Is your neck pain stopping you from sleeping and feeding your baby?
It’s more common than you think.
You’ve just had a baby — your body is healing, your life has changed, and you’re spending hours feeding, rocking, and staring down at that sweet little face. And then, somewhere between diaper changes and middle-of-the-night feeds, your neck and shoulders start to ache.
If you’re feeling postpartum neck pain, you are not alone. In fact, it’s one of the most common complaints I see in new parents — and there’s a good reason for it.
Why Neck Pain Happens Postpartum
Your body has been through months of pregnancy changes, followed by the physical and emotional demands of caring for a newborn. This can set the stage for neck discomfort in several ways:
Core and postural muscle weakness — Pregnancy stretches your abdominal muscles and can alter the way your core supports your spine. Without a stable core, your neck, shoulders, and upper back pick up the slack — leading to extra tension and fatigue.
Prolonged forward head posture — Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, your head naturally tips forward and down to see your baby. Even small changes in head angle can put significant strain on the muscles in the back of your neck.
Hormonal changes — Relaxin, a hormone that loosens your ligaments during pregnancy, remains in your system for months postpartum. This means your joints have less stability, and your muscles must work harder to support you.
Sleep deprivation and stress — Both can cause muscles to hold more tension, especially in the neck, shoulders, and jaw.
Posture While Feeding
Whether you’re nursing or bottle feeding, posture plays a big role in how your neck feels. Here’s what tends to happen:
You lean forward to bring your chest toward your baby instead of bringing the baby to you.
Shoulders round forward and up toward your ears, creating upper back and shoulder tension.
Your gaze is fixed downward for long periods, shortening the muscles in the front of your neck and overstretching the muscles in the back.
Quick fix: Try supporting your baby with pillows or a nursing cushion so you can sit tall and keep your shoulders relaxed. Keep your back supported, feet on the floor, and bring baby up to you, not the other way around.
Where Tightness Can Occur
Postpartum neck pain isn’t just about the neck itself — it’s often part of a bigger chain of tightness:
Upper trapezius: The “shoulder shrug” muscles that tighten when your shoulders creep toward your ears.
Pectorals (chest muscles): These shorten from hours of forward-rounded posture.
Thoracic spine (mid-back): Stiffness here makes it harder to sit upright, so your neck has to work harder to hold your head up.
Suboccipitals (base of the skull): Tiny muscles that ache when your head stays tipped forward.
Deep core and postural muscles: Weakness here forces your neck and upper back to compensate for stability.
3 Exercises to Help Relieve Neck Pain Postpartum
These exercises target the root causes of neck pain — not just the symptoms — by improving posture, mobility, and strength.
1. Thoracic Mobility: Standing or Seated T-Spine Extension
Purpose: Restores movement in your upper back so your neck and shoulders don’t overwork.
2. Pec Mobility: Doorway Pec Stretch
Purpose: Opens up the chest to counteract forward rounding and reduce shoulder tension.
3. Core & Scapular Strength: Rows
Purpose: Strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades so they can support better posture.
The Bottom Line
Postpartum neck pain is common, but it’s not something you have to live with. By adjusting your feeding posture, releasing tight muscles, and building strength where you need it most, you can ease pain and protect your neck as you care for your baby.
And here’s the real secret: neck pain relief often requires more than just stretching your neck — it means restoring your core and postural strength so your whole body can work together again. That’s exactly what my Postpartum Strengthening Program is designed to do — rebuild from the inside out, so you can feel strong, supported, and pain-free in your everyday life (and while snuggling that baby).
You don’t have to walk it alone, and it doesn’t have to be confusing. Having the right, progressive program, can make all the difference in your recovery, and I’ve set it all up for you already!
Check out my Postpartum Programming on ReBlume (for only $97) to feel strong and painfree again!
