5 Ways To Avoid Backache While With Your Newborn

Ontario Chiropractic Association

You were up all night. The baby is crying. The telephone is ringing and the kettle is boiling. For most parents, this is a daily scenario. Parents are also continually faced with strenuous physical demands such as lifting, feeding, comforting and chasing after children.

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Consider the fact that parents may be lifting a 7-10 pound baby 50 times a day. By 12 months, your baby weighs approximately 17 pounds, and at 2 years, that child has become a 25-30 pound toddler. The repetitive lifting of your child may put you at risk for back problems.

What’s a parent to do? Well, here are some simple tips that can help parents avoid some common aches and pains.

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Lifting

• Stand with your feet at least a shoulder width apart.
• Keep your back in neutral position and bend your knees.
• Bring your baby as close to your chest as possible, and then lift using both arms.

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Carrying

• When carrying your little one, pivot with your feet instead of twisting your back.
• This will ensure that you’re turning with your hips, which will reduce your risk of back pain.
• Lower your child into the crib or onto the floor by bending at the knees, with a neutral back.

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Holding

• Hold your child in an upright position, directly against your chest.
• Carrying a child on one hip creates postural imbalances that can lead to low back pain over time.

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Feeding

• Always sit in a chair with back support and avoid leaning forward to reach your newborn’s mouth.
• Instead, use pillows or blankets to support and position your baby closer to you.

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Exercise

• Exercise can help increase muscle support for your aching back.
• While your baby is enjoying tummy time, join them on the floor and do some exercises to help strengthen your core.

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There is no time for back pain in parenthood. Talk to your chiropractor about specific exercises to stretch and strengthen your muscles so that you can stay on your toes and a step ahead of your toddler.

4 Exercises To Relieve Your New-Mom Backache

Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA)

Now that you’re a new mom, you may have more important things to worry about than your newfound back pain but ignoring it will not make your mommy duties any easier. The already demanding tasks of bending, carrying and feeding are even more challenging when your backache is holding you back.

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While carrying your bundle of joy for nine months, your abdominal muscles have stretched to make room for delivery. This is a common cause of back pain in new moms because your back muscles now have to work overtime to support your spine and keep you upright.

 

Here are 4 core exercises you can do with your little one to help decrease the ache.

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Pelvic Bridges

• Lie on your back, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground.
• Place your baby on your pelvis with their back against your thighs.
• While holding your baby in place, slowly push your hips up towards the ceiling.
• Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Keep your abdominals tight to avoid sagging your lower back. Inhale as you slowly lower your body back to the starting position.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times.

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Plank

• Lay your baby on the ground, face up, while kneeling in front of them.
• Place your forearms on either side of your baby and lift your body off the ground.
• Keep your back in neutral spine position and engage your core by contracting your abdominal muscles. Avoid letting your hips fall or stick up in the air.
• Hold for 10 seconds, working your way up to 30 seconds.
• Repeat 3 to 5 times.

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Stabilizer

• Laying on your back, bend your knees at a 90 degree angle with your feet in the air.
• Stabilize your baby so they are resting on your shins and hold onto their hands.
• Engage your core and hold this position for 10 seconds, working your way up to 30 seconds.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times.

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Arm & Leg Extensions

• Get down on all fours with your baby lying on their back and parallel to your chest.
• Engage your core and slowly lift and extend your left arm and right leg at the same time while maintaining a neutral spine position.
• Hold this position for 3 seconds, then lower your limbs and give your baby’s belly a tickle as you return to starting position.
• Repeat on the opposite side, lifting right arm and left leg.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times.

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Before getting back to business, consult your postnatal practitioner and get cleared to return to exercise. You’ll also want to make sure that your newborn can hold their head up on their own if you’re going to include them in these exercises. If your back pain prevents you from performing these exercises or persists after trying them, visit your chiropractor to develop a treatment plan for your recovery.

 

Tips For New Mothers: Pre- And Postnatal Care

Canadian Chiropractic Association

Expecting a baby is very exciting, but it takes a lot of effort and attention to ensure both the mother and baby are healthy.  In this blog post we will outline some helpful tips for pre- and postnatal care. The information shared may help enhance or maintain your health during your pregnancy and delivery, and after the birth of the baby.

During the Prenatal Period¹

Prenatal care is extremely important to ensure good health for you and your baby and decrease potential health risks during pregnancy. Being judicious about monitoring your health can help identify problems early, and allow opportunities for prevention. According to the Patient Education Institute, babies who are born to mothers who lack prenatal care have three times the chance of being born at a low birth weight, along with several other complications¹.

 

Many of the following well-known preventative strategies are good to keep in mind to ensure mother and baby are healthy:

• Stop smoking and limit your intake of alcohol
• Talk to your doctor about any pre-existing medical conditions, dietary supplements (including folic acid), and any over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs you may be taking
• Keep moving (consistent light exercise is important) and focus on healthy food choices

 

During the Postpartum Period²

Postpartum care starts after the baby is born and lasts about 6–8 weeks. During this time, the mother will focus on getting adequate rest, proper nutrition and other self-care measures as instructed by your family physician. Here are some helpful postpartum care tips:

 

Diet and Activities: After giving birth, it is recommended that a new mother continue to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids and slowly get back to normal activities and routines. For the first 2–6 weeks after a C-section, for example, she should refrain from physical exertion such as lifting, pushing and pulling of heavy objects. Ask your family physician or other healthcare providers if in doubt.

 

Postpartum Checkup: Normally, a healthcare provider will want to see the mother 6 weeks after delivery for a checkup. If there are complications, a visit may be scheduled sooner.

 

These are just a few things to consider, however, consulting with a healthcare provider such as a chiropractor is the best way to get proper information and care tips for your pre- and postnatal healthcare.

 

References:

1 Robin Madell, “Pregnancy Care.” Healthline. December 15, 2015. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy-care#Overview1

2 X-Plain: Patient Education, “Postpartum Care.” The Patient Education Institute, Inc. Last reviewed August 23, 2012. https://www.kaahe.org/en/ArabicSampleModules/modules/obgyn/ogff01a1/ogff0101/ogff0101.pdf.

Your Whole World Is On Your Shoulders

Ontario Chiropractic Association

A study in the Journal of Orthopaedics reported that 50-90% of pregnant women will likely experience lower back pain. This pain may persist after giving birth if you don’t take action.

 

 

 

Keep your back healthy at home
Here are some ways to reduce the risk of back and neck pain:

• Lighten your load
  Choose a diaper bag that distributes weight evenly across your body to limit the stress of isolated muscles.
• Stretch your body
  While your baby is old enough for tummy time, join them on the floor and do some exercises to stretch your neck and back.
• Feed comfortably
  When nursing, avoid hunching and keep your baby close to you. Also choose a comfortable, upright chair with a pillow.
• Keep your baby close
  Don’t stretch your arms out – bring your baby close to your chest before lifting. Consider wearing your baby on your front so you can alleviate the strain on your back.
• Keep tub trouble at bay
  Avoid reaching or twisting when bending over a tub. When kneeling, use a non-slip mat to protect your knees.

Exercises/stretches to help alleviate your back pain at home:

• Shoulder opener
  Breathing deeply and calmly, relax your stomach muscles
  Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll from side to side
  Bring your hands up to your neck and gently massage the back of your head and neck
  Drop your arms to your sides, relax your shoulders & slowly roll them backward and forward for 15 seconds
• Crossover
  Standing with feet shoulder width apart, raise your hands
  Bring your right elbow across your body while lifting your left knee
  Touch elbow to knee, remaining upright and repeat alternating sides for 15 seconds

For more information on Chiropractic Care, visit http://nhwc.ca/nhwc_chiropractic.html

Your Whole World Is On Your Shoulders

Ontario Chiropractic Association

Now that your little one is born, you’re learning what putting baby first means to your body.

While that’s normal, taking care of your health is equally important.

 

Let’s face it – lifting an infant several times a day is hard work, and can create damage to your back if you’re not careful. With a baby in one arm and a diaper bag on the other, keeping the stress off your lower back is another balancing act to master. Luckily, a chiropractor can help you.

 

Did you know?

A study in the Journal of Orthopaedics reported that 50-90% of pregnant women will likely experience lower back pain. This pain may persist after giving birth if you don’t take action.

 

Keep your back healthy at home

Here are some ways to reduce the risk of back and neck pain:

• Lighten your load - Choose a diaper bag that distributes weight evenly across your body to limit the stress of isolated muscles.
• Stretch your body - While your baby is old enough for tummy time, join them on the floor and do some exercises to stretch your neck and back.
• Feed comfortably - When nursing, avoid hunching and keep your baby close to you. Also choose a comfortable, upright chair with a pillow.
• Keep your baby close - Don’t stretch your arms out – bring your baby close to your chest before lifting. Consider wearing your baby on your front so you can alleviate the strain on your back.
• Keep tub trouble at bay - Avoid reaching or twisting when bending over a tub. When kneeling, use a non-slip mat to protect your knees.
 

Exercises/stretches to help alleviate your back pain at home:

• Shoulder openerBreathing deeply and calmly, relax your stomach muscles
  Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll from side to side
  Bring your hands up to your neck and gently massage the back of your head and neck
  Drop your arms to your sides, relax your shoulders & slowly roll them backward and forward for 15 seconds
• CrossoverStanding with feet shoulder width apart, raise your hands
  Bring your right elbow across your body while lifting your left knee
  Touch elbow to knee, remaining upright and repeat alternating sides for 15 seconds

New Parent? New Achy Neck or Back?

By Dr. Greg Lusk, DC

 

Having recently welcomed a daughter to the family, I've been reminded of the many feelings that come along with the new addition -  excitement, anticipation, and sleep deprivation to name a few.  However, as I march, skip, and squat around the living room with my daughter in my arms I'm keenly aware of an ache in my back.  It is incredibly common to feel back soreness when interacting with our children and not entirely preventable.  When you consider that you go from dealing with your own postural imperfections to then holding the growing weight of a child it is no surprise that soreness is felt.  Factor in the repetitive nature of carrying and feeding, the awkwardness of transporting a car seat, and bending over to pick up the child, and the risk for discomfort increases.  That being said, there are things you can do to "compete" so you feel your best.

 

Carry on BOTH sides

 

We all favour a side to carry a child on since we are hand dominant.  For example, a right-handed mother often carries on the left to leave her right, more coordinated hand free for use.  This is a must at times but whenever finer tasks are not being done carrying on the other side is a great idea.  This keeps the forces on the spine and muscles more balanced which is important in preventing back pain.

 

Keep Things Neutral

 

With respect to the neck, avoid “craning” the neck for a prolonged period of time to look at your child, especially while feeding.  Supporting your arms with a pillow will help with this.

Picking up children, reaching into cribs, and prolonged holding of children takes a toll on your low back.  Hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and keep your back straight.  Also, when standing and holding your child for a length of time, avoid over-extending your low back in an attempt to better balance the load of the child, as this can compress and eventually irritate the joints of your back.  Combining “neutral” spine positioning with bracing (described below) will make you injury resistant.

 

Brace

 

Bracing is the act of maintaining a mild abdominal contraction in order to support your low back.  With your spine straight (i.e. neutral) contract your abdominal muscles slightly, making your stomach firm.  You should be able to breathe evenly while bracing so if you can’t talk or breathe you are doing it too intensely.  Performing a “brace” with a straight back while holding or prior to picking up your child will go a long way.

 

Don’t Combine Movements

 

Lifting and twisting at the same time is a common cause of low back injury.  Now picture yourself putting your child in a car seat.  Try to separate the lift and twist by stepping up into the vehicle….and don’t forget to brace!  Move your feet to turn your body instead of asking your back to rotate.

 

Take Breaks

 

While your child is napping or playing independently, make it a priority to do 5 to 10 minutes of stretching/exercises to offset some of the muscle tension that has set in.  Stretching your chest and neck, as well as strengthening your core muscles, can help you avoid aches and pains and give you an energy boost.

 

This article is for general information purposes only and is not to be taken as professional medical advice.  If you experience neck or back pain that lasts more than two to three days, contact a licensed health professional for an evaluation.  For more information visit www.nhwc.ca