Pregnancy back pain is probably the worst of all aches and pains that one will eventually suffer throughout their pregnancy. The pain will seem to become increasingly worse as your pregnancy progresses and you experience various discomforts in parts of your body that were never painful before. For example, experiencing pain when sitting still or even sleeping can be very frustrating, especially when you’re a busy pregnant woman who has other things to do on top of enduring the many discomforts of carrying another person inside her own belly!
You are not alone when you’re suffering from maternity back aches. Almost 3/4 of expecting women at some point will endure varying degrees of back aches during pregnancy. It becomes almost an obsession for some to find relief from these pains, especially when they take away from daily activities like exercising!
The problem is that as you start growing larger, your posture is dramatically altered and your center of gravity shifts to new areas – especially in the back and abdominal muscles.
When you’re adding a new center of gravity to your body, which is exactly what babies are doing as they develop. You couple that with the fact that our bodies aren’t built for this sort of weight and movement, and you will find yourself especially scrutinized in places like your lower back (the lumbar region), which actually has to support all of our body’s weight bearing movements – something your baby hasn’t developed for!
When you lift weights your back muscles will be under more stress which will mean your muscles are getting bigger. Over time, by lifting more and more weights, your back muscles will work harder and eventually get tired becoming weaker.
So…
Most people know that you should take care to get plenty of exercise during your pregnancy, but they don’t always realize that once you deliver and return to your normal routine as a mother, it’s going to be difficult to fit any serious workouts into your schedule. It can be guilt-inducing to skip physical activity, especially in order to free up time for your newborn baby, but if you are suffering from any type of perineal pain then it’s imperative that you find some treatments/exercises that will help ease the pain! More than one million American women deal with intractable perineal pain every day, so make sure that after your child is born you don’t add yourself to this statistic!
Pregnancy can be physically demanding, especially towards the final stage. Most medical experts recommend doing simple exercises in order to strengthen and tone your body before you conceive, though it’s never too late to take steps towards better health once you have conceived!
To make your pregnancy more enjoyable, you should include some back stretches in your daily routine, along with weight training exercises to build up muscle strength. For example, you can do abdominal curls to help support the additional weight and lessen strain on your lower back.
It is important to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program, specially if you are already pregnant.
Types of Pregnancy Back Pain…
There are two types of back pain due to pregnancy- lumbar pain, and posterior pelvic pain. Both can really knock you out of your game for a while but are easily treated if you know how.
And, both are made worse (or better) depending on your posture!
With your pregnancy come different aches and pains as well as a growing body. One thing many pregnant women experience is lower back pain so most doctors recommend attempting to maintain good posture because it can help to alleviate any pressure that would otherwise be felt on your spine (your doctor will warn you not to lift anything heavy which can place additional strain on your body). While standing up, do not slouch and make sure you’re standing straight and tall!
As we mention before, posture is important and will make you feel better! Stretching out your body – even when seated for an extended period of time – can help prevent your muscles from getting tight. Do yoga!
Pregnancy Back Pain Exercises…
As you get further into your pregnancy, certain exercises that you used to do in the past may no longer be something that would be beneficial. However, there are other exercises and stretches that can continue to improve your overall health and wellbeing – such as specific lunges and torso twists.
While working out, remember to keep it gentle. It’s not good to just toss around your body or let it bounce towards your target of choice. It’s best to take it slowly and gently so as to build up muscle tissue rather than tear it away. It’s well worth the effort!
When lifting, please take care and keep a safe distance between yourself and the object you’re moving so that if it suddenly falls from its perch, you will not get injured.
While you’re pregnant, your body may change and find yourself more comfortable when sleeping on your side. One way to assure a good night’s slumber is to have a pillow between your legs. While this will provide some relief from the pressure building in your pelvic and sacral region, it’s important to make sure you remove this pillow before turning over or waking up, as an increased flow of blood can occur and lead to clotting in the legs.
We all know the importance of a massage and that it feels great when someone else rubs your back (especially if you have a willing partner who will do it for you :) you know how important blood flow is in the body and releasing some of that built-up tension. A good chair can really be of great help in this case sitting in one every day as much as you can. Chair massages are like no other, again so much tension released from this!
During pregnancy, it’s important not just to take care of your back pain but to seek ways to actively maintain a healthy body. It may seem like a bad excuse, but if certain movements are painful or uncomfortable during pregnancy you must try and fight through the pain – it’s all worth it in the end!
Exercise is an important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle, and swimming takes that to the next level. Swimming may be a great way for women who are expecting to stay in shape and maintain their fitness goals, or it could even aid with easing back pain in pregnant mothers as well. When you’re pregnant, it’s not recommended to use hot tubs because they can retain bacteria (and let’s be honest, sometimes these things can get kind of gross!) .
Walk with a definite goal in mind rather than wandering aimlessly or pacing your room or office. You will be much more energized if you are headed somewhere and have a purpose for making that walk.
Pregnancy Back Pain – Changes…
When it comes to dealing with pregnancy pains, there are many simple factors that can be changed for the better. For example, altering your sitting position often can improve the lower back pain.
If you’re expecting a baby, you should avoid wearing high heel shoes as much as possible (and even when you’re not!) for the health of your back!
When you’re pregnant, it’s very important to be conscious of minimizing the activities that trigger your pregnancy back pain because sitting for prolonged periods especially when this occurs as a result of having to deal with work all day is one of the major factors for aggravating pregnancy back discomfort. In order to accomplish this, it would be best if you can get up and move as much as possible during the day. If you are diligent on working towards having a healthy pregnancy, then you will find yourself in a much better situation in the long run.
If you make sure to remain fit and healthy in the weeks leading up to and during pregnancy, your levels of back pain during pregnancy will likely be decreased significantly.
