Exercise classes and carriers?!

Since the fitness world has exploded, and with the pressure of societal expectations, there can be a want to 'bounce-back' post-birth. Then there's platforms - particularly social media which propel this narrative further – showcasing people's fitness journeys so many weeks postpartum.

Now my first thing to highlight is we are so changed when we have our babies, mentally, physically, and therefore the reality of getting our pre-baby body back is actually unobtainable anyway - so that's instantly pressure off Mama!

We do know that exercise is very beneficial to our mental health though :) And that is especially important as Mum's can often struggle post-birth with this for one reason or another. So how do we exercise with our babies - is babywearing the solution? As someone passionate about baby carrier safety I am going to talk through some pointers that are worth taking into consideration before diving in.

For a little background this blogpost particularly stems from a babywearing dance class that went viral (often with questionable positioning of babies in slings) - and then you see local classes start to pop-up inspired by what they've seen.

Due to a lack of regulation in the industry, it's worth being aware that anyone could start a carrier-based exercise class tomorrow and not have the foggiest idea what safe babywearing looks like/ how to fix the common issues that often arise.

And then the question is who is liable if anything was to happen, by supporting you to exercise with a carrier on, should be them ensuring yours and baby's safety at all times.

I then see these instructors using their unsafe baby in carrier images from classes as a tool of promotion for a fun way to get fit with other mums, and so the problem / lack of awareness simply continues.

Anyway - here are my considerations list:

Safety first

Are you confident your carrier is fitting right? And you know how to use it well- if it's uncomfortable booking in with a sling library or consultant local to you can be really beneficial (note your sling will only be deemed safe at time of fitting and this isn't a greenlight to then go exercise).

To find someone local Google 'The Sling Pages'.

Consider the movement

Light, gentle and Low-Impact is key.

A gentle walk built up to something more brisk could be a great way of introducing fitness early on. Remember that babywearing is a skill - and it absolutely should require additional precaution when exercising. We do not want to shake a baby (particularly if the head control isn't there yet) through movement that is too high impact, or have a baby slump into a carrier that isn't tight enough, thus compromising their airways.

Consider your core and pelvic floor health

How will the extra weight of baby affect your floor and core - will it potentially add extra strain and cause problems?A pelvic floor can be weak, but they can also be over-tight and both can be problematic for different reasons. If you are leaking this is a symptom of dysfunction.

Some movements will not be suitable until your floor is functioning better - i.e. wide, deep squats, so working alongside someone who understands the type of movements that will work best for you is really important.

If looking to exercise you should be at the very least 8 weeks postpartum. Cleared by a medical professional. If your back hurts, or shoulders ache while working out with a carrier getting a fitcheck from a sling library / consultant can also help.

Consider your Posture

Poor posture can cause numerous problems, and is not ideal when working-out.

Mums are especially prone to poor posture after pregnancy due to the way we alter our stance as our bump grows, post birth we are often balancing a child on one hip - and again this can habitually cause us to stand out of alignment.

So working with someone who understand good posture and form with exercise is also going to be important.

Consider your carrier and how it moves with your body - fabric carriers can introduce slack more easily.

There is a specific fitness carrier on the market that is really designed with fitness in mind - shaped to move with your body (it's one piece popped on like a t-shirt) The Carifit. It does work best from 3-12 months best, and it is quite expensive – it comes with a fitness app to support your workouts too, again with guidance and support from fitness professionals in mind. It is comfy on - but some people will find the way the carrier goes on over the head claustrophobic.

This back panel however is the carriers USP - it supposedly helps with weight distribution, and enables the wearer to stand better. This racer-back was purely designed from a biomechanical / physiological perspective - which went through lots of testing. The point being when we have better posture we can access more muscle and if we can do this via our posterial chain / glutes that in turn unburdens our postnatal pelvic floor better - when you move this carrier really doesn't! Provided it's fitted and tightened correctly!

If such a carrier seems excessive and is not an option for you then I would generally suggest using an ergonomic soft structured buckle carrier, as when fitted correctly this is going to be most comfortable and supportive for you and baby. A fabric carrier, such as a stretchy wrap, especially with extra movement could introduce slack more easily. Such a carrier has more layers too - which means both you and baby will be warmer.

And when using your carrier always being mindful of your safety checks to ensure baby is well positioned, with airways not compromised before starting, and being alert to their needs throughout so you can adjust as needed as you go.

Consider your baby's positioning

I would suggest facing baby in, high, in sight with your carrier nice and tight :) Such positioning is much easier to monitor your baby in. And when carrying we want to be alert to our baby and their needs at all times. Note that As baby grows bigger you'll be visually more obscured with a front carry so trip risk will naturally increase.  Facing baby out - we already know this positioning really won't be as comfy for you and baby, as it places more pressure on your spine, simply because the weight of baby pulls away from your body. This in turn is not good for your posture - and we touched on why good posture is going to be better for your pelvic floor above. Facing out is something I'd only recommend in short bursts too, because it can be quite an overstimulating for baby - they are in a fixed position with the world coming at them - and won't have the ability to check back in with you. This position can also make a baby more drowsy, and we never want baby sleeping in this position due to the airways being compromised.If walking/hiking and you're confident to back carry (baby is sitting unaided) go ahead.

Unsure about things after reading?

Can you place baby down and interact with them throughout your workout?

Can an extra pair of arms help entertain?

Ultimately if you do decide to carry and babywear - safe wearing is your responsibility so as with anything it pays to be informed. Check the credentials of the person offering the class. Is this class very new, is it specifically carrying focused? If so your instructor should be able to identify a carry that's not optimal, and understand how to fix sub-optimal positioning too.

As touched upon in other posts carriers (that have been safety tested) aren't dangerous, but when used incorrectly just like carseats or prams, that's when risks to health can unfortunately occur.