Feel strong and pain free when baby wearing.

As access to more info about postpartum health and parenting styles on social media grows, one trend may be new to you… baby wearing!

What is baby wearing?

Baby wearing is the practice of carrying a baby or toddler in a soft carrier, wrap, basket, or sling. The baby can be in the front or back of your body. This style of baby and mom bonding has been used across many cultures for centuries especially in the indigenous communities within North America. Baby wearing even goes ALL the way back to the earliest humans who were mostly nomadic hunter and gatherer tribes. So today, I am going to talk about the types of carriers, the benefits of baby wearing, how to keep you and your baby safe while wearing them, and how to feel strong and remain pain free while baby wearing.

Finding the right fit

The key to having a more enjoyable baby wearing experience for you and kiddo is making sure to find the right fit for you. Talk to your local birth center, perinatal support team, or postpartum doula who may have a collection of carrier styles so you can try options that are best for you and your babe. Common carriers include:

• Stretchy Wraps: Soft and adjustable for babies up to 25 pounds.

• Woven Wraps: Sturdy and adjustable for all ages.

• Ring Slings: Quick and easy for on-the-go wear.

• Soft-Structured Carriers: Offer ergonomic support for older babies and toddlers.

• Meh Dai/Hybrid Carriers: A mix between wraps and structured carriers for added versatility.

Benefits of baby wearing

When it comes to the benefits of baby wearing, most people think of how productive they can be while having the hands-free convenience keeping baby on you can bring. Other benefits include:

• Promoting Bonding: Enhances the connection between baby and caregiver through skin-to-skin contact. And this is true for ANY caregiver.

• Supports Infant Development: Helps regulate baby’s temperature, heart rate, breathing, and nervous system. It can even help with baby’s head control, sleep, and eye gaze stability.

• Eases Colic and Reflux: Keeps baby upright, reducing digestive discomfort.

• Encourages Breastfeeding: Baby being close to mom can increase milk production and promote feeding cues.

• Regulates Maternal Mental Health: Helps manage postpartum anxiety and depression by increasing oxytocin.

• Promotes Postpartum Healing: Reduces strain on arms and back compared to carrying a baby in arms. Having a baby in the carrier can also support core and pelvic floor healing by encouraging better posture.

Baby wearing safety concerns

Before we talk about feeling strong and pain free while baby wearing, let’s first talk about safety. With anything concerning a baby being placed inside a container, whether it’s a car seat or a stretchy wrap, there are a few safety concerns to baby wearing. The most important safety tip is to avoid overheating by ensuring proper air flow between you and baby. You also never want to place fabric covering your baby’s head and face even if it is cold or really sunny to allow your baby to breathe freely.

Follow the TICKS rule:

• Tight (baby is snug to your body)

• In view at all times

• Close enough to kiss

• Keep baby’s chin off their chest

• Supported back and head

Along with the safety concerns, you want to ensure that the baby’s hips are supported in an M-shaped position (knees above hips) with a rounded back to support healthy hip and spinal development.

You can find a video on how to use a stretchy wrap and place baby in properly HERE.

Strengthening exercises

Ok, so onto the fun part. You found the best carrier for you and baby and you are feeling confident with putting baby inside the carrier. Now I want you to feel strong and be pain free while wearing your baby!

When wearing and carrying a baby, more emphasis is placed on certain muscle groups, especially your entire posterior chain (aka the back of the body), pelvic floor, and core. If we have limited awareness of our posture or have weakness or tension in these muscle groups, then you can have an increased chance of feeling pain or experience pelvic floor symptoms such as heaviness or leakage. And if we are experiencing negatively associated symptoms with baby wearing, then chances are we aren’t going to continue baby wearing despite the benefits.

Below are a few exercises that you can do during pregnancy or after pregnancy to help you get stronger to support your body and baby while carrying them!

💪 Bridges: builds a strong booty

💪 Deadlifts: builds a strong lower back and hammies

💪 Squats: builds a POWERHOUSE body

💪 Rows: builds a strong upper back

💪 Pallof Press: builds a strong core

💪 Bird Dog: builds a stable core and improves balance

You can find videos of these exercises HERE.

Try these exercises 2-3 times per week for 3x 8-12 reps each. Make sure that the load is heavy enough to feel your muscles working but not too heavy that you lose form or have pelvic floor symptoms. 

Happy baby wearing!!!

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Chrissy Clark

Find a Pelvic PT Near You

Schedule an Appointment in-person or online!

Follow on Instagram

For every four online courses sold, one is donated to someone in need through our People Before Profits program. LEARN MORE