Welcome to parenthood! It’s a time of incredible joy, profound love, and… surprisingly persistent aches and pains. While your attention is focused on your beautiful new baby, your body is often working overtime, leading to strain you never expected. From long nights feeding to pushing the pram through Alexandra Gardens, the physical demands are real.
Here in our Kew clinic, we see many new parents who feel that back pain is just something they have to endure. But it doesn’t have to be. Understanding why you’re sore is the first step towards feeling better, allowing you to fully enjoy this precious time with your family.
Why is Parenthood So Demanding on the Body?
Your new “job” involves a lot of repetitive and awkward physical tasks. The main culprits we see contributing to neck, shoulder, and back pain are:
Constant Lifting and Carrying: Your baby might seem light, but lifting them 20-50 times a day—not to mention their car seat, nappy bag, and pram—adds up. We often lift from awkward angles, like reaching into a cot or twisting to get a capsule out of the car.
Feeding Posture: Whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, it’s easy to find yourself hunched over, shoulders rounded, and neck craned forward for long periods. This classic “nursing posture” is a primary cause of upper back and neck pain.
Postpartum Changes: During pregnancy, your body went through huge changes. The hormone relaxin softened your ligaments to prepare for birth, and your core and pelvic floor muscles were stretched and weakened. This can leave your spine and pelvis less supported and more vulnerable to strain in the months following delivery.
The Kew Pram Push: Pushing a pram seems simple enough, but navigating the beautiful hills and kerbs around Kew can lead to you hunching your shoulders or locking your elbows, creating tension through your arms, shoulders, and upper back.
Simple Tips for a Stronger, Happier Back
You can make a huge difference with a few small adjustments to your daily movements.
1. Master the Lift
Instead of bending from your waist, which strains your lower back, learn to hip hinge.
Bend at your hips and knees, keeping your back relatively straight.
Hold your baby or the car seat close to your body to reduce the load on your spine.
Gently brace your core muscles before you lift.
Avoid twisting. Move your feet to turn your body instead of twisting your torso.
2. Rethink Your Feeding Setup
Create a comfortable feeding station.
Use pillows (a dedicated nursing pillow or regular ones) to bring your baby up to the height of your breast or the bottle. Your arms shouldn’t be taking all the strain.
Sit with your back supported and your feet flat on the floor or a small stool.
Check in with your shoulders. Are they up by your ears? Consciously let them drop and relax.
3. Gentle Exercises to Rebuild Your Foundation
Before starting any new exercise program postpartum, it is essential to get clearance from your doctor or lead maternity carer. These gentle movements are a great place to start once you’ve been cleared.
Pelvic Tilts: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Gently flatten your lower back into the floor by engaging your lower abdominal muscles, then slowly release. This is a subtle movement that helps to “wake up” your deep core. Repeat 10 times.
Glute Bridges: In the same starting position, gently squeeze your glutes (buttocks) and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold for a moment, then lower slowly. This strengthens the glutes, which are crucial for supporting your lower back. Repeat 10 times.
How Your Kew Osteopath Can Help
While these tips are a great start, sometimes you need extra support to address underlying imbalances and relieve pain. That’s where we come in.
As osteopaths, we take a holistic view of your body. An appointment for a new parent isn’t just about your sore back; it’s about understanding how all the new demands are affecting your entire musculoskeletal system.
We can help by:
Using gentle techniques to release tension in your overworked neck, shoulder, and back muscles.
Assessing and improving the mobility of your spine and pelvis to help your body recover from the effects of pregnancy and childbirth.
Providing personalised advice on posture, lifting techniques, and specific exercises tailored to your body and your baby’s needs.
Addressing other common issues like wrist pain from lifting or hip pain from carrying your baby on one side.
Parenthood is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking care of your own body is not a luxury—it’s essential for having the energy and strength to care for your little one.
Don’t let aches and pains stop you from enjoying these fleeting early years. If you’re struggling with the physical demands of being a new parent, book an appointment at our Kew clinic today. We are here to support you.
