When we say that growing a life inside of you is hard work, we mean it. Not only do you have to sustain and support yourself, but you also have to do it for a tiny human, which can be both exhilarating and exhausting.
One of the main complaints of almost every pregnant woman is back pain. It comes in all shapes and sizes, at different times throughout the day, and leaves you feeling just plain uncomfortable.
Luckily, not only is this very common, but there are simple things you can do to try and alleviate some of that pain you’re feeling.
What’s Going On?
Why a woman has back pain depends on a lot of different variables, one of the key ones being the size and position of the baby in the body.
Some other reasons why you could be experiencing back pain include:
- Weight Gain: It’s very healthy for a woman to gain anywhere from 20-30 pounds during her pregnancy. That weight now has to be supported by the spine, which can cause lower back pain.
- Stress: As we said, growing a human and preparing for one isn’t easy. Stress can play a huge factor in how your body reacts to being pregnant, leading to muscle tension.
- Muscle Separation: As the baby grows and stretches your uterus, you may experience muscle separation of the abdomen. The abs support your back, so it’s common to experience back pain if this happens.
- Posture Changes: Being pregnant makes your body shift its gravity, causing you to slowly change your posture, especially during the later weeks of your pregnancy, to try to accommodate your growing baby.
Of course, as a rule of thumb, you should be mentioning your back pain to your doctor and monitoring its level of intensity and location.
What Can You Do?
The No. 1 thing you can do about your back is not to worry. You need to be as relaxed and stress-free as possible for not only for your baby but for your mental health as well.
There are some pretty easy things you can do yourself—and some with the help of your doctor—to alleviate your back pain. Some options include:
- Chiropractic Care: A great option for many pregnant women is chiropractic care. There are various methods, but all are focused on relieving muscle tension and working out those kinks that pregnancy creates throughout your back.
- Gentle Exercise: Simply walking or doing light stretching every day can help your muscles stay stretched out and relaxed rather than tight and uncomfortable.
- Sleeping on Your Side: Try sleeping on your side more, whichever side feels the best. And consider investing in a pregnancy pillow—it goes between your legs and allows your back and legs to be supported while you sleep.
- Resting Often: Don’t be afraid to sit down every chance you get and put your feet up. This helps relieve the stress on your back.
- Supportive Shoes: If you are going to be standing and moving, make sure you have supportive tennis shoes with low heels and support arches. This will help your spine support your new body.
When to Worry
If you start to experience back pain or discomfort at any point in your pregnancy, even the first trimester, you should consult with your doctor. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, and it probably will make you less stressed.
However, there are times when you should give your doctor a call, such as if you experience vaginal bleeding, uterine tightening, or sporadic, sharp back pain out of nowhere. This will help ensure everything is fine with you and your baby.
Here to Help
The professionals at Stucky Chiropractic are here to help make your pregnancy as comfortable and easy as possible. Our various service options provide pregnant women the chance to get relief from stubborn back pain through massage care, acupuncture or chiropractic spinal care.
If you want to see how chiropractic care can help you feel better during your pregnancy, reach out to us on our website today.