New parenthood comes with a certain amount of pain: There's the delivery, of course, and the rather searing experience of learning to breastfeed a newborn. But aside from those delivery-specific pains, the new parent or caregiver might find herself nursing back, shoulder, neck,and wrist pain - all from hauling around the tiny new bundle of joy. But it doesn't have to be this way! To get an idea of how to protect your musculoskeletal system from undue strain, I spoke to Stephanie Leaf, a physical therapist specialising in postpartum issues and the director of New Leaf Physical Therapy, for her best advice on avoiding and treating the pain caused by caring for a newborn.

So far in our online clinic for new parents, we've covered how to hold a baby, how to change a baby's nappy, how to push a stroller, and how to carry a nappy bag without hurting your neck, wrists or back (or at least making the problem worse). This week we're covering another source of postpartum pain: Breastfeeding.

So far in our online clinic for new parents, we've covered how to hold a baby, how to change a baby's nappy, and how to push a stroller without hurting your neck, wrists or back (or at least making the problem worse). This week we're covering another sneaky culprit of postpartum pain: The nappy bag.

Caring for an infant comes with a host of physical ailments, from the typical and predictable (fatigue) to the somewhat unexpected (neck, back and wrist pain). It's amazing how a tiny baby can wreak such havoc on a caregiver's musculoskeletal system, and many new parents find themselves gritting their teeth through all kinds of physical distress.

New parenthood often comes with a certain amount of pain. Some of it is unavoidable - recovering from delivery and breastfeeding injuries takes time. But even if you didn't deliver a baby and you aren't breastfeeding, there is still much pain to be had! My own husband suffered from major wrist and back pain after our first son arrived - niceties such as "alignment" and "bending from the knees" tend to get forgotten in that new-parent fog of war. But over time, awkwardly holding a baby can lead to major issues in the neck, back and wrists.