a basket of layered muscles. Working all those muscles is more effective if started before pregnancy.

Strenghthening the pelvic floor is important to minimize the forces from above during pregnancy, but the ability to release these muscles is just as imprortant, specifically during childbirth. A tense or weak pelvic floor can slow down the birth of the baby. Inside the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® the strength and flexibility of this muscle is addressed with the concept of Narrowing of the Pelvis (explained later below).

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Diaphragm/Breathing

The diaphragm is progressively elevated and compressed during pregnancy because of the expansion of the growing baby and elevation of the rib cage. This makes it more difficult to breathe fully.

Between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor are the abdominal cavity and organs. Even though they are far from each other the two of them are bound together structurally and functionally by both fascial and muscular connections, so they need to be working together.

The growing baby pushes the organs into the diaphragm thereby diminishing its contraction capacity. In addition, the circulation of the baby is performed by the woman. This means that the pregnant woman will increase her respiratory rate in order to breathe for two. Breathing will become shorter and faster as the pregnancy progresses, which causes dyspnea and tiredness.

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The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®:

• increases thoracic mobility and the expansion of the ribcage, which creates  more space to breathe

• brings awereness to breathing and learning how to breathe calmly and deeply which is fundamental to being able to expand respiratory capacity, decrease fatigue, manage stress and relax

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Abdominal Muscles

The abdominal muscles form a „wall” whose main function is to contain the abdominal organs, support the lumbar spine and pelvis. As a pregnant woman’s body relaxes to allow for the enlargment of the uterus, it leads not only to changes in posture and increases the S curve of the spine, but it can also cause the diastasis of the abdominal muscles.

It is safe and important to excersise your abdominals throughout your entire pregnancy with the proper modifications. Weak abdominal muscles will force the back muscles to hold the spine instead of the abdominals, which can lead to poor posture, muscle strain and backache. 

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Strengthening the abdominal muscles with GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®:

• supports the pelvic organs

• alleviates pressure on the lower back

• supports a correct neutral pelvis

• helps to maintain proper posture

• helps push the baby out

• helps with a faster recovery after giving birth

GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® also helps to supple the muscles which helps them to length more easily during pregnancy and shorten more quickly afterwards.

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The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® provides a mild to moderate exercise system. The preparation for labor is more to gain confidence, coordination and release than any physical exertion. Unless there are medical or pregnancy related problems, excersise is safe. Regular, moderate excersise during pregnancy is highly recomended. Good tone and knowing how to relax the muscles will most likely help the pregnancy and labor proceed smoothly.