Back, pelvic and wrist pain after having a baby
Why back, pelvic and wrist aches are common after birth, practical advice on lifting, feeding and posture, and the symptoms to report to your midwife or GP.
Aches and pains are very common after having a baby. Your body has been through pregnancy and birth, you may be recovering from a caesarean, and you are now lifting, carrying and feeding a baby many times a day, often on little sleep. Most of these aches ease over time, and there is a lot you can do to protect yourself in the meantime.
When to get urgent help
Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you have any of these after giving birth.
- Chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Numbness around the genitals, buttocks or inner thighs, loss of bladder or bowel control, or weakness in both legs
- Very heavy vaginal bleeding, or feeling faint or collapsing
- A painful, swollen, warm leg together with breathlessness or chest pain
What it can feel like
- Lower back or pelvic aching, particularly after lifting, carrying or feeding
- Aching in the neck and shoulders from feeding and holding positions
- Pain at the base of the thumb or on the thumb side of the wrist from lifting and holding the baby
- A feeling of weakness or a gap in the tummy muscles
Common contributors
- The after-effects of pregnancy on the back and pelvis, as the NHS describes for back and pelvic pain in pregnancy
- Repeated lifting, bending, carrying and feeding in awkward positions, often for long periods
- Recovery from a vaginal birth or a caesarean
- Separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis), which some mothers have after birth
- Tiredness and disturbed sleep, which can make aches harder to cope with
General self-care
These are general comfort measures many people find reasonable. They are not a treatment plan, and what suits one person may not suit another.
- A hospital leaflet suggests resting when the baby sleeps, using pillows for support when feeding, sitting well back in chairs, and having changing surfaces and the bath at waist height to avoid bending and straining
- The same leaflet advises not lifting anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 weeks, and avoiding very heavy lifting for about 3 months
- Pelvic floor exercises, done little and often, can be started in the first few days. Gentle deep tummy exercises and pelvic tilts are described in the leaflet
- If the gap between your tummy muscles is more than two fingers wide, avoid activities that make your tummy bulge and ask your GP or health visitor about a referral to a women's health physiotherapist
- Build up walking gradually, and wait for your 6-week check before returning to swimming or more strenuous exercise
When to see your GP
Contact your midwife, health visitor or GP urgently, or call NHS 111, if you have any of the following:
- Difficulty passing urine
- A fever, feeling hot or shivery, or generally unwell
- Back pain with a fever, or pain that is severe or getting worse
- A painful, swollen or warm calf
Consider seeing your GP if:
- Call 999 or go to A&E for chest pain, difficulty breathing, or numbness around the genitals or buttocks, loss of bladder or bowel control, or weakness in both legs
- Contact your midwife, health visitor or GP urgently if you have difficulty passing urine, a fever or feel unwell, heavy bleeding, or a painful swollen calf
- See your GP if back or pelvic pain is severe, getting worse, or has not eased as the weeks go by, and ask about women's health physiotherapy
Where an osteopath fits in
There is limited good-quality research showing that hands-on treatment changes the course of aches and pains after having a baby, so I do not claim that osteopathy treats it.
What an osteopath can usefully do is check your back, pelvis, neck and wrists, advise on lifting, feeding and carrying positions, and suggest a pelvic health or women's health physiotherapist when that is the right next step. I would not treat anything that looks like a wound, infection or a postnatal medical concern, and I would send you back to your midwife or GP. If the assessment suggests you need your GP, a physiotherapist or a specialist instead, I will tell you.
If you would like your symptoms assessed, you are welcome to book an appointment. Osteopathic care is not right for everyone, and if something needs medical attention first, I will tell you.
Common questions
How long should I wait before lifting after having a baby?
A hospital leaflet advises not lifting anything heavier than your baby for 6 weeks and avoiding very heavy lifting for about 3 months, and waiting for your 6-week check before swimming. Follow any advice from your midwife or surgeon, particularly after a caesarean.
Why does my wrist hurt from carrying my baby?
Repeated lifting and holding can irritate the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, sometimes called De Quervain's, or 'mum's thumb'. It is a common reason for wrist pain after birth, and an assessment can confirm what is going on.
What is a gap in my tummy muscles after birth?
Some women have separation between the tummy muscles (diastasis) after pregnancy. A hospital leaflet suggests checking the gap, and, if it is wider than two fingers, avoiding activities that make the tummy bulge and asking your GP or health visitor about a referral to a women's health physiotherapist.
Sources and further reading
Links open in a new tab. Sources were checked in October 2026.
- Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: Advice and exercises following childbirth
- NHS: Back pain in pregnancy
- NHS: Pelvic pain in pregnancy
- NHS: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Related guides
This page is general information to help you understand common aches and pains. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose your problem. If you are worried about your symptoms, please speak to your GP or call NHS 111.