Lifting and carrying a child, picking up toys off of the floor, and pushing a stroller are normal daily tasks for parents and grandparents.  The American Physical Therapy Association  offers this Mother’s Day card to help caregivers  accomplish these daily feats without aches and pains.

Lifting Child From the Floor
When picking your child up off the floor, you should use a half-kneel  lift. First, stand close to your child on the floor.  While keeping your  back straight, place one foot slightly forward of the other foot, and  bend your hips and knees to lower yourself onto one knee.  Once down  on the floor, grasp your child with both arms and hold him/her close  to your body.  Tighten your stomach muscles, push with your legs, and  slowly return to the standing position.  To place your child onto the  floor, the same half-kneel technique should be performed.

Carrying/Holding Child
When holding or carrying your child,  you should always hold him/her  close to your body and balanced  in the center of you body.  Avoid  holding your child in one arm with  him/her balanced on your hip. When using a child carrier, be  sure to keep your back straight  and your shoulders back to avoid  straining your back and neck.

Picking up Toys From the Floor
As a mother, you will find yourself cleaning up after your  child often.  When picking toys up from the floor, keep  your head and back straight, and while bending at your  waist, extend one leg off the floor straight behind you.

Lifting Child Out of Crib
If your child’s crib has a rail that lowers, you will want it in the lowest position. When lifting your child out of the  crib, keep you feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly  bent. Arch your low back and, while keeping your head  up, bend at your hips. With both arms, grasp your child  and hold him/her close to your chest.  Straighten your hips so you are in an  upright position, and then extend  your knees to return to a full  stand. To return your child to  his/her crib, use the same  technique and always  remember to keep your  child close to your  chest.

Pushing a Stroller
When pushing your child in a stroller, you  will want to stay as close to the stroller  as possible allowing your back to remain  straight and your shoulders held back.  The  force to push the stroller should come from  your entire body, not just your arms.  Avoid  pushing the stroller too far ahead of you  because this will cause you to hunch your  back and shoulders forward.

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