As wonderful as baby wearing is, it can also cause stress on your back and lead to back pain.
I started using a front baby carrier with my oldest son when he was a newborn just so I could get through the day. He had colic and the only way to keep him from crying was to wear him in the carrier and take him for walks around the neighborhood. I had never even heard of attachment parenting at that point, but I soon discovered that what I had started practicing just to keep my sanity was an actual parenting method.
With the birth of my second son, I graduated to a sling, specifically a Maya Wrap. He loved to be snuggled up in it. I wore him around the house so that I could get some light housework done and take care of his older brother. It seemed like the perfect multi-tasking solution. Unfortunately, when the baby was almost a year old, I threw my back out. In part, I think, because when I wore him in the sling, he was usually resting on my left hip, thus throwing off my center of gravity. The repeated stress of this caused my back to protest.
Now, as much as I like baby wearing, I’m a little more cautious. In order to keep a healthy back, any baby wearing mom should follow some back safety rules.
- Try to wear the baby in the center of your body as much as possible.
- Take frequent breaks.
- Do exercises that strengthen your core muscles.
- Opt to put the baby in a bouncy seat or bassinet if you are going to be doing chores.
- Don’t lift heavy objects, like full laundry baskets, while wearing your baby.
A few simple rules could save weeks or months of back pain. Enjoy wearing your baby, but be aware of your own physical limits.
