Babywearing and the Postpartum Body: What Every Consultant Needs to Know

I didn’t realize how much of an impact babywearing could have on my body postpartum until I had my second child, who was delivered by classical cesarean.

I had babyworn before, but this time was different. My body felt completely foreign—my core was weak, my scar was tender, and finding a carrier that worked for my healing body felt nearly impossible. Every adjustment felt wrong, and the more I searched for answers, the more I realized that very few professionals truly understood both babywearing and postpartum recovery. 

That’s when it hit me: this was a missing piece. 

Babywearing isn’t just about our babies—it’s about how our postpartum bodies carry, move, and recover. And yet, so many parents are left to figure it out on their own, struggling with discomfort, pain, or the fear that babywearing just isn’t for them.

Babywearing consultants are often expected to support postpartum parents, but very few are actually trained to understand the postpartum body.

Finding a carrier that worked for my healing body was difficult. Finding professional guidance from someone who understood both babywearing AND postpartum recovery was even harder. And that experience completely changed the way I approached my work as an educator.

I started noticing the same issues coming up again and again:

•  Parents struggling to babywear, not because they had the wrong carrier, but because their core and pelvic floor weren’t ready for how they were wearing their baby. 
•  Caregivers who weren’t just experiencing general discomfort—but pain and instability from diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, or C-section recovery. 
•  Well-meaning consultants (including past me!) focusing on fit and adjustments, without recognizing how a parent’s postpartum body was influencing their experience.
  

That experience led me to expand my idea of babywearing consulting—to dive into perinatal fitness, pelvic floor health, and postpartum recovery. Because babywearing should feel supportive, not like another strain on a body that’s already doing so much healing.

If you’re a babywearing educator fielding these struggles with your clients, this is knowledge you need too. Because understanding the postpartum body isn’t extra—it’s essential for truly helping your clients.

Why Babywearing Feels Different in Postpartum

One of the biggest misconceptions about babywearing in postpartum is that it should feel the same as carrying weight before pregnancy.

It doesn’t. 

Pregnancy alters your entire core system—your abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and even your posture adapt over months to accommodate a growing baby. Then birth happens, and everything shifts again. 

As a consultant, you’ll work with parents who:

•  Have weakened or stretched core muscles that struggle to support weight the way they used to.
•  Have had a C-section, which means their abdominal muscles and fascia are now healing from major surgical trauma. 
•  May experience pelvic floor issues, like prolapse or incontinence, which change the way their body responds to load.
•  Are emotionally navigating postpartum recovery and body changes while also adjusting to life with a newborn.

And then suddenly, they’re expected to wear a baby for hours a day, go on walks, and basically “bounce back” to life as normal. 

So if a client tells you babywearing is uncomfortable, if they say their back hurts, if they seem hesitant—this isn’t just about finding a better carrier. 

This is about understanding what their body is going through—and how we, as educators, can support them beyond making carrier adjustments.

How Babywearing Can Support (or Strain) Postpartum Recovery

When I first started babywearing after my second birth, I assumed I’d just throw on a carrier and go. I didn’t think about how I was wearing my baby, how I was moving, or what my body needed.

Looking back, I see now that babywearing could have been one of my best postpartum recovery tools—if I had known how to do it in a way that worked for my body. 

And that’s exactly the knowledge I want to pass on to you as a babywearing educator.

Here’s how babywearing can actually help postpartum recovery—and how to ensure it’s working for your clients, not against them.

1. Proper Babywearing Can Support Core and Pelvic Floor Recovery

When done with good alignment and an appropriate carrier, babywearing can help a parent’s core and pelvic floor—rather than straining it.

As an educator, encourage your clients to:
✔️ Distribute weight evenly instead of letting the carrier pull their body forward.
✔️ Engage their core naturally by stacking their ribs over their pelvis (rather than arching their back) and unclenching their glutes.
✔️ Use a carrier that provides lumbar support to relieve pressure on the lower back.

💡 Pro Tip: If a parent has diastasis recti, forward-leaning posture in a carrier can increase intra-abdominal pressure, making their condition worse. Encourage neutral alignment and ensure they can breathe freely while wearing.

2. Babywearing Helps Clients Move Without Overexertion

One of the hardest parts of postpartum recovery is that many parents feel stuck—stuck sitting for feedings, stuck in pain, stuck between needing rest and also needing to move.

Babywearing can gently reintroduce movement, which is essential for postpartum healing.

As an educator, guide parents to:
✔️ Start small—short babywearing sessions at home before long outings.
✔️ Move mindfully while babywearing—encouraging breath awareness and alignment.
✔️ Choose a well-supported carrier to prevent tension or poor movement patterns.

Psst - did you know that babywearing counts as  weight-bearing exercise? Check out our blog about it here!

3. Carriers Should Work With a Parent’s Recovery, Not Against It

If a parent has had a C-section or is dealing with pelvic floor concerns, how they babywear matters.

As an educator, be aware that:

•  C-section parents may be sensitive to carriers pressing on their incision. Recommend soft, adjustable carriers that sit higher on the waist or distribute weight evenly. Apron-style carriers can be helpful for these caregivers as well.
•  If a parent experiences pressure or discomfort in their pelvic floor while babywearing, they may need core and pelvic floor support before long-term wearing.
•  A carrier that fits too loosely or pulls forward can lead to increased back and pelvic pain. Proper adjustments matter!

What This Means for Babywearing Consultants

Babywearing is not just about getting a baby comfy in a carrier. It’s about:

•  Helping parents feel comfortable and supported in their own body while they carry.
•  Recognizing that postpartum recovery influences babywearing—and vice versa.
•  Not being afraid to start the conversation about pelvic floor and physical recovery - you might be the only person asking the right questions.
•  Knowing when a client needs carrier adjustments vs. when they need outside referrals.
   

As babywearing consultants, we have a huge opportunity to support new parents in a way that so few professionals do. When we understand how the postpartum body works, we can give our clients the confidence and comfort they deserve. 

Want to Deepen Your Knowledge?

If you want to support postpartum parents more effectively, understanding their body is just as important as understanding babywearing techniques.

📖 Check out our Newborn Babywearing Support Training to gain insights into how babywearing and postpartum recovery intersect.

🎓 Or join our Foundations in Babywearing Education Training to build your expertise and become a consultant who truly supports parents at every stage.