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Have you been carrying your child’s car seat the wrong way? As convenient as car seats are, these clunky and hefty items can leave your back, neck, and shoulders sore if you’re lugging it around all day. Luckily, there’s a clever hack to take the weight off while carrying your baby safely in their car seat. In this article, we’ll show you the best way to carry a car seat.

Things You Should Know

  • Carry the carseat by threading your arm through the handle. The top of the handle rests on your shoulder, and your hand grips the side of the carseat.
  • You can also carry it against your stomach by wrapping your arms around the base of the carseat (as if you are giving it a hug).
  • For especially heavy car seats, choose an option that comes with wheels or a lighter version with a carrying strap.
1

Set the car seat down, facing you.

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  1. Get down on a knee and orient the car seat so that you’re looking at the baby (or would be if the baby were there). Keep the car seat on your dominant side.[1]
    • Most folks find this works best with lighter car seats. If you’ve got a bulkier, heavier car seat, try to avoid carrying it with your baby in it and use both hands to carry it in front of you.
    • A lot of people find this carrying method uncomfortable. This should not hurt. If it does, carry it in front of you with both hands.
    • Careful with the lifting if you’ve just given birth! Wait at least 12 weeks (or more depending on your doctor’s guidance) before you lift heavy weights.[2]
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7

Carry the seat in front of you, instead.

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  1. Wrap both of your arms around the base of the car seat like you’re hugging it. Lift with your legs and raise the car seat up. Hold it against your gut or sternum to balance it as you walk.[8]
    • Have someone else carry your child or transport them separately in a stroller if you’re going to move the car seat this way.
    • You can also carry the car seat by the handle if you prefer. Although, this is likely going to hurt your back if you found the one-arm method too painful.
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About This Article

Julie Wright, MFT
Co-authored by:
Parenting & Baby Sleep Specialist
This article was co-authored by Julie Wright, MFT and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Julie Wright is a Marriage and Family Therapist and the co-founder of The Happy Sleeper, which offers sleep consulting and online baby sleep classes. Julie is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in babies, children, and their parents, and the co-author of two best selling parenting books (The Happy Sleeper and Now Say This) published by Penguin Random House. She created the popular Wright Mommy, Daddy and Me program in Los Angeles, California, which provides support and learning for new parents. Julie's work has been mentioned in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR. Julie received her training at the Cedars Sinai Early Childhood Center. This article has been viewed 24,071 times.
7 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: March 28, 2023
Views: 24,071
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 24,071 times.

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