The physical impact of childbirth can be felt long after your bundle of joy is here and your stitches are healing nicely.
So much so, that new mums are now being warned about the impact of carrying their baby’s car seat to and from the car with their little one still tucked up in it.
While back problems are simply a way of life for many parents, the risks associated with heaving a car seat in and out of the vehicle actually go beyond that for new mums.
Experts have now warned that carrying babies in their car seat could trigger a bladder prolapse.
Instead, mums should take their baby out and leave the seat in the car, particularly for the first six to eight weeks after birth because they need their pelvic muscles to recover.
It doesn’t help that baby car seats aren’t particularly well designed in terms of being carried safely.
Lighter models are significantly more expensive and, besides, one side of your body will be bearing more weight than the other, regardless of how light the car seat is.
The Professional Network of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) told the BBC new mothers are “very vulnerable” to injury, reports Kidspot .
Amanda Savage from POGP said: “You’re carrying a heavy weight off to one side far away from your body often with your hand turned backwards or forwards and that’s not a comfortable or ergonomic way to carry something.”
What is a bladder prolapse?
A bladder prolapse may occur when the supportive pelvic floor muscles and tissue are weakened or stretched.
This means the bladder can drop and bulge through this protective layer into the vagina.