Congratulations on your bundle of joy!   Now the work of parenthood begins.  For those of us who have young children, or are expecting, parenting puts unique stresses on your back.  These pointers will help you to prevent injury and ward off the aches and pains.

Pointers for New Parents when Lifting Baby (or Baby’s Gear!)

Parenthood requires a lot of lifting: lifting the baby, hauling diaper bags and car seats wherever you go, an exponential increase in laundry. Make sure you are lifting properly, keeping your spine in a neutral position.  Use your legs and knees to do the bulk of the lifting.  Bend at the knees and hips rather than stooping your back.  Use the same form when lowering the baby onto a surface like a changing table or crib.

You’ll have to move big loads, like laundry, or getting your baby supplies into the car. Try to break your items into manageable smaller loads rather than lifting everything at once.  Put the entire palm of your hand under a load to minimize strain on your wrists and hands.

As babies grow, they don’t just get heavier—they also become more active. A squirming baby is more challenging to hold onto.  Consider a baby carrier – it will distribute the baby’s weight more evenly and take strain off your arms and lower back.  Without a carrier, avoid cocking your hip to one side to balance the baby.  Keeping your hips parallel and your weight evenly distributed will provide better support for your spine.

Avoid bending and twisting whenever possible. If you need to turn, (for example, to get a bottle off the table) use your feet to turn your entire body towards the bottle.  Avoid twisting the upper half of your body until you can grab the bottle.  Twisting your body increases your risk of injury.

Take care of yourself so you’ll be ready to take care of your family

Next week we’ll share five more pointers.  But if your back is already aching from trying to keep up with your little one, don’t delay.  Call Sheppard Chiropractic Centre at (506) 635-8182 or (506) 847-7172.  Chiropractic care can alleviate many of the stresses and strains that parenthood puts on your body.  New parents should remember that by taking care of themselves, they’ll be better able to take care of their family, too.