You don’t have to put up with back pain before and after childbirth, but unfortunately many people do. About a third of pregnant women suffer with back pain during pregnancy, it even has its own initials: PGLBP (pregnancy related low back pain).
Painkillers are of course an option, but a lot of pregnant women choose to limit the toxins they put in their body and look for natural approaches instead.
What hurts?
Most back pain comes from the muscles and joints in your back, which are letting you know they’re under abnormal strain and generally unhappy. As your posture changes and you gain weight (in a very beautiful way!) your back will have more stress that it’s accustomed to.
As you become less mobile in the later stages this will affect it too, since movement is an essential ingredient to keeping your body in good working order. Also around this time the hormone relaxin, which helps the pelvic bones move during childbirth, can affect other joints in the body causing misalignment and pain.
If you are planning on conceiving, this is of course the best time to start looking after yourself. When you’re in good shape, your muscles are toned and strong, and your posture is well aligned before you get pregnant, you’re more likely to have a comfortable pregnancy.
Natural Pain Relief
Ice is a great natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory. A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea-towel will do the trick, or you can get a gel pack for about a fiver which you can use repeatedly (without fear of accidentally eating the multi-defrosted peas!). Put it on for 10 minutes, then back in the freezer and repeat half an hour later.
Putting a pillow between your knees when you sleep can make you more comfortable
Exercise makes a massive difference, by maintaining mobility, strengthening your muscles and also the natural endorphins you get from it. There are lots of classes for mums-to-be, including yoga and water-based ones. If you’re a fan of the gym you can still carry on training by modifying your exercises, even up until the late stages. Ask your gym if they have a personal trainer who specialises in exercise during and after pregnancy.
A fantastic simple exercise which helps immediately is the Cat.
- On all fours, inhale as you arch your back down towards the floor, raising your hips and your head.
- Now exhale as you arch your back upwards, allowing your head to drop down and tucking your tailbone under.
- Do this 10 times, nice and slowly and gently.
There are very effective natural therapies including chiropractic, which help to get your joints and muscles working properly again, and correct your posture. They are safe at any stage of pregnancy and a popular choice of care among many health-minded women.
Alexander Technique is also excellent for learning how to minimise the stress on your body, whether you are sitting, standing or even lying down.
When we see pregnant women in our clinic, something we often notice is a small difference in leg length. This is very common and many people don’t even notice they have it, but it can exaggerate the physical stresses of pregnancy. A small insert in the shoe can make all the difference here.
A Final Note
When your baby has arrived, you can save yourself a lot of discomfort and pain by learning good postural habits from the start. Don’t start carrying your child on the same side all the time or it will throw your back out and be a hard habit to break later. The same goes for your handbag.
If you get any severe pain during pregnancy you should see your GP.
The take-home message here though is that although some discomfort is common, you can feel in control and make this time as enjoyable as possible!
