5 exercises for front carrying
You’ve just had a baby, congratulations!
You’ve been cleared by your GP after your 6-8 week check up, good! (Hope you’re feeling ok, the check up isn’t the start or end of your postpartum or fitness journey by the way, please be kind to yourself and do what you can do, you know your body best).
You’re ready to get out and about with your baby and start front carrying, front facing.
Your body is still going through a lot right now, and taking fitness and exercise at a slow, steady and somewhat cautious mode is best right now.
Bodyweight exercises are great to help you with the mobility, strength and stability, and coordination you need to build a strong foundation for exercise post-baby.
Front carrying is a wonderful opportunity to stay close and connected to your baby, bond, be hands-free and be active. However, with extra load on your front, your centre of gravity shifts downward, your posture can change if certain muscles aren’t strong enough, and most challenging of all, you can’t see your feet! (It’s like being pregnant all over again!)
These five exercises will help you improve your strength for front carrying your baby, especially as they start to grow and gain weight:
Squats
The best bodyweight exercise and most versatile. Squats will help build lower body as well as core strength specifically your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and create the foundation and coordination required for many other exercises.
Muscles involved:
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Glutes
Core
Wall sits
An exercise everyone loves to hate. Wall sits are an isometric exercise, so the muscles are not lengthening and contracting, they are staying the same length throughout the exercise. This creates that ‘burning’ sensation. Wall sits build up the strength in your quadriceps and glutes.
Muscles involved:
Quadriceps
Glutes
Core
Scapula protractions
Scapula protractions are often overlooked but provide vital mobility in your thoracic spine. This part of your spine is predominantly where many straps on carriers will sit.
A mobile spine is a strong spine!
Muscles involved:
Serratus anterior
Pectorals
Latissmus dorsi
Trapezius
Rhomboids
Plank taps
Having a strong core is so important postpartum and when carrying load, as we want to avoid back pain and gain pre-pregnancy strength levels.
By shifting your weight side to side, your deep core muscles are working to keep your trunk stable. Try to limit your hips moving as much as possible to feel this.
Muscles involved:
Rectus abdominus
Obliques
Transverse abdominus
Deltoids
Quadriceps
Front lunges
Front lunges target the lower body but focus on your quadriceps. This exercise helps you challenge your balance, which will transfer when you will be walking with your baby but not being being able to see your feet!
Muscles involved:
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Glutes
Core
Incorporate these exercises into your fitness routine and watch your strength increase!
The sets and repetitions that you perform will depend on your fitness goals and activity levels:
Endurance = 1-2 sets x 15-20 reps
Hypertrophy = 3-4 sets x 8-12 reps
Strength = 4-6 sets x 1-5 reps
Happy walking!
Disclaimer:
Your postpartum journey is different from anyone else’s.
If you experience pain or discomfort at any time, seek medical attention.