Mummy Thumb: Wrist Pain From Lifting Your Baby
It starts as a twinge at the base of your thumb when you scoop your baby out of the cot. A few weeks later it hurts to lift the kettle, open a jar or do up a car seat buckle. Lots of new parents get this, and it has earned a nickname: mummy thumb. Dads and grandparents can get it too. The good news is that there is a lot you can do to take the strain off your wrist, and help is available if it does not settle.
I am a personal trainer, not a doctor or hand therapist. This post is general information and practical lifting tips. If you have wrist or thumb pain, please see your GP or a physio for a proper diagnosis.
What is mummy thumb?
“Mummy thumb” is the everyday name usually given to a condition called De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. It affects the tendons that move your thumb, where they pass through a narrow tunnel on the thumb side of your wrist. When they get irritated, the area becomes painful and sometimes swollen.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a short guide to De Quervain’s tenosynovitis that explains it can make everyday tasks difficult and can be aggravated by overusing the hand. Common signs include:
- Pain at the base of the thumb and the thumb side of the wrist.
- Pain that is worse when gripping, pinching or twisting, like wringing out a cloth.
- Some swelling in that area.
- Pain that spreads into the thumb or up the forearm.
Why new parents get it
Think about how you pick up a baby. Most of us make an “L” shape with our thumb and fingers, slide our hands under the baby’s armpits and lift. That position puts the thumb tendons under load, often dozens of times a day. Add in feeding positions, pushing a buggy with bent wrists, carrying a car seat and broken sleep, and those small tendons get very little rest. The cause is not fully understood, and it is more common in women, but repeated gripping and lifting does seem to make it worse.
Safer ways to lift your baby
These changes are small, but they make a real difference to how much load goes through your thumb.
- Scoop, do not pinch. Instead of lifting under the armpits with your thumbs spread, slide one hand under the bottom and the other behind the back and head, palms up. Your whole forearm takes the weight.
- Keep your thumb next to your fingers. When you hold your baby, try a flat hand rather than a wide “L”.
- Bring your baby close before you lift. Lifting at arm’s length multiplies the strain on your wrists. Get close, bend your knees and lift with your legs.
- Swap sides. Alternate which arm carries and which hand does the lifting.
- Use a pillow when feeding so you are not supporting your baby’s head with a bent wrist for long periods.
- Grip the buggy with straight wrists. Adjust the handle height if you can.
- Use a sling or carrier for longer walks to give your hands a break, if it suits you and your baby.
When to see a GP
See your GP or a physio if:
- The pain has not eased after a couple of weeks of changing how you lift.
- It is stopping you caring for your baby or doing normal tasks.
- You have a lot of swelling, numbness, tingling or weakness.
- The pain started after a fall or injury.
Treatment may include a splint to rest the thumb, exercises from a hand therapist and, for some people, an injection. Please do not start stretches or strengthening exercises for a painful wrist until a professional has checked it. Some movements can make it more irritated.
Training with a sore thumb and wrist
You can usually keep exercising while your wrist recovers. The aim is to keep the rest of your body strong while giving your thumb a break. Here is how I adapt sessions for a sore thumb and wrist.
Moves to avoid or swap for now
| Painful move | Thumb-friendly swap |
|---|---|
| Push-ups on flat hands | Forearm plank, or wall push-ups only if they are pain-free |
| Holding dumbbells | Resistance band looped over the forearm, or a backpack on your back |
| Kettlebell swings | Glute bridges or band pull-throughs |
| Plank on hands | Plank on forearms |
| Boxing and pad work | Leg-based cardio for now, like step-ups or marching |
A 15-minute thumb-friendly workout
Do 3 rounds, resting when you need to:
- Bodyweight squats, arms crossed over your chest, 12 reps.
- Forearm plank, 20 to 30 seconds.
- Glute bridges, 12 reps.
- Reverse lunges, hands on hips, 8 each leg.
- Dead bugs, 6 slow reps each side.
Once your GP or physio is happy, you can bring grip work back gradually. My post on grip strength exercises has ideas for later on, and arm strength for mums shows how to build stronger arms for all that carrying once you are pain-free.
Where a bootcamp class fits
In a small class, I can swap out anything that loads your wrist and still give you a proper workout. Just let me know at the start. Leg strength, core and cardio work can all carry on. If you want an easy start while your wrist settles, my SYP Unlock hip and back mobility class uses very little grip. For more ideas you can do at home with your little one, try my workouts with a baby.
FAQs
How long does mummy thumb last?
It varies. For some people it eases within weeks once they change how they lift. For others it lasts longer and needs treatment. See your GP if it is not improving.
Can dads get it too?
Yes. Anyone who repeatedly lifts a baby with their thumbs spread can get it, although it is more common in women.
Should I wear a thumb splint?
A splint can help rest the thumb, but how long to wear it depends on you. Ask your GP or hand therapist before using one.
Can I still exercise with De Quervain’s?
Usually yes, as long as you avoid moves that load the thumb and wrist. Swap to forearm planks, leg work and band exercises over the forearm.
Book your first class
If you want a workout that works around a sore wrist, come along and tell me what you need. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in a church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people and £15 a class. Every exercise has an easier and harder option. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would prefer training planned around an injury one-to-one, read about my injury-safe personal training in Archway.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
