Balancing Act: The Hidden Strain of Carrying a Toddle on Your Hip

Life with young children is demanding and carrying your baby or toddler on one hip is a common habit that feels natural and convenient. ​However, this position can strain your muscles and joints, leading to discomfort, fatigue, or even chronic pain over time.

Understanding how this habit affects your body and learning ways to minimise strain can help prevent these issues.

Potential problems:

• Pelvic problems: The pelvis supports the spine and torso, much like the floor supports a house. Carrying a child on one side causes the pelvis to tilt and shift outward, similar to the walls of a house on uneven foundations. Over time, this can strain the sacroiliac (SI) joints, which connects the pelvis to the lower spine, potentially leading to joint instability, muscle tension, nerve irritation, inflammation, and pain.
• Lower back pain: A tilted pelvis forces the lumbar spine to shift, adding strain. Additionally, carrying a child on one hip often means multitasking. This involves awkward movements like reaching and bending, which can result in chronic lower back pain.
• Upper body tension: Holding a toddler with one arm engages your shoulder, neck, and upper back muscles unevenly, which may lead to muscle tightness, knots, and discomfort. You might have felt this in your shoulder and neck on the carrying side. This tightness can sometimes lead to tension headaches or worsen neck pain.

Preventing problems:

• Switch sides: If carrying a child on your hip is unavoidable, alternate sides frequently. This helps prevent one side of your body from becoming overworked, reducing the risk of pain and muscle imbalances.
• Limit carrying time: Avoid holding your toddler in the hip carry position for long periods to lessen strain. Use a stroller when possible, or ask for help from family and friends.
• Strengthen core muscles: A strong core supports the pelvis and spine, helps bear additional weight, and improves posture. Strengthening your core can also aid recovery from abdominal separation caused by pregnancy. However, consult your healthcare provider to ensure the exercises are safe and suitable for your recovery stage.
• Practice good posture: When bending and moving, hold your child close to the centre of your body, bend your knees instead of your back, and keep your feet hip-width apart for stability. Set your child down before lifting items to avoid awkward positions and extra weight-bearing. Good posture reduces strain on muscles and joints, and keeps you balanced.

While the hip carry is convenient, be mindful of its effects on your body. If you need help, we can assess your posture and movement patterns and provide targeted advice to manage strain and improve your comfort.