Postpartum places a tremendous amount of demand on your body. Between carrying a car seat, lifting a stroller in and out of the car, holding your baby for hours, and bending over countless times throughout the day, it’s no surprise that back pain is one of the most common complaints among new moms.
The good news is a strong back isn’t built by avoiding these activities, it’s built by preparing your body for them. The following exercises mimic the movements you perform every day as a parent, helping improve strength, posture, and body mechanics so you can move with greater confidence while reducing unnecessary strain on your back.
1. Hip Hinge & Deadlift
One of the most important movements every parent should learn is the hip hinge. Rather than rounding through your lower back to pick something up, a proper hip hinge teaches you to bend through your hips while keeping your spine in a strong, neutral position.
This movement directly translates to picking your baby up from the floor, lifting a laundry basket, or safely grabbing the car seat. Strengthening your glutes and hamstrings allows these larger muscles to do the work instead of placing excessive stress on your lower back.
Once you’ve mastered the hip hinge, adding weight transforms it into a deadlift. The movement itself doesn’t change, you simply increase the resistance. As your baby grows and daily tasks become more physically demanding, deadlifts help build the strength needed to lift safely while continuing to protect your back.
2. Suitcase to Overhead Press
Whether you’re lifting a car seat into the car, placing a diaper bag on a high shelf, or loading items into your trunk, you’re constantly moving objects from waist level to overhead.
The suitcase to overhead press strengthens your shoulders, upper back, and core while improving stability throughout your entire body. This exercise also reinforces proper posture during lifting, helping reduce unnecessary strain on both your shoulders and lower back.
3. Cable or Band Chops
Motherhood involves far more twisting than most people realize.Reaching into the back seat to buckle your baby, grabbing something from the diaper bag, lifting the stroller from an awkward angle, or turning while carrying your little one all require rotational strength and control.
Chops strengthen your core while teaching your body to rotate efficiently through your trunk and hips rather than relying solely on your lower back. Better rotational control can help make these everyday movements feel easier and more comfortable.
4. Face Pulls
Hours spent feeding your baby, rocking them to sleep, pushing a stroller, or simply looking down throughout the day can contribute to rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and upper back tightness.
Face pulls strengthen the muscles between your shoulder blades, including the rhomboids and middle trapezius, while also improving shoulder stability. Building strength in these postural muscles helps support better alignment and may reduce tension in the neck and upper back during daily activities.
5. Single Arm Farmer Carry
This may be one of the most functional exercises for new parents.
Think about how often you carry your baby on one hip while juggling a diaper bag, groceries, or your phone in the other hand. Carrying an uneven load naturally challenges your balance and core.
A single arm farmer’s carry teaches your body to stay upright and stable instead of leaning toward the weight. It strengthens your core, improves posture, and helps build the endurance needed for the repetitive tasks of carrying your child.
Breathing, Resting, and Switching Sides
Building strength is only one piece of the puzzle. How you move throughout the day is just as important as the exercises you do.
Coordinate your breathing: Instead of holding your breath while lifting your baby, car seat, or stroller, inhale to prepare for the movement and gently exhale as you lift. This helps your diaphragm, deep core muscles, and pelvic floor work together to better support your spine.
Take breaks when you can: Caring for a baby often means spending long periods carrying, rocking, feeding, or holding the same position. Even taking a minute or two to change positions, stretch, or simply stand up and move can help reduce stiffness and give your muscles a chance to recover.
Switch sides often: If you always carry your baby on the same hip or shoulder, one side of your body ends up doing much more work than the other. Alternating sides throughout the day can help reduce muscle imbalances and unnecessary strain on your back, hips, and shoulders.
Motherhood asks a lot of your body every single day. Rather than waiting for back pain to develop, incorporating functional strengthening exercises into your routine can help prepare your body for the real-life demands of caring for your baby. The goal is allowing the exercises to make everyday activities like lifting your baby, carrying the car seat, and loading the stroller feel easier, safer, and more comfortable. If you’re experiencing persistent back pain, pelvic pain, or other postpartum concerns, a pelvic floor physical therapist can help develop an individualized plan to address your specific needs.
Looking to optimize your well being with pelvic floor physical therapy? Reach out to us at Pelvic Health Center in Madison, NJ to set up an evaluation and treatment! Feel free to call us at 908-443-9880 or email us at [email protected]. We are in-network with several insurance plans and can help you confirm your benefits before your evaluation.