Do you have an aching back? After months of playing home to your growing baby, your expanding belly may finally be taking a toll on your backside. If you’ve been experiencing any type of discomfort that’s preventing you from sleeping, walking, or sitting, then you know exactly how unpleasant the feeling can be.
These aches and pains are largely associated with softening of ligaments between the pelvic bones, and your joints loosening in preparation for childbirth. While this diagnosis may offer some peace of mind, it doesn’t mean you need to suffer in silence.
A study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that 69 percent of participants experienced back pain during their pregnancies. A majority of them claimed that it caused sleep disturbances.
Here are five recommendations for temporary relief of pregnancy-related back pain before delivery.
Nighttime may be when you feel the most uncomfortable and your back pain is at its worst. The ideal position is to sleep with one or both knees bent. You may also benefit from using support pillows between your knees, under your abdomen, and behind your back. Whenever possible, opt for sleeping on your left side, which allows for unobstructed blood flow and helps your kidneys flush waste away from your body.
Your center of gravity shifts as your belly grows. To prevent yourself from falling forward, you may inadvertently lean back. That puts undue pressure on your back. To maintain proper posture, keep your shoulders back and hold your chest high.
And if you need to pick something up off of the floor, don’t bend at the waist. Instead, squat down, bend your knees, and keep your back straight.
Ditch those high heels for the time being in favor of more supportive footwear. Flat, sensible shoes put less pressure on your feet. And since your tired tootsies are probably swollen from retaining more fluids, the right shoes can alleviate any discomfort. And whenever you’re not on your feet, be sure to keep them elevated.
Being active can help strengthen your muscles and prevent back discomfort. Gentle exercise, such as walking, swimming, and stationary bicycling up to three times a week helps ease muscle pain and gives you an energy boost.
If you’re at home with another young child or unable to get out of the house, try stretching your lower back at home. Simply rest on your hands and knees with your head in line with your back. Then, pull in your stomach, rounding your back. Hold this position for several seconds, then relax your stomach and back. If possible, you can work up to 10 repetitions of this position.
If you weren’t exercising prior to your pregnancy, check with your doctor first.
Prenatal yoga, another form of physical activity, offers tremendous health benefits for expectant moms, including back pain relief. If you’ve never taken a yoga class before, you’ll learn different breathing techniques, gentle stretching, and poses that will help develop your balance and ways to cool down and relax. Aside from helping with back discomfort, these stages of yoga will also come in handy during labor and delivery.
While practicing yoga during your pregnancy, it’s important to concentrate on either prenatal yoga or Hatha (gentle) yoga. Other more popular forms of yoga, such as Bikram (a type of hot) yoga, incorporate more advanced poses in a heated setting, and may put expectant women at risk for an elevated body temperature (hyperthermia).
Once you’ve chosen a yoga program designed for pregnant women, take the proper precautions when posing. Be sure to bend from your hips, and not your back. Try to avoid lying on your belly or back, and stay away from any poses that put pressure on your abdomen.
If you are engaged in any twist poses, focus on only moving your upper back, shoulders, and rib cage. Finally, don’t try any inverted positions that involve extending your legs above your heart and head. It’s best to save those types of poses for postpartum yoga, once you’ve gotten the “all clear” from your doctor.
