Lifting, feeding and rocking all day strains a recovering body, but gentle core and glute work can help your back feel steadier over time.
If your back aches by the end of a long day of feeding, carrying and rocking your little one, you are not imagining it. Picking up a baby dozens of times a day, hunching over to change nappies, leaning into the cot and feeding in awkward positions all put your back under real strain. Add a core that is still recovering from pregnancy and birth, and it makes sense that your lower back is one of the first places you feel it. The good news is that postpartum back pain is common, usually has clear causes, and tends to ease as you rebuild the muscles that support your spine.
Why does carrying my baby hurt my back?
During pregnancy your body changed a lot. Your growing bump shifted your centre of gravity forward, your deep core muscles stretched, and the hormone relaxin loosened the ligaments around your pelvis and spine to make room for birth. Those changes do not reverse overnight. In the early months after birth your core and glutes are often weaker than they were, so your back ends up doing work it was never meant to do on its own.
Then there is the sheer repetition of mum life. Think about how many times a day you bend to lift your baby, twist to settle them into a car seat, or round your shoulders to feed. Each movement on its own is small. Done hundreds of times a week on a recovering body, they add up to a tired, achy lower back.
What are the most common causes?
Most postpartum back pain is muscular and postural rather than anything sinister. A few of the usual culprits work together:
- A weak or separated core. Your deep tummy muscles are part of the natural corset that holds your spine steady. When they are weak, the lower back takes the load.
- Underused glutes. Your bottom muscles are some of the biggest in your body and they are meant to power lifting and standing. When they switch off, your back muscles overcompensate.
- Loosened ligaments. Relaxin can stay in your system for months, especially if you are breastfeeding, leaving joints a little less stable.
- Repetitive bending and rounded posture. Feeding, lifting and the constant downward gaze at your baby pull you into a hunched shape.
How can I ease postpartum back pain?
The aim is to take pressure off your back by waking up the muscles around it, then making your daily lifting and feeding habits kinder to your spine. None of this needs a gym. Most of it fits into the gaps of your day. Always get the all-clear from your doctor or midwife first, usually around the six-week check and later if you had a caesarean.
- Start with breathing and deep core. Gentle diaphragmatic breathing with a soft tummy draw-in reconnects the muscles that stabilise your spine. This is the foundation before anything harder.
- Wake up your glutes. Simple bridges and gentle squats teach your bottom to take over the lifting and standing your back has been doing. Stronger glutes are one of the most underrated fixes for an achy lower back.
- Lift with your legs, not your back. When you pick up your baby, bend your knees, keep them close to you, and stand by pushing through your heels.
- Fix your feeding setup. Bring baby up to you with pillows rather than folding yourself down to them. Sit back, supported, with your shoulders relaxed.
- Move little and often. Short, regular sessions beat one long workout. A few minutes during nap time is plenty in the early weeks.
Build a back that can keep up with mum life
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Start Postpartum Booty Builder →Use code GLOW20 for 20% offWhy do strong glutes matter so much for your back?
It is easy to think of back pain as a back problem, but very often the answer lies a little lower. Your glutes are designed to do the heavy lifting of everyday life. When they are strong and switched on, they support your pelvis and take strain off your spine every time you lift, carry or stand from the sofa with a baby on your hip. When they are weak, your lower back muscles try to fill the gap and they fatigue quickly.
That is why rebuilding glute strength can make such a noticeable difference to how your back feels. It is not about appearance. It is about giving your spine the support team it lost during pregnancy and birth.
What should you do versus avoid in the early weeks?
Helpful for your back
- Gentle deep-core breathing and draw-ins
- Glute bridges and supported squats once cleared
- Bending your knees to lift baby
- Feeding with good support and relaxed shoulders
- Short, frequent movement breaks
Best to hold off on
- Heavy lifting before you have clearance
- Crunches and sit-ups too early, which can strain a recovering core
- Twisting while lifting the car seat
- Long stretches hunched over your phone while feeding
- Pushing through sharp or worsening pain
When should you see a professional?
Most postpartum back pain settles with time, gentle strengthening and better habits. But some signs are worth checking. See your doctor or a women's-health physiotherapist if your pain is severe, is not improving after a few weeks, shoots down your leg, comes with numbness or weakness, or if you notice a bulge in your tummy that could point to a hernia or a wide diastasis gap. A physio can assess your core and pelvic floor and give you a plan tailored to you. There is no prize for soldiering on in pain.
Rebuild your whole core and recovery foundation
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Explore the Complete Reset →Use code GLOW20 for 20% offThe bottom line
Carrying your baby hurts your back because your core and glutes are still recovering while you lift, bend and feed all day long. Gentle strengthening, smarter lifting and better feeding posture usually help it ease over time. Be patient with yourself, get cleared by your doctor first, and see a physio if pain is severe or sticking around. Results vary from mum to mum, but most find their back feels stronger and steadier as they rebuild support around their spine.
Frequently asked questions
Is postpartum back pain normal?
Yes, back pain is very common after having a baby. It usually comes from a recovering core, loosened ligaments and the repetitive lifting and hunching of baby care. It often eases over time with gentle strengthening and better posture, but you should see your doctor if it is severe or not improving.
When can I start exercising to help my back after birth?
Most mums get clearance to begin gentle exercise at around the six-week check, and later if they had a caesarean. Always check with your doctor or midwife first, start with breathing and deep-core work, then progress slowly. Listen to your body and never push through sharp pain.
Can strengthening my glutes really reduce back pain?
For many mums, yes. Your glutes are meant to power lifting and standing, and when they are strong they take strain off your lower back. Rebuilding glute strength is one of the most underrated ways to support your spine, though results vary from person to person.
How can I protect my back while feeding and lifting my baby?
Bring your baby up to you with pillows rather than folding down to them, sit back with relaxed shoulders, and when you lift, bend your knees, keep baby close and push up through your heels. Moving little and often through the day also helps avoid stiffness.
This article is general education, not medical advice. Always check with your doctor before starting postpartum exercise.