Anyone who has ever carried an infant car seat knows how clunky and awkward it can be, even just hauling the seat across a parking lot or up a driveway.
Plus, those seats can be heavy -- and even more back-breaking when you add in the precious cargo that sits inside: a growing baby!
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It’s not clear how exactly you should best hold the infant seat with the baby inside: Should you loop your arm through, like a picnic basket? (That can lead to some bruising if you let it hit your thigh as you walk). Or just keep your arm straight and walk quickly, hoping you don’t lose your grip?
Wait! There’s a better way, said Dr. Emily Puente of Bridge Family Chiropractic in Mansfield, Texas.
Rather than hooking her elbow through the handle of the car seat, she slides her hand through the handle and down toward the base of the seat, then twists her wrists and lifts it up from the bottom.
“As soon as we switch to this,” she explains while demonstrating, “it’s a completely different change in how I’m using my body, to be able to use and distribute this weight from this carrier to be able to carry it around.”
The move Puente makes to take hold of the car seat looks crazy at first -- but this odd-looking body positioning could actually make your life so much easier.
Watch for yourself above. The video has been viewed millions of times since Puente first posted it on Facebook, with tens of thousands of shares.
The only thing we’ll add is this: What works for one parent might not work for another. Although Puente's video seems ingenious, consider your own body and any possible limitations.
Puente also posted an update on her video, saying the following: “It has been brought to my attention that one viewer experienced discomfort when attempting this maneuver. I am sorry to hear that and so I wanted to share that due to so many different makes and models of car seats, it is likely that this method won't work for all seats. This was merely an attempt to pass along a creative idea that was shared and works incredibly well for the majority of those who attempt it.
"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.”
This seems so simple and smart. Why didn’t we think of it sooner?
Tell us in the comments, parents: Would you try this? Or is there a better way?
h/t Scary Mommy
