3 Common Mistakes Twin Moms Make When Lifting Twin Car Seats (and How to Fix Them Safely)

As a pelvic health physical therapist and twin mom, I’ve been there—standing in a parking lot, staring at two infant car seats, wondering how on earth I’m supposed to get both babies from the car to wherever we’re going without hurting my back.

In those early months of postpartum twin life, I was so overwhelmed by the logistics of twin motherhood that I barely left the house alone with my boys.

I couldn’t figure out how to collapse the twin stroller that the car seats attached to. My husband tried to show me, but I was so nervous about doing it wrong in public that I just… didn’t go out. I was terrified I hadn’t buckled them correctly. Terrified they’d stop breathing while I was driving. The postpartum anxiety was crushing, and the car seat and stroller situation felt like a mountain I couldn’t climb.

So, I stayed home. A lot.

And when I did venture out? I was making every mistake in the book with how I was lifting and carrying those twin car seats. The irony? I’m a physical therapist—I knew better. But knowledge doesn’t always translate when you’re exhausted, anxious, and just trying to survive.

My twin postpartum body started feeling it—my back ached, my pelvic floor wasn’t happy, and I felt weak in a way I’d never experienced before.

If you’re feeling it too—in your back, your pelvic floor, your core—you’re not alone. And you’re probably making one (or all) of these three mistakes I made. Twin mom life is hard enough. If I can make one thing easier for you, I’m here to do it.

Before you dive in, grab my FREE 8-Minute Diastasis Recti-Safe Exercise Guide for Twin Moms — a safe, simple way to begin reconnecting with your core after twins.

The Twin Car Seat + Stroller Struggle

Let’s be honest—navigating twin strollers with car seats is a full-body workout. Whether you’re using a twin stroller for newborns or a setup with two car seats, every outing feels like a puzzle: who to lift first, how to click them in, how to not pull a muscle in the process.

Your postpartum twin pregnancy recovery deserves better than daily strain and discomfort. Understanding how to move well with your healing body makes all the difference.

Mistake #1: Holding Your Breath While You Lift

What it looks like: You see those car seats, brace yourself, hold your breath, and power through the lift with sheer determination.

Why it's wrecking you: When you hold your breath and bear down, you're creating massive intra-abdominal pressure with nowhere to go. That pressure pushes DOWN on your pelvic floor (hello, heaviness and leaking) and OUT on your abdominal wall (making diastasis recti worse).

The fix: Exhale as you lift. I know it sounds too simple, but coordinating your breath with the effort is a game-changer. As you hinge forward to grab the car seat, inhale. As you stand up with the weight, exhale fully. This helps your core and pelvic floor work together instead of fighting each other.

Try this: Practice with something lighter first—a bag of groceries, a laundry basket. Get the pattern down before you're wrangling 20+ pounds of baby + car seat combo.

Mistake #2: Lifting From a Rounded, Twisted Position

What it looks like: You're leaning over sideways into the car, twisting your torso, rounding your back, and yanking the car seat out at an awkward angle.

Why it's wrecking you: Your spine is not designed to lift heavy loads while twisted and flexed. Add in the postpartum core that's still healing? Recipe for back pain, SI joint issues, and compensatory patterns that make everything harder.

The fix: Face the car seat straight-on as much as possible. Hinge at your hips (push your butt back like you're closing a car door with it), keep your spine neutral, and engage your core BEFORE you lift. If you need to twist, move your feet—pivot your whole body instead of twisting from your waist.

Real talk: Sometimes the geometry of twins + car seats + vehicle doesn't allow for perfect form. Do your best, and on the days when it's chaotic, give yourself grace and do some gentle stretching later.

Mistake #3: Carrying Both Car Seats at the Same Time (The Wrong Way)

What it looks like: One car seat in each hand, arms fully extended, shoulders hiked up to your ears, body leaning back to counterbalance the weight. You look like you're water-skiing behind your babies.

Why it's wrecking you: Carrying heavy, asymmetrical loads far from your body puts enormous strain on your shoulders, upper back, and core. Your body has to work overtime to keep you upright, and your pelvic floor often gets gripped and held in a constant state of tension (which can lead to pain and dysfunction).

The fix: If you're carrying both, keep them as close to your body as possible. Engage your core (think: gently draw your lower ribs toward your pelvis), and keep your shoulders down and back. Take breaks—walk a few steps, set the car seats down, take two deep breaths, and start again. This is better than prolonged carrying.

Better option: When you can, use a twin stroller with two car seats or a lightweight twin stroller frame that allows you to click both seats in and roll them together. It’s a game-changer for twin postpartum recovery—less strain on your healing body, more freedom to actually get out of the house.

The Bottom Line

Your body is doing incredible things as a twin mom. You’re healing from a twin pregnancy while lifting, carrying, feeding, and caring for two newborns. That’s no small feat.

These three mistakes aren’t character flaws—they’re just survival-mode habits that show up when you’re exhausted and overwhelmed. But a few small adjustments to how you breathe, position yourself, and carry those twin car seats can save your back, protect your pelvic floor, and help your twin postpartum body feel stronger doing the job you’re already doing.

You’ve got this, twin mama. Let’s make your body feel as strong as you already are.