Written by Ainslee Roughan, Chiropractor, child motor development & parent educator. 

Edwards & Co have released their new double stroller called Olive, and with it comes a feature (other than being a double) that I am very excited about - the Upper Adapters. Okay, that name isn’t overly exciting, but stay with me; let me tell you why these excite me.

Parents of new babies get thrown into a world of body movement that is unparallel to anything they have experienced before having a newborn. Even if you have older children, having a newborn again still changes your movement patterns dramatically after the arrival of your newest bundle of joy. 

After being pregnant, the body takes time to recover. It is within normal limits to:

• Have some degree of abdominal separation – this may mean your core is not as strong as it once was, and in some cases, this can leave the lower back feeling vulnerable. 
• Take time to be able to switch on and use your core again after giving birth. This is especially prevalent for those who had an abdominal birth (c-section). 

It is for the reasons above that, where possible, we want to treat our bodies with kindness and support. We can do this simply by decreasing the load we place on our body in our day-to-day movements, such as bending to pick up our baby from the bassinet.  

If we can alter some of our daily movement patterns by even 20%, then it will decrease the overall load on our body by 20%. These small movement changes are tiny in the moment but can create a significant shift overall in how a body feels and functions while recovering from birth.  

There is a time and place for loading, like in the gym, but in the gym, you focus on loading with good form; otherwise, you increase the risk of injury. Unfortunately, often in the movements that come with parenting, good form goes out the window! 

So, what does all of the above have to do with the Upper Adapters?

The Upper Adapters on the new Olive stroller allow parents to use the bassinet at a higher level. You can use this Edwards & Co set up around your home throughout the day to facilitate less bending to pick up and put down your baby. This small change in height to the bassinet will equal less loading on the body overall. This is a prime example of ways you can decrease load throughout a day which may help with recovery and how your body feels.   

Let’s break it down; a typical bassinet height is roughly 53cm from the floor to the top of the mattress. However, the mattress height of the bassinet on the Olive stroller with the Upper Adapters is 67cm from the floor. This means, on average, using the Upper Adapters lifts the bassinet by 14cm more than the typical bassinet height. Trust me, that 14cm can make a big difference in loading, especially if you have had an abdominal birth.

The Upper Adapters will be significantly more beneficial for taller parents. Still, the brilliance of this feature is that you have options, you can use the Upper Adapters and raise the height, or you can leave them off and utilize the lower height. Options are key when purchasing baby equipment, and I appreciate the thought and detail that has gone into this feature by Edwards & Co.  

Here is my top tip for lifting your little one in and out of the Edwards & Co bassinet on the Upper Adapters:

1. Stand beside the pram perpendicular to the pram with your stomach gently touching the bassinet side; this means you will likely tuck your feet just under the pram. 

2. Lean forward, lift the baby to your chest, and then stand upright.

These simple changes, i.e. adding height to the bassinet with the Upper Adapters and then changing your body position to lift your baby in and out of the bassinet, will decrease the overall load. Think about how many times in a week you will do this one movement in a day, and now imagine how much impact this could be having on recovery? 

If you would like to know more about how to lift your baby from the ground in a way that supports healing after birth then checkout the @ainsleechiro page for more information. 

Make sure you share this article with a friend who might find it useful and follow @ainsleechiro for more tips and tricks like this!