Welcoming a new baby is wonderful, but for new parents, it can lead to a handful of aches and pains too. Osteopathy can help with fatigued muscles and joints that ache from holding an awkward position for too long. But there are also things you can do to prevent or limit the discomfort in the first place.
Feeding Discomfort
Whether breastfeeding or bottle feeding, parents can find themselves in any number of difficult positions. Especially when a feed turns into a precarious nap. For both methods, some general advice rings true:
- feed in a comfortable but supported position: use the arm of a chair to support your elbow and take strain off your shoulder
- switch sides each feed: it’s not a symmetrical job, so try to give one side a rest with every other feed
Breastfeeding can be more limited ergonomically. For this reason, it can be helpful to remember to bring the baby to you. Don’t hunch over to bring yourself closer to baby, instead build into the space with cushions so you can hold baby at a level that’s comfortable for you without tiring your arm or leading you to hunch over.
How New Parents Sleep (or don’t)
Broken nights can leave you in an uncomfortable position when your head finally does hit the pillow. Try to keep your pillows configured in a supported way. If you sleep on your back, the pillow should be thin to avoid pushing your head forward. If you’re on your side, stack them high enough to keep your head neutral
If you bedshare, your ergonomics can get tricky. You might try the “cuddle curl” position, especially if you’re breastfeeding. This aims to limit the chance of rolling towards baby in your sleep. The cuddle curl is a side lying position, with your lower arm up under your head and your knees bent. The arm position can cause shoulder or neck discomfort, potentially leading to headaches or general tension. Try to keep the neck, shoulder, and upper back mobile in the day to give the area capacity to manage the strain.
The Lullaby Trust has good resources for making your night time arrangements as safe as possible.
Carrying Young Children
Parents often favour one arm over the other for carrying their child.
Babywearing carriers and toddler carriers can be helpful if you know you’ll be carrying a lot. Check that the carrier you’re looking at suits the age of your child, there are a lot of supportive groups and forums out there for advice and troubleshooting. As with feeding, try to swap sides when possible, and make sure you’re staying stretched and strong to adapt for any asymmetries.
If you’re taking the car seat out as a carrier, try to hold it as close as you can. Most are designed so you can loop the carry handle over your elbow or forearm, with that hand holding a grip on the side of the carrier. This keeps the carrier more secure, less jolted by your walking, and allows you to stay more upright.
Osteopathy for New Parents
In conclusion, the advice above should make parenting more comfortable, but it’s a tough job to adapt to if there are other underlying areas of stiffness or tension. We can identify these problem areas and manage them to give you more adaptability for the things you can’t change.
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