How to Stay Strong as a New Parent

Having a new baby is both beautiful and overwhelming. Life suddenly revolves around this tiny human, and your own needs often fall to the back burner.

Between sleepless nights, new emotions, and the physical demands of childcare, it’s easy for things like showers, nutrition, and exercise to get skipped. That’s survival mode.

The good news is, there are small strategies that can help protect your body and keep you strong as a new parent. Let’s explore some of my favorites together:

1. Switch Sides When Holding Your Baby

It sounds simple, but many parents favor one side.

Often the dominant side feels stronger, or they prefer to keep their dominant hand free. Over time, this creates asymmetry and strain. Make a habit of switching hips to balance the load.

2. Use a Baby Carrier Correctly

A carrier can save your back, but only if fitted well. Straps should be snug enough that your baby’s head rests just below your chin. If the baby sits too low, it increases stress on your lower back.

3. Tips For Placing Baby in the Crib

• Square up: Face the crib with your feet, knees, and hips forward. Avoid twisting or reaching to the side.
• Engage your core: Especially postpartum, it may take extra focus to reconnect with your core muscles. Gentle engagement is enough to stabilize your spine.
• Switch sides: Alternate which direction your baby’s head faces when laying them down to balance the demand on your own body.

4. Reset After Feeding

Feeding often means long periods hunched over, head down. Once finished, place your baby somewhere safe and do a quick thoracic extension hold:

• Lie back over a foam roller, couch arm, or chair back.
• Support your head with your hands.
• Gently arch back, holding 3–5 breaths.
• Keep your core lightly engaged so the movement comes from your upper back, not your lower spine.

5. Use Tummy Time for Both of You

While your baby is on their tummy, take those 5 minutes to do a few core exercises yourself. Short bursts of movement sprinkled throughout the day add up and remind your body how to stay strong. Parent and baby can build core strength together.

6. Add Unilateral Strength Work

Childcare is mostly one-sided: holding, carrying, bending. Without balance, this leads to strain. Once you’re ready, add single-side (unilateral) strength exercises to your routine.

After my daughter was born I focused on squats, deadlifts, and biking but ignored unilateral work. Six months in, I developed nagging upper back pain. A trainer friend pointed out that everything I did at home with my daughter was one-sided. Once I added specific unilateral exercises, the pain disappeared and I felt much stronger as a parent.

Unilateral strengthening exercises include (but are certainly not limited to):

• Unilaterally loaded suitcase carry
• Unilaterally loaded reverse rack lunge
• Side plank and variations
• Step ups with offset weight load
• Single arm dumbbell bench press
• Unilateral row

Remember: Start slow, with light weight, and slowly increase to a weight that feels both challenging and safe.

Final Note

If you’re postpartum, new to parenting, and ready to feel stronger in your body, I’d love to help. Send me an email or give me a call, and let’s get started!