Babywearing After Birth: What You Need to Know About Your Pelvic Floor
by Erica Whaley, OTD
Babywearing can be a wonderful way to keep your baby close while keeping your hands free, but after birth, it’s important to consider how carrying your baby may affect your healing body and pelvic floor. Whether you’re newly postpartum or further along in your recovery, understanding how your body responds to babywearing can help you feel more comfortable and confident. In this post, we’ll talk about when your body may be ready for babywearing, how to choose a carrier that works for you, and simple ways to support your pelvic floor while wearing your baby.
What is the pelvic floor and how can babywearing affect it?
The pelvic floor refers to a group of muscles in and around your pelvis that perform important functions in maintaining continence, supporting your pelvic organs, stabilizing the trunk and hips, and managing pressure throughout your abdominal cavity. When doing things that increase pressure in the abdomen, like lifting, carrying heavy items, or babywearing, the deeper pelvic floor muscles work together with the breathing diaphragm and deep core muscles to maintain upright posture and support against pressure in the abdomen that is increased with these activities.
If we focus on pressure management in the abdomen, it’s important to understand what that means for your body and your pelvic floor muscles. When you are wearing your baby, oftentimes there is a compressive force (through straps wrapping around you, the weight of your baby against your chest, or both) that hold your rib cage and/or abdomen down and make it harder for them to expand. When this happens, there is an increase of pressure within the abdominal cavity system - and if the pelvic floor isn’t healed or strong enough to support against that pressure, it can make the pelvic floor work harder and lead to symptoms.
Symptoms to be aware of during babywearing that might mean we need more support:
A feeling of heaviness, pressure, or like your organs are slipping down
An increase in pelvic pain, soreness, or swelling
Incontinence of bladder, gas, or bowels; dripping urine; staining on your underwear
When can I start babywearing after birth?
As with many things, the answer truly is: it depends.
There are many factors that can change how quickly your pelvic floor is able to heal after birth, including how your pregnancy and labor went, how strong your core and pelvic floor muscles were before and during pregnancy, and if you had any tearing during birth or had a cesarean surgery. Additionally, the style of babywearing carrier you choose and the weight of your baby will also make a big difference with how your body is able to handle things.
To see how you feel, start small: wear your baby in your carrier for a short period of time at first (10-15 minutes), and if you notice any of the symptoms above during or after babywearing, you may need to wait a few more weeks for things to heal - especially if you’re still in the first 4-6 weeks postpartum. As your muscles get stronger, you can increase this time progressively, but still remain mindful of how you feel.
What style of baby carrier is best for my pelvic floor?
There isn’t one type of carrier that is universally going to be better for everyone’s body. Every parent and every baby has their own preferences, and this might change over time as your baby grows and your body gets stronger. The fit of the carrier is almost more important to consider than the type of carrier itself. We want the carrier to sit high and tight, with your baby’s head being close enough to easily kiss - not sagging or drooping down over your belly or pulling your chest forward. At first, you might want to avoid carriers with abdominal or waist straps, as these can put a lot of strain on your belly and pelvic floor - but if you do have one, don’t over-tighten it, and make sure that the strap is sitting higher on the waist closer to the lower ribs instead of across your hips or belly button.
If you and your partner are sharing the same carrier, make sure it fits comfortably on both of you and that it can be easily adjusted as needed.
It might be helpful to trial different carrier options before you decide - there might be lending libraries available in your community (check Facebook for babywearing groups!), you can borrow a carrier from a friend to try out, or baby stores might have samples you can try in the store for a few minutes to see what feels right for you.
What can I do to help my pelvic floor when babywearing?
When you are wearing your baby, even for a short period of time, it is important to consider how your breathing and posture are affecting your core and pelvic floor muscles. If the fit of the carrier is good (see above), it should be easier to maintain a stacked posture where your rib cage and pelvis are neutral. Avoid sticking out your chest, hunching, or slumping at your rib cage, and try to be mindful of if you are dumping your pelvis forward and tightening your back, or leaning your hips to one side - all of these postures will make it harder to access your breathing and core muscles, which will put more strain on your pelvic floor.
You might want to try alternating which way you are leaning your hips naturally and changing positions frequently to help offset the way gravity is affecting how you are holding your body. You might also spend a few breaths every 5 minutes or so focusing on deep, slow inhales, making sure that your low rib cage is expanding on all sides and your breath stays low - not up in your shoulders. These habits will prevent you from getting stuck in one position that can cause discomfort and help your core and pelvic floor muscles reset every once in a while to stay engaged.
When should I see a pelvic floor therapist for help?
If you are noticing that symptoms of heaviness, pain, or leakage persist even with short durations of wearing your baby or after you have put your baby down, it is a good sign that additional support might be needed. Pelvic floor physical or occupational therapy can help you find a carrier that fits your body and needs, while ensuring your pelvic floor, core, and breathing are working together effectively to improve symptoms and support long-term pelvic floor health and healing.
At Wellest Integrative Health, we work with new parents all the time to help them feel strong again so they can do the things that matter most to them after birth. Reach out to us - we’d love to help you on your journey!
The advice to take a few deep breaths every five FNF minutes caught my attention. Is that mainly meant to reduce pressure on the pelvic floor, or does it also help correct the posture that develops while carrying the baby?
This was a really helpful breakdown, especially the emphasis on carrier fit and avoiding over-tightening waist straps to manage intra-abdominal pressure. It's easy to overlook these nuances when you're just trying to get things done, but understanding them is key for pelvic floor health. It reminds me how navigating postpartum recovery can feel like an infinite craft, constantly learning and adjusting. 💪