Body-Breaking Parent Moves & How To Fix Them Part 1: CARRYING BABY IN CAR SEAT

Yes, it is convenient...

Baby in the car seat, carried out of the car, plunked into the grocery cart, placed on the bench in a change room, back in the car. Poor static baby! This is exactly like sitting at a desk all day! Your poor baby is too young for a desk job! Not to mention all the strain you are putting on your body.

Here are some tips!

Don’t:

Carry your child in the car seat all of the time
Carry car seat on one side of your body
Carry car seat with elbow bent like a purse
Bend pelvis asymmetrically to distribute car seat weight

Think about it, would you walk around all day carrying a 20lb bag of flour with one arm on one side of your body? Don’t think so! These rules apply for carrying a diaper bag as well!

Do:

Wear your baby as much as possible! If not possible, use a stroller
Encourage crawling or walking whenever appropriate
Have your spine and body regularly checked and maintained with chiropractic care (you & your baby!)

Wearing your baby has many benefits. Face-to-face interaction with mom increases mom’s oxytocin production and secretion which strengthens the mom-baby bond. Additionally, increased oxytocin

allows for adequate production of prolactin which leads to great milk production, milk let down, and better breast feeding. Having your baby up at your level allows them to see what you see and watch you interact with people. This enhances neurodevelopment, allowing the baby to make an abundance of neural connections. This is the pre-pre-school stage. You are creating a genius!