So many new mum’s present to my clinic complaining of neck and lower back pain in the early stages of bringing bub home. With all the duties needed to be done with your new bub, the last thing you need is pain that is interfering with life. Here are some great tips to help reduce your risk of developing neck pain and lower back pain while being a busy mum.
- Breastfeeding posture – Firstly, getting a comfortable feeding chair is really important. You can also add a small pillow behind you to help support your lower back. While it is so tempting to spend every feed looking down at your bub, this places an enormous amount of pressure on your neck and upper back. Especially in the early stages of bub coming home, mum’s can spend up to 8hrs feeding per day. I strongly encourage my mum’s to feed during the day in front of the TV or in a place where they have something nice to look at so they spend the majority of their feeds looking forward and not looking down at bub. Having a friend to chat to is also a great way to avoid looking down for a whole feed.
- Pushing a pram – Many mum’s will spend large amounts of time pushing prams. Be mindful of maintaining a nice upright posture while pushing your pram. Leaning forward places undue stress through your neck and shoulders and can lead to increased tension in your upper body.
- Lifting bub in and out of the cot – As with any repetitive activities it is important to maintain a good posture. Making sure to lower the side of the cot before getting bub out and placing bub back into the cot allows for a better posture and less stress through your body.
- Changing bubs nappy – Always make sure bub is placed on a surface that does not encourage you to lean down while changing their nappy. This is an activity that you will do many, many times a day so make sure to protect your back.
- Not stretching enough – taking five minutes a day to do some gentle stretches for your neck and upper back will help save you time in the future. Once the body develops stiffness and dysfunction, reversing these changes can take time. Prevention is better than cure. We also have a great video on our Facebook pages for some inspiration on stretching your neck.
If you are experiencing neck pain, or lower back pain and need help call our clinic 55047000. At Chevron Island Physio we are lucky enough to have two physio’s with a special interest in Women’s Health. Alison and Gill are here to help.
