Mommy Thumb: Why Your Wrist Hurts When You Pick Up Your Baby | Postnatal Chiropractic Toronto

With the amazing Dr. Mallory Samuels

You’ve got the baby. You’ve got the diaper bag. You’ve got approximately 47 things to carry, somehow only two free hands, and a coffee you reheated three times. And now your wrist hurts.

If you’re experiencing pain along the thumb side of your wrist after having a baby, you may be dealing with what’s commonly called “Mommy Thumb” or “Mom Wrist.” Its medical name is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and it’s incredibly common during the postpartum period.

It’s also not just a “mom” thing. Dads, grandparents, and anyone spending their days repeatedly lifting, feeding, carrying and caring for a baby can develop it too.

The good news? You don’t necessarily have to just put up with it until your baby starts walking.

So, What Exactly Is Mommy Thumb?

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis involves two tendons that run along the thumb side of your wrist: the abductor pollicis longus (APL) and extensor pollicis brevis (EPB).

These tendons help your thumb move and stabilize, and they pass through a small tunnel near your wrist. When the tendons and surrounding tissue become irritated, movement through that space can become painful. And suddenly, things that used to be completely mindless become very noticeable.

You might experience:

• Pain or tenderness along the thumb side of your wrist

• Pain when gripping, pinching, lifting or twisting

• Discomfort when moving your thumb

• Swelling around the base of your thumb or wrist

• Pain when lifting or holding your baby

• Aching that travels into your thumb or forearm

• A general feeling that your wrist is just… not happy

  
  

Why Does Mommy Thumb Happen After Having a Baby?

Honestly? Babies are heavy. And you pick them up approximately a million times a day.

Okay, maybe not a million. But it can certainly feel that way. Think about how you lift your baby from the crib. You may instinctively spread your thumbs wide, scoop underneath them and angle your wrists as you lift.

Then you do it again.

And again.

And again.

Add in feeding, diaper changes, transferring baby in and out of the car seat, carrying a carrier, pushing a stroller, pumping, contact naps, and holding your baby for what feels like an entire Netflix series.

Your hands and wrists are doing a lot of repetitive work.

Pregnancy and postpartum changes can also play a role. Fluid retention and hormonal changes may influence the tissues around the wrist, potentially making them more susceptible to irritation. And, unlike many repetitive strain injuries, you can’t exactly stop doing the thing that’s irritating it.

Your baby still needs to be fed, changed, cuddled, and carried. So, rather than telling a new parent to simply “rest your wrist,” we want to find ways to make those necessary movements more comfortable and sustainable.

A Few Small Changes That Can Help

Sometimes the little things make the biggest difference.

When lifting your baby, try to:

• Keep your wrists as neutral as possible, rather than repeatedly bending them to the side

• Use your palms and forearms to support your baby instead of relying heavily on your thumbs

• Bring your baby closer to your body before lifting

• Use both arms when possible

• Alternate feeding and carrying positions

• Use pillows or supports during feeding

• Be mindful of how much time you spend gripping your phone, especially while holding your baby

  
  

The goal isn't to become hyper-aware of every single movement you make. You already have enough to think about. Instead, look for the movements you repeat dozens of times a day and see where you can make a small adjustment. A temporary thumb or wrist support may also be helpful for some people. And, if your pain is persistent, worsening, or interfering with caring for your baby, it’s worth getting it assessed rather than trying to push through.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Mommy Thumb?

At Frame, we don't just look at the spot that hurts and call it a day.

Your wrist doesn't work in isolation. Your thumb, hand, forearm, elbow, shoulder, and upper back all work together every time you lift, carry, or feed your baby. When you come in with wrist or thumb pain, we’ll look at the bigger picture — including how you're moving, what you're doing repeatedly throughout the day, and what might be contributing to the irritation.

Depending on what we find, your care may include:

Manual Therapy & Soft Tissue Work

Hands-on treatment can help address tension and sensitivity in the muscles and tissues of the hand and forearm and support more comfortable movement.

Joint-Focused Care

Where appropriate, chiropractic care may address mobility and function in the wrist, hand, elbow or other areas of the upper extremity.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may be incorporated into your treatment when appropriate, using fine needles to target specific muscles, nerves and areas involved in pain and movement.

Exercise & Rehabilitation

Your wrist has a job to do — and eventually, we want it to be able to do that job comfortably.

Specific exercises can help gradually build strength, mobility and tolerance for the everyday demands of parenting.

Real-Life Movement Modifications

This is a big one.

We can look at the actual things that are aggravating your symptoms and figure out how to modify them.

How are you lifting your baby out of the crib?

How are you holding them during a feed?

How are you carrying them when they're determined to be held right now?

How are you managing the car seat?

Because the best plan is one that actually works in your life.

Looking Beyond the Wrist

Sometimes the wrist isn't the whole story. The way your shoulder, elbow, forearm and upper back are moving can influence how much work your hand and wrist have to do. Looking at the whole chain can help us understand what's contributing to your symptoms and build a more complete treatment plan.

Why Consistency Matters

With repetitive strain injuries, one treatment or one exercise usually isn't the whole answer — especially when you're continuing to lift a growing baby 25 times a day.

The goal of care isn't to tell you to stop using your wrist forever.

It's to reduce irritation, improve how things are moving, and gradually build your capacity back up.

As your symptoms improve, treatment can shift from simply helping things feel better toward building strength, endurance and confidence in your everyday movements.

And this matters because the physical demands of parenting don't exactly disappear as your baby grows.

They just… get heavier.

When Should You Have Mommy Thumb Assessed?

You don't need to wait until picking up your baby becomes unbearable before asking for help.

Consider having your wrist assessed if:

• Pain is interfering with lifting or caring for your baby

• Your symptoms are getting worse

• You're changing how you use your hand because of pain

• You notice swelling or weakness

• Your pain isn't improving despite modifying aggravating activities

• You're not sure whether what you're experiencing is actually De Quervain's tenosynovitis

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It's also important to remember that not every case of thumb or wrist pain is Mommy Thumb.

An assessment can help determine what's actually contributing to your symptoms, whether chiropractic care is appropriate, and whether another healthcare provider or additional treatment would be helpful.

You Don't Have to Put Your Pain at the Bottom of the List

We know how easy it is. Baby comes first. Then laundry. Then feeding. Then work. Then the dishes that somehow appeared again. Then maybe — if there is time — you think about your own aching wrist.

But your body deserves some attention too.

When the same movements that cause your pain are also the movements required to care for your baby, ignoring it doesn't necessarily make it go away.

Early assessment, small changes to repetitive movements, appropriate treatment and progressive rehabilitation can help you get back to doing the things you need and want to do with more comfort and confidence.

At Frame Fidelity, we care for people through pregnancy, postpartum recovery and all of the wonderfully physical stages of raising tiny humans. If your wrist hurts when you pick up your baby, your thumb is complaining every time you buckle the car seat, or you have a postpartum ache that just isn't settling, you don't have to white-knuckle your way through it.

Book an appointment with one of our postnatal chiropractors to have your symptoms assessed and find a plan that works for your body — and your very busy life.

Mallory Samuels, D.C.