This is how you should be carrying a car seat
Who knew you could carry car seat this way?
Who knew you could carry car seat this way?
Who knew you could carry car seat this way?
If you ask someone to demonstrate how to hold a car seat, chances are they'll hook it over their arm, propping it up against their hip, and switch when that side of the body gets tired. It looks clunky — and feels even clunkier, especially when you're walking — but hey, that's just how it is, right?
Not according to Dr. Emily Puente, of , in Mansfield, Texas. In a posted to Facebook, Puente demonstrates an alternative way to hold your baby's . Her method distributes the weight of the seat differently, alleviating strain on your back, arms and hips. "It's not going to hurt your shoulder, it's not going to hurt your hip, and you're not going to have to use your knee to swing like I had to do with my two (kids)," Puente explained in the video.
Here's the gist of it. With your baby facing you, loop your arm through the handle and out again, so your hand rests comfortably on the side of the car seat. From there, twist your hand, grab the car seat's base and stand. If you're thinking, "No way will that support the weight of my 15-pound 3-month-old," watch Puente's video below.
Even with the visual, the chiropractor's little model seems to be levitating next to her! It may not look possible according to the laws of physics, but Puente's trick is going to save your back a lot of stress — and allow you to hold the hand of another little one while you're on the go.
"There's a completely different change in how I'm using my body," explained Puente. It sounds like a lot of parents are seeing the difference, with over 5 million views and thousands of parents tagging other parents to let them in on the maneuver.
In an update to her original post, Puente explained that, unfortunately, this trick doesn't work for every parent and every car seat — if you're feeling discomfort while carrying a car seat this way, it's likely that your model just isn't compatible. "I suggest being cleared by your medical professional prior to trying any new regimen if you would like to ensure you are fit to perform actions like the one shown here," she also wrote.
While the method might not work for all, it does "work incredibly well for the majority of those who attempt it," wrote Puente.
Hey, if you have an inextricable crick in your neck after lugging baby all over creation, it's 100 percent worth a shot.
[h/t: ]