5 tips for preventing back pain when caring for children

As I was walking home from class yesterday a father and his toddler walked past me.  The dad was taking tiny baby steps in time with his son, was crouching in a squat position to be at his son's level and was leaning over to one side in order to hold his hand.  This reminded me of how Becky used to love to hold my finger as she walked - up until her hand was big enough to hold mine.  And how it hurt my back let alone nearly dislocated my finger!!!

The trouble with having bad posture when you're caring for children is that you're going to repeat that same position over and over again each day and this will take it's toll on your body.  And because of the interconnectedness of our body parts, that pain could show up anywhere, with the back often being the prime suspect.

Here's my 5 top positions to be aware of your posture:
  1. Bending over to change nappies and other jobs at waist height - stay in close, hinge from the hips and keep the upper back in alignment. You're trying not to just round your shoulders and hang from your ribs.  If the task is lower down, bend at the knees into a squat or lunge
  2. Getting out of bed - roll over onto your side and push yourself up. Try not to just sit straight up - this causes pressure through your stomach and could prevent diastasis from improving as well affecting your pelvic floor and back.  I demonstrate this on video here
  3. Pushing the pushchair/shopping trolley - stand upright, not too far away, with your arms slightly bent and think of powering through your legs, it's a great bum work out!  Don't rest your weight on the pushchair and don't think of it as pushing with your arms - your whole body is doing the job.  Applies even more so when going uphill!!
  4. Picking baby up from the floor - bend at the knees into a squat or lunge keeping your back in alignment, pull baby in close, exhale as stand up (using the knack).   The same with car seats - and it's better if you can carry them close with both hands when baby is small.  Picking up from the cot you need to stay in close and again bend at the knees and hips
  5. Carrying baby - try not to lean back to rest baby on your chest.  Drop your ribs down and keep them in alignment with your hips - you will feel your core tire quicker but that will just remind you to change positions.  Try and keep baby high and in the centre.  If you carry to one side keep them high and let their head rest on your shoulder - try not to push your hip out and try to vary sides rather than always favouring one
Bear in mind that any continuing pregnancy conditions need to be assessed - pelvic girdle pain, piriformis/sciatica, diastasis, pelvic floor dysfunction.  These can all contribute to back pain as well.

 

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