5 tips to avoid low back pain for first time parents

1. Exercise daily:

Ensure to get outside daily with your babe for a short walk and some fresh air. Commit to aiming for a least a 15-20 minute structured movement each day. This might include: Pilates, strength exercises and stretches. Seize the opportunities are they arise, especially when Bub is snoozing. Your daily 20minutes might be snatched up in 5minute Burts throughout the day - that’s ok! Any movement is better than none. Daily exercise has so many benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing and will help safe guard you against back pain which you simply don’t have time for at present. Online Pilates classes are a great option when you need to hit PLAY at any given moment!

2. Carrying:

Avoid long periods of holding little one on the one hip, alternate regularly. I know one side feels much more natural but practice makes perfect! Think about your posture as much as possible - avoid popping a hip to the side or swaying excessively into your lower back. Throw on a carrier around the house if your little one needs contact time and ensure you do it up nice and tight

3. Lifting:

Make sure you make us of your glutei (backside) and global leg power as much as possible when lifting your babe. Think about perfect squat or lunge technique - you might feel a little over the top to begin but soon this good lifting form will become habit and feel more natural than an aggravating ‘slumpy’ lift. The cot can be tricky, especially if you’re super tall or super short - tall folk bend those knees to lift and lower, shorter folk think about a stool closely and again bend the knees!

4. Travelling

With the pram:

Ensure good posture and avoid slumping over the handle bar. If you are a different height to your partner make sure you adjust handle height between uses. Keep your wrists in neutral and avoid gripping too tightly through your wrists on the handle bars (most prams have a safety strap that helps reduce that nervous/at times subconscious grip, if not add one on!)

With the carrier:

Use an ergonomically sound carrier with good padding on the hips and shoulders. As handy as they are, do ensure to have lots of breaks from the carrier during the day so your body gets a break and your little one can spend some time kicking those little legs and working on their oh so important tummy time!

5. Feeding

For breastfeeding Mums - ensure your feeding chair is supportive and watch your posture! Bring baby to the breast, and use pillows for support as needed, perhaps add a few shoulder blade squeezes to begin to help set you up nicely. If you’ve gone to the effort and spent the $$ on setting up a nice feeding space, make sure you actually use it..don’t succumb to the couch. A footstool is a great addition to your set up and a pillow behind your back can work wonders. These tips helpful whether on the boob or bottle.

There is plenty more to say on all of the above and more! Needing further individualised advice? Book in with our team and we’ll help get you back on track.