How to Lift and Carry a Baby Without Hurting Your Back

The short answer: Get close to your baby, bend at your hips and knees instead of your waist, keep your back straight, and hold your baby against your body. Avoid twisting, carry your baby in front of you and switch sides. No technique is perfect, so also build strength, take breaks and ask for help.

• The standard advice is to stand close, bend at the knees and hips, tighten your stomach muscles, hold the load close, and avoid twisting [1][2].
• Carry your baby close in front of you rather than off to one side, especially in the first 6 weeks after birth [5]. Alternate sides if you use a hip carry [7].
• Perfect technique is not a guarantee. A 2022 Cochrane review found lifting advice and training did not prevent back pain in workers [3].
• Squatting and stooping load the spine differently. Neither is "right" in every situation, and fatigue, repetition and weak muscles add to the risk [4].
• A good carrier has wide, padded straps and a hip belt [7], and it should hold your baby's thighs supported with legs spread and knees bent [6].
• Numbness around the groin or bottom, new bladder or bowel changes, fever, pain after an injury or progressive leg weakness need urgent care [8][9].

Get close, bend your knees and hips, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs while holding your baby against your chest.

MedlinePlus gives these steps for lifting and bending the right way. Here they are adapted for lifting a baby [1]:

1. Stand close, with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend at the knees rather than the waist, and keep your back straight as you squat.
3. Tighten your stomach muscles and hold your baby close to your body.
4. Lift slowly using your hips and knees, and avoid bending forward as you stand up.
5. Do not twist your back at any point. Set your baby down the same way, by squatting with your knees and hips.

Vanderbilt Health adds a few helpful details [2]:

• Skip the lift if you are off balance.
• To change direction, pivot with your feet instead of turning your upper body.
• Ask for help with heavy or awkward loads.

An NHS physiotherapy leaflet from Lothian in Scotland suggests standing with one foot slightly in front of the other, and engaging your pelvic floor and deep stomach muscles as you breathe out while lifting [5].

What this means: the same few habits apply whether you are lifting a newborn from a cot or a toddler from the floor. Make them automatic, because repeating a small habit hundreds of times is what protects your back.

Less than most advice implies. It is worth being honest about that.

A 2022 Cochrane review pooled 9 randomized trials (20,101 employees) and 9 cohort studies (1,280 employees). It found that lifting advice and training had no preventive effect on back pain, compared with no intervention or minor advice. Lifting aids and back belts did not help either. The review rated this as moderate-quality evidence, and noted that no trials had tested training as part of treating back pain [3].

Two cautions apply. First, these studies were in workers, not parents. Second, the finding says that teaching technique alone is not enough, not that technique never matters.

A 2026 systematic review of 10 studies on lifting posture adds nuance. Squat lifting lowered shear forces (sliding forces) at the lower back but increased overall muscle effort. Stoop lifting produced higher shear loads at the base of the spine. People with low back pain tended to bend less at the lower back and compensate with their pelvis. Repetitive handling, asymmetrical movement, weak muscles and fatigue all added to risk [4].

What this means: there is no single "correct" posture. Vary how you lift, avoid awkward positions held for long, and build the strength to handle the repetition. New parents lift, bend and carry many times a day, often tired, so strength and recovery matter as much as form.

A hip hinge is bending at the hips while your back stays steady, like closing a door with your bottom. It is useful when you need to reach down but cannot squat fully, such as leaning over a cot, changing table or bath. See our glossary entry on the hip hinge.

Here is a simple way to do it. The steps are a common clinical approach, not from a cited source:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Push your hips back as if reaching for a wall behind you.
3. Let your chest tip forward while your back stays long and your stomach muscles stay gently tight.
4. Reach your baby only as far as you can without rounding hard, then squeeze your buttocks to stand tall.

If the cot, changing table or bath is low, bring your baby closer to you first, or lower your body with a half-kneel or squat instead of folding at the waist. Support your own weight with a free hand on the cot rail or table when you can.

Use the same principles as for a baby, with a few tweaks. These tips are common clinical suggestions, not from a cited source:

• Get close and low. Squat or half-kneel next to your toddler rather than bending down from standing.
• Let them help. Encourage your toddler to climb or walk toward you. A child who can reach for you takes some of the load.
• Hold against your body. Lift with your toddler facing you or on your chest, not out at arm's length [1].
• Skip the twist. Turn your feet, not your spine, to move toward the stroller or car [2].
• Do not lift one-handed from the ground while holding a bag or a coffee in the other hand.

Carry your baby close to your body, in front of you, and switch sides often.

The NHS Lothian leaflet advises avoiding carrying your baby or child off to one side, and holding them close in front of you, especially in the first 6 weeks after birth [5]. An orthopedic practice's tip sheet says hip carrying overloads the back muscles, so avoid it where you can and alternate sides if you use it [7]. (That page shows no author or date, so we use it cautiously.)

Baby carriers and slings

• Choose supportive straps. The same tip sheet recommends a carrier with wide, padded shoulder straps and a hip belt to spread the weight [7].
• Check your baby's hip position. The International Hip Dysplasia Institute describes the healthiest position as the "M-position": hips spread apart, thighs supported, and hips and knees bent. In a carrier, the thigh should be supported to the knee joint. It advises avoiding narrow carriers that do not support the thigh, and slings in a "cradle" position before 6 months [6].
• Follow the TICKS safety checks. The NHS Lothian leaflet lists: tight, in view at all times, close enough to kiss, keep the chin off the chest, support the back [5].
• Build up gradually. The same leaflet advises building up carrier use slowly after birth, and not relying on a carrier for walking exercise [5].

The IHDI statement says short, periodic carrier use is unlikely to affect hip development, while carrying a baby for many hours a day in the first 6 months is more likely to influence it. Ask your provider if you have a family history of hip problems or any doubt [6].

Tiny changes add up when you repeat them every day.

• Feeding. The NHS Lothian leaflet advises sitting upright with your bottom back in the chair, using a pillow for lower back support, keeping your feet flat or on a footstool, and placing a pillow over your stomach to raise the baby. Alternate feeding positions and avoid feeding while perched on the edge of a bed or chair [5].
• Car seats. One orthopedic practice suggests sitting beside the seat and turning your body to place the baby in, instead of reaching in from standing. It also suggests carrying the car seat by looping your arm under the handle and lifting the base [7]. A tip sheet is weak evidence, so ask your pediatrician or a certified car seat technician about safe use.
• High chair. Remove the feeding tray before lifting your baby in or out [7].
• Changing and cot heights. Set up a changing space at a height where you do not need to bend far. Keep supplies within reach.
• Take turns. Share lifting and carrying with a partner or helper when you can. Ask for help with heavy items like the car seat and stroller [2].
• Break up the day. Change position often. Our movement break planner can help you plan short breaks, and our guide to movement breaks for a busy day has ideas.

For back pain after birth, see our post on back pain after having a baby. Our new parents hub collects more resources.

Strength in your legs, hips and trunk helps you handle the repeated lifting. These are common starting points. They are not from a trial. If you recently gave birth, ask your provider or a pelvic health physical therapist before starting, especially if you had a cesarean birth, a tear, or any pelvic floor symptoms.

1. Goblet squat. 

Hold a light weight, or a full water bottle, at your chest and squat to a chair. Do 2 sets of 8 to 10. See our goblet squat.

1. Glute bridge. 

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body forms a line from shoulders to knees. Hold 2 seconds. Do 2 sets of 8 to 12. See our glute bridge.

The NHS Lothian leaflet lists signs you may be overdoing it: holding your breath, excessive doming of the stomach, back or other pain, pelvic pressure, dragging or heaviness in the pelvis, or urine or stool leakage. It advises stopping any exercise that worsens symptoms and speaking to your provider or a pelvic health physical therapist [5].

Stop if you feel sharp pain, pain that spreads down a leg, new numbness or weakness, or your pain is clearly worse the next day. For a gentler restart, see our return to exercise guide.

Kai, Loosn's AI physio coach, can help you pace your exercises and breaks around your own symptoms. It does not replace an assessment if your symptoms are severe, getting worse or unusual.

Loosn is not a diagnosis tool. For more on back pain warning signs, see when lower back pain is serious.

Emergency: call 911 (or your local emergency number) or go to the emergency department if [8][9]:

• you have numbness around your genitals or anus (saddle numbness)
• you have new bladder or bowel problems, such as trouble peeing, or losing control of peeing or pooing
• you have pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs
• your back pain comes with a fever
• your back pain follows a fall, a blow to the back or other injury, including a serious accident

Do not drive yourself [8]. (Other common emergency numbers are 999 in the UK, 112 across the EU and 000 in Australia.)

See a provider soon if [7][8][9]:

• weakness in a leg or foot is getting worse, or you have new numbness or tingling in your legs [9][7]
• pain spreads down one or both legs, especially below the knee [9]
• you are losing weight without trying [7][9]
• pain wakes you at night, or is worse at night [7][8]
• pain lasts more than a few weeks or is severe and does not improve with rest [8][9]
• you leak urine or have pelvic heaviness after birth, or persistent pain in the back, pelvis, pubic bone or groin. Leaking urine is not normal at any age [5]

Loosn is not a substitute for assessment when symptoms are severe, getting worse or unusual.

What is the safest way to lift a baby? 

Stand close, with your feet about shoulder-width apart, and bend at the knees and hips with your back straight. Tighten your stomach muscles, hold the load close to your body, and lift slowly using your legs [1]. Avoid twisting; pivot your feet to change direction [2]. Breathing out as you lift may help engage your deep core muscles [5].

Does lifting technique really prevent back pain? 

The evidence is weaker than most people expect. A 2022 Cochrane review of 9 trials (20,101 workers) found that lifting advice and training did not prevent back pain compared with no intervention [3]. That review studied workers, not parents. Good technique is still sensible, but strength, variety and rest matter too.

Is it bad to carry a baby on one hip? 

It can overload one side of your back, so alternate sides or avoid it when you can [7]. The NHS Lothian leaflet advises holding your baby close in front of you rather than off to one side, especially in the first 6 weeks after birth [5]. A well-fitted carrier spreads the weight more evenly.

What should I look for in a baby carrier? 

Look for wide, padded shoulder straps and a hip belt to spread the weight [7]. For your baby's hips, the thighs should be supported to the knee with legs spread and knees bent [6]. Follow the TICKS checks: tight, in view, close enough to kiss, chin off the chest, support the back [5].

How do you pick up a toddler without hurting your back? 

Use the same principles: get close, bend your knees and hips, keep your back straight, and hold your child against your body before standing [1][2]. Try letting your toddler walk or climb toward you, then lift from a half-kneeling or squatting position. That last tip is a common clinical suggestion, not from a cited source.

When should I see a provider about back pain from lifting my baby? 

Seek immediate care for new bladder or bowel problems, numbness around the genitals or anus, fever, or pain after an injury [8][9]. See a provider if pain spreads down a leg, brings weakness or numbness, wakes you at night, or lasts more than a few weeks [8][9]. After birth, leaking urine is not normal [5].

Use the free Loosn movement break planner to schedule short breaks and stretches around feeds and naps, and ask Kai, Loosn's AI physio coach, for help pacing them. Try the movement break planner, or read how Loosn works.