Avoiding injuries while taking care of the baby

When children are born, infinity of physical tasks that may cause more than one muscle contraction come with them. In the case of women, it’s important to take into account the physical changes that have taken place during pregnancy altering musculature, which must return to normality during the weeks after pregnancy.

During the first days after labour, tiredness, pain due to cesarean or discomfort due to the vaginal labour, lack of sleep and the intensity of the emotions may affect back and shoulders.

In this article, the most common situations that may suppose a physical challenge for moms and dads when raising a child will be named, as well as how to adapt to them.

Breastfeeding or feeding him with baby’s bottle

Both the position of the woman and of the child must be taken into account, so that the child can suckle properly: his belly must be in touch with the belly of his mother and his head aligned with his body. Furthermore, the baby must be brought closer to the breasts and not the other way round. Parents must choose a comfortable position, regardless of the way of nourishing the baby.

Transporting the baby

The usage of foulards and bags to carry the baby is widely spread. Nevertheless, the foulards allow a more ergonomic posture for the baby and distribute his weight better when transporting him. The baby adopts a posture similar to the one he had in the uterus, with the back in the shape of a C, knees bent over the hips and separated between them.

Walking with the pushchair

It’s important to adapt the grips of the chair to the height of the person pushing it. The grips must be located over the hips, in order to avoid postures that lead to bending the back.

Tidying up and storing the toys

You need to take into account the fact that you are going to have to bend down and pick up the toys of your baby quite often. You need to take care of your back and try to put one leg ahead of the other, so that the leg ahead supports more weight and strength when standing up again.

Lifting the baby

You must slightly bend your knees, avoid bending down with straight knees, and draw the strength from your abdomen, in order to protect back and lower back. When you lift the baby from the cradle, you must try to loosen the knees and bring the baby as close to the body as possible before standing up again.

Bathing the baby

The baby bath tubs with changer will help you maintain a straight posture while bathing the baby during his first months of life. It’s important to have a small stool when bathing the baby, so that you can rest one of the legs and decrease the pressure in the lower back area.

When you bath them in the normal bathtub you must be on your knees next to the tub and on a towel or cushion. When lifting them, the best is to come as close as possible to them, bend your knees slightly, and put one if possible on the edge of the tub.