Congratulations…you did it! You survived pregnancy, successfully delivered your baby, and are getting to know this very special little person. Like many mothers, you may be sleep-deprived or overwhelmed, and feel a great sense of accomplishment if you can get showered and dressed before noon. You certainly don’t have the time or energy to let back pain interfere with your busy life.

Back pain? But wasn’t that only supposed to be a problem during pregnancy? Although most women believe that to be the case, many women develop upper back and neck pain post-partum. This can often be attributed to the new positions you assume while caring for your newborn. You tend to look down at your adorable child, and this repetitive forward bending of the neck and upper back can be straining. Awareness of posture and movement when you feed, carry, diaper, lift, and play with your baby can make a significant difference in how you feel and reduce your risk of injury. In general, take care when performing the following activities:

• Feeding: Sit in a comfortable, supportive chair that allows you to rest with your back straight and your head and neck upright. You may benefit from placing a pillow in the small of your back to help you sit taller. If breastfeeding, you can use a specially designed nursing pillow to support the baby and your arms, or you can cradle the baby keeping your arms supported on the armrests of the chair or pillows. If bottle-feeding, place a pillow under your elbow for support. Your shoulders should be relaxed, not shrugging up towards the ears.

• Carrying: Keep your baby centered along your midline to avoid unnecessary twisting and bending of the spine. Newborns can be held with both of your arms cradling them against your belly. Try not to look down excessively to minimize neck and upper back strain. If you carry your newborn in a car seat carrier, try to hold it with both hands in front of your body for short distances. Consider leaving the car seat in the car or connecting it into the stroller if you are walking more than a few feet. Front wearing baby carriers may be another comfortable way to carry your little one. As your baby gets older, it’s very common to carry her on one hip, which creates uneven forces on the spine. If you do this (and we all do), alternate on which hip you carry her.

• Diapering: When changing your baby, try to bend your knees (rather than bending at your waist) and keep your spine straight as you work over him. Although it may feel awkward, eliminating this slight amount of bending can significantly alleviate pain.

• Lifting: Try to always keep your back straight, hold your baby very close to your body, and lift with your legs. When lifting your baby in and out of the crib, lower the crib rail.

• Playing: Play at eye level with your baby. When he has tummy time, lay on your belly facing him. When she plays in her baby seat or learns to sit, sit on the floor in front of her. If baby lies on his back, play on all 4’s over him. Playing at eye level varies your posture, allows you to maintain better spinal alignment, and allows baby to enjoying looking at her favorite face in the whole world.

A regular exercise program is also helpful for reducing post partum pain. If you typically don’t exercise, this is a great opportunity to start incorporating regular exercise into your life so you will be able to keep up with your child who will be running around before long. You should discuss any pain you are experiencing with your health care provider, who may refer you to a specialist for an individualized treatment program.