By Karen Miles, IBCLC
Are you feeling stiff, achy, painful or weak in one or both of your hands or wrists? And is your forearm on the same side, perhaps, crying out for some relief, too?
- Blame it on pregnancy or recent childbirth.
(Ah, the not-so-fun, swelling part of pregnancy and immediate postpartum, brought about by hormonal changes and fluid retention.)
- Blame it on a heavy diaper bag, stroller-pushing, and car seat-hoisting from one car to another. Plus, repeatedly lifting and carrying your baby.
(Sure, you could lighten your diaper bag and stroller load to just the essentials. Or buy an extra car seat for use in grandma’s car. But when home, carrying your baby may be hard to avoid since skin-to-skin time is recommended by most healthcare providers for a baby’s healthy development.)
- Blame it on breastfeeding.
(You may have noticed certain breastfeeding positions can worsen the pain, particularly toward the end of a breastfeeding session. But even repetitive bottle-feeding can cause wrist pain.)
Or blame it on all three factors. Whatever the root cause(s), there is something you can do about repetitive stress injury to your wrists and hands. And fortunately, that “something” doesn’t entail giving up cuddling or breastfeeding your sweet baby.
Consider these five possible strategies for some welcome pain relief:
1. Rest the affected hand/wrist/arm whenever you can.
Yes, this is easier said than done.
Want to respond to a friend’s text message while your baby is napping in the crib or bassinet?
Give your hands a break by using voice-to-text or an old-fashioned phone call, instead of finger-texting.
Are you typically holding your baby in your arms?
Throw on a sling or baby carrier so that your hands are free. Check out this link for sling safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to keep in mind.
2. When lifting your baby, groceries, etc., keep your wrist(s) neutral (not bent), and use your legs to lift with good form.
3. If you typically always use the cradle hold, cross-cradle hold, or football (clutch) hold when nursing, change up breastfeeding positions (at least occasionally) to one involving less wrist and hand work.
For example, try one or more of the alternate positions below. (And check out the links for each to view pictures with more step-by-step details.)
Laid-back breastfeeding
This position is especially great for feeding newborns and slightly older babies. Place a pillow or two behind your back, scoot your hips forward, and lean back part-way about 45 degrees in a semi-reclined position. If available, use a footstool for your feet. Next, position your baby tummy-to-tummy with you so that your breast is near your baby’s head, the base of your baby’s head/neck and shoulders are supported, and your baby is ready to feed.
Side-lying position
Some people feel this breastfeeding position is easiest to do when the baby is a few weeks old and up, while others feel it is a lifesaver from day one. When you and your baby are home, this nice, relaxing breastfeeding position requires only light hand and wrist involvement. As an added bonus: You get to lie down!
Just remember to prepare beforehand a rolled-up towel or pillow to prop behind your baby’s back/bottom but away from their head. This will prevent your baby from drifting away from your body if your hand grip behind your baby’s back loosens. In addition, a pillow between your legs can help you get more comfortable, and make you less prone to rolling toward your baby.
Upright breastfeeding
If your baby is older (old enough to sit reliably and safely upright on their own), try breastfeeding with your sweetie in an upright position instead, with your baby facing toward you. This position also works with some sling types for on-the-go breastfeeding.
4. If the cradle or cross-cradle hold is your favorite breastfeeding position, and you are not ready to give it up, make it more wrist-and-hand friendly:
When home, make a “pillow fort” first before using the cradle or cross-cradle hold.
To do this: Stack enough pillows atop your lap, as well as beside you on both sides, to support your arms so that your baby’s mouth is at breast level.
Or, if using a special purchased nursing pillow that is not high enough to bring your baby to breast level on its own, then place an extra regular pillow or couch pillow(s) below the nursing pillow to raise it up so that your baby is at breast level.
If you need added forearm support: rolled up towels work well in lieu of or in addition to pillows. And remember: relax your shoulders after you and baby are positioned (you don’t want shoulder pain, either!). And try to keep your sore wrist straight (or mostly straight), instead of curled, as you feed.
When out and about, raise your lap with some creative props before breastfeeding in the cradle or cross-cradle position.
To do this: Raise your lap height by placing on your lap a rolled-up baby blanket, your coat, or your cardigan. Then, place your feet on a stool if one is available nearby. Or, if you are stool-less somewhere like the mall food court, instead rest your feet on the bottom rungs of a nearby chair in order to further raise your lap height. This will help bring your baby closer to breast level, without your arms and hands doing as much heavy lifting. And of course, try to keep your sore wrist mostly straight (instead of prolonged flexing it) as you breastfeed your sweetie.
5. Make an appointment with your primary care provider, ideally in person, so that your provider can do a physical exam. Don’t postpone this step as delaying the visit could lead to worsening symptoms.
Your healthcare provider may…
- order some imaging to rule out anything serious,
- recommend icing, or alternating a heating pad and icing the area,
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advise you to take an over-the-counter pain reliever that is also an anti-inflammatory – such as ibuprofen (Advil), or short-term use of naproxen (Aleve). Or alternatively, your prescriber may prescribe you something stronger. Be sure to tell your provider that you are breastfeeding.
(For info about pain medication compatibility with breastfeeding, check out this Infantrisk.com webpage. Or, consider purchasing either the MommyMeds mobile app, or the more in-depth Hale’s Medications & Mothers’ Milk mobile app that is geared toward healthcare professionals.)
- recommend that you buy and use a wrist or thumb brace/splint for a while,
- recommend a cortisone shot, and/or
- refer you to a physical or occupational therapist with a specialty in hand therapy, who can recommend some exercises targeted to your specific diagnosis.
We hope you’ll find much-needed relief so that you can feel more lighthearted doing all your baby-lifting and stroller-pushing activities!
Additional references:
Common Postpartum Wrist Injuries – Ortho Rhode Island
New Mom Alert: Baby Lifting & Post Partum Wrist Pain - Dr. Chadi Haddad, OBGYN | Dearborn Heights, MI
Understanding Postpartum Wrist Pain: Causes and Solutions
Karen Miles is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and Lactation Content Specialist with Milkify.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or be a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider for any questions you may have related to your own health, or your baby’s health.
