Are you carrying your baby's car seat wrong?

Like most of us, you're probably looping an arm through the handle of your car seat and lugging it along one side of your body, right? You might even be using the popular method doing the rounds on social media; threading your arm through the handle to grasp the base. 

However, experts say you could be putting yourself at risk of injury by carrying your child's car seat like this. But is there really a safe - and easy - way to do it? 

We've teamed up with Sam Bhide, advanced practice physiotherapist and spokesperson for The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, to give a step-by-step guide on the best way to carry a car seat so you can protect your back while getting your baby safely into the car. 

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Step-by-step: How to safely carry a baby car seat

Watch our video above or follow our step-by-step instructions instead. 

1. Put the baby in the car seat on the floor, a dining table or coffee table, making sure to not leave the baby unattended.
2. Put one arm under the front of the seat where the baby's feet are and the other underneath the back of the seat, where the baby's head is, gripping the plastic to get ready to lift OR with your baby facing you, put your hands on the base of the carry handle (one either side) and grip firmly.
3. Stand up slowly, leaning slightly forward and hugging the seat towards you with elbows bent rather than arms straight and locked. Don't forget to bend at the knees before standing if the car seat is on the floor or a low surface.
4. Walk steadily forward with your core muscles engaged rather than letting your arms take all the strain. 
5. When you get to the car, squat down or lunge slightly to put the car seat in rather than doing it with a straight back. 

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Is it ever OK to carry a baby car seat by your side?

Whether you're carrying it like a shopping bag, a basket or threading your arm through the handle to grasp the base, most of us carry a baby car seat to the side.

You can use these methods but ideally only for short distances - up to a maximum of three car length's away - because they put too much strain on one side of your body and you're also likely to be carrying your baby unevenly as the car seat tilts. 

If you can't use one of the two methods recommended in our video, put the carrier in a travel system chassis or get someone else to carry it for you. 

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3 things you should never do when lifting or carrying

• Jerk suddenly. If your body isn't prepared for them, sudden jolting movements (such as trying to quickly catch a tub of nappy cream falling off a changing table) can lead to strains. 
• Stand without proper support. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises standing with feet apart and one leg in front of the other to increase stability when handling objects. Like a chair with splayed legs, this wider base of support helps you to maintain good balance and stability for the task at hand, even if it's an unwieldy load that's difficult to grasp.
• Store things too high. Try not to store heavy objects above shoulder or head height, even if you're short of storage space, as you may have to strain to retrieve them plus they could cause an injury if they fall.

3 things you should always do when lifting and carrying

• Know your limits and stop if it's painful. If you're lifting or shifting anything, listen to your body and stop if it's hurting - ignoring pain could place you at risk of injury. 
• Think about your head position. Although the HSE suggests keeping your head up when handling anything and looking ahead not down when carrying anything, Sam says this might not always be possible so try instead to adopt a good head position that prevents you leaning over as this could lead to you falling. 
• Wear the right clothing. Choose clothing and footwear for safety and comfort so you're set for the job in hand, whether it's lifting a baby out of a Moses basket or putting them into a car. Shoes should be comfortable, supportive and non-slip, and clothing should be neither too restrictive nor so loose that it might get caught on something.

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Lifting after a c-section 

NHS guidelines say once you've left hospital and are at home after your c-section, you should be able to hold and carry your baby

You shouldn't lift anything heavier than your baby until you are six weeks post-caesarean (that doesn't include your baby when they're in a car seat!) although speak to your surgeon if you need more guidance on your individual situation.

When you do start lifting things again, Sam recommends gradual progressive lifting from this point rather than all or nothing; 'lift something and see how much you can carry and for how long, then plan and progress as you improve.'

Before you lift anything, assess whether you think it's going to be within the limitations of your pain and strength, and if you start lifting and it's too much, put the object down for your own safety as soon as you're able to.

While your wound is still healing, use squatting positions and lunges when lifting so that you're utilising your leg muscles and your core muscles.

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