Protecting Your Body While Supporting Your Baby’s Weight
Becoming a new parent has been wonderful in so many ways, but for my ongoing back issues it has been a challenge to make sure I maintain proper body mechanics to avoid a flare-up. I was lucky to be able to continue working out up until my son’s birth, and I was able to start exercising fairly vigorously only 6 weeks later. While being strong is definitely a necessity for protecting my body from repetitive strain, maintaining proper postural alignment and body mechanics with daily tasks is equally important for pain prevention.
Often in the physical therapy setting we see people who have impressive physiques from their workouts, but still have chronic pain due to poor posture and poor body awareness with their work and home life. When you have an infant who would prefer to be held (versus being in a swing or on a mat), or when you are trying to do things around the house and/or running errands it is necessary to have an infant carrier that supports the baby’s weight in a way that does not compromise your posture or interfere with body mechanics. I realize there are hundreds of choices for carriers out there and many are marketed for different reasons, so I will give my perspective from a physical therapist’s point of view. Depending on the individual who is caring for the baby and their physical build, different carriers may feel different from person to person. I tried three different carriers out before I found one that made me feel that I was able to keep my body in good alignment and fit me the best.
Ergobaby Carrier $99.00
This carrier worked well when my son was content facing inward due to lack of head control, so from birth to about 2 months. The lumbar support and the shoulder straps are very thick and well reinforced so the baby’s weight was well distributed, and I could pull the straps tight enough to keep his body close to mine so it would not throw my balance off when squatting down or walking outdoors. Unfortunately after 2 months when he wanted to face outwards there was really no place for his feet to go other than balancing on the belt and often that did not work well. There are more expensive versions of Ergo Baby carriers, so it is possible that in other versions the baby can face out when they are younger, but I did not find any when I looked at the pictures online. I did not use the Ergo carrier past the 2 ½ month mark due to my son’s desire to face outwards, so I can only review how it felt with a baby weighing 10-11 lbs.
Infantino Baby Carrier $26.99
This carrier allows the baby to be carried facing inwards, outwards, on the hip or on the back depending on the age of the child. I will say you get what you pay for in that the cheap price tag meant cheaper materials. The belt and pouch were very soft, and no matter how much I tried to tighten the straps on the shoulders and waist my son’s weight would just hang on my shoulders. That then caused me to either lean backwards to support his weight hurting my low back, or to shrug my shoulders causing neck and shoulder tension. If you are not sure if your child is going to like a carrier, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money, then maybe start with the Infantino. However, it is probably not ideal for prolonged use
MiaMily Hipster Baby Carrier $129.99
This carrier also allows the baby to face inward, outward, on the hip or on the back as they get older. Like the Ergo carrier it is well constructed with a very thick lumbar belt and shoulder straps to help disperse the baby’s weight: there is also the addition of a seat for the baby to rest on with a very thick walled pouch which also takes some of the weight off the shoulders and lower back. Because the baby’s weight is well supported it makes it easy to maintain proper postural alignment with walking. The seat causes the center of gravity to be a little further in front of the body, so I had to work on retraining my balance with squatting movements for household and outdoor tasks. I would say it would be a worthwhile investment to get this carrier as it has helped support my son’s weight well as he has gotten heavier.
The Importance of Muscle Strength
Although I do feel having a carrier that supports proper posture is important, I cannot emphasize how important it is to have strong muscles and good body mechanic awareness to help protect one’s body as the child grows heavier and more active. This education can be obtained with a thorough evaluation by a physical therapist. I would encourage any caregiver of young ones who find themselves reaggravating chronic injuries to look into such an evaluation so they can invest in keeping their bodies healthy for life’s endeavors.
