How to Improve Posture While Babywearing and Nursing

Written By MiraSol Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

Caring for a newborn comes with countless moments of closeness—feeding, rocking, soothing, and babywearing. But over time, these repetitive movements and long hours in static positions can take a toll on your body, especially your posture.

Neck tension, rounded shoulders, sore backs, and even pelvic floor symptoms can all be connected to postural strain during early motherhood. The good news? Small, intentional changes can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.

At MiraSol Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, we help moms reduce pain and restore alignment with realistic posture strategies that fit into your daily routine.

More good news: All FIT4MOM stroller-based classes are baby wearing friendly! Read on to find out how to make it work best for you and your little!

Common Postural Challenges for New Moms

After birth, your body is still adapting—your abdominal wall and pelvic floor are healing, your center of gravity has shifted, and you’re doing a lot of new physical tasks. Two of the biggest posture culprits we see are babywearing and nursing.

When babywearing, you may find yourself:

· Rounding your shoulders forward to check on or cuddle baby

· Leaning your upper body back to balance their weight

· Locking your knees or arching your lower back for stability

When nursing or bottle-feeding, many moms end up:

· Hunching over baby to get a good latch

· Craning the neck or holding tension in the shoulders

· Sitting for long periods in one unsupported position

Over time, this can lead to muscle imbalances, back and neck pain, core weakness, and even pelvic floor dysfunction.

Tips for Better Posture While Babywearing

You don’t have to stand rigid to protect your posture—just keep these alignment cues in mind:

· Keep baby high and close—ideally, their head should be kissable without slumping forward.

· Stack ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips—think “tall, not tense.”

· Soften your knees instead of locking them.

· Engage your deep core gently, especially your lower abs and pelvic floor, to support your spine.

· Switch sides when using one-shoulder carriers to avoid muscle imbalances.

Use breaks in your day (like diaper changes or feeding transitions) to reset your posture with a gentle standing stretch or breathwork reset.

Tips for Better Posture While Nursing

Feeding your baby shouldn’t mean sacrificing your own comfort. Try the following:

· Use pillows or a nursing support to bring baby to you—not the other way around.

· Sit with feet supported and avoid slumping into soft couches for long periods.

· Roll your shoulders down and back before each feeding session.

· Place a pillow behind your lower back for lumbar support.

· Alternate nursing positions to avoid repetitive strain on one side of the body.

Bonus tip: Gentle neck stretches and upper back mobility exercises between feeds can keep stiffness at bay.

The Posture–Pelvic Floor Connection

Poor posture doesn’t just affect your neck and back—it also impacts your breathing, core engagement, and pelvic floor function. When the ribcage is collapsed or the pelvis is tucked, it’s harder for your body to manage intra-abdominal pressure. That can lead to leakage, heaviness, or poor core activation during movement.

By improving posture, you’re also supporting your recovery from the inside out.

Thank you to our community partner MiraSol Pelvic Health Physical Therapy this information!

MiraSol is a privately owned, outpatient physical therapy clinic in Las Cruces, NM providing outstanding specialized care for the greater Las Cruces and West Texas area. We provide skilled one to one care, by expert licensed physical therapists. Our areas of specialty include women’s health, pelvic floor, and Temporomandibular dysfunctions (TMJ). Pelvic health physical therapy can improve quality of life for individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction and can be an effective alternative to surgery or medication.

2205 S Main St, Suite A.

mirasolpt.com