Back pain is one of the most common pregnancy ailments during the second and third trimester. Though pregnancy back pain is harmless in most cases, it certainly doesn’t add to your enjoyment of the whole experience. What can you do to alleviate back pain?
Sciatica
Sciatic nerve pain is fairly common during the third trimester of pregnancy. It is caused by your heavy uterus, pressing on the sciatic nerve — particularly when the baby settles into the head-down position for birth. Sciatica can be really painful, and it can radiate all through your upper legs.
Rest and relaxation eases sciatic nerve pain for some women, while others find a hot compress in the most painful spot works best. Swimming and prenatal yoga may also alleviate sciatic nerve pain, while a good massage will help you to temporarily feel better.
Posture
Your body goes through so many changes in such a short amount of time during pregnancy, that it’s no wonder that you’ve got a whole host of “negative side effectsâ€. If you don’t want back pain to be one of your pregnancy signs, remember that your center of gravity shifts during pregnancy, and that your posture may not be good.
Keep your back straight, and don’t move backward to balance yourself. Wear suitable prenatal shoes that support your body from the legs up, and go for regular massages if you experience tense shoulders a lot of the time.
Sleeping
Finding a comfortable sleeping position can be really tough when you are expecting a baby, and a weird way of curling up at night can definitely contribute to muscle aches during the daytime! Doctors always recommend that moms-to-be sleep om their left side to maximize the blood flow to the placenta and baby.
A whole-body maternity pillow can actually make this a comfortable position. These super long pillows are also very handy later on, when you want to put your newborn on your bed without the danger he’ll fall off. If you don’t want to invest in a maternity pillow, a collection of a few fairly large pillows may also help you find the support you need during the night.
Exercise
Prenatal exercise serves lots of purposes — it keeps you in good condition, sets you up for an easier labor and birth, and encourages weight loss after pregnancy. Although your looser joints do make sports injuries more likely while you’re expecting, exercising your lower back muscles will almost always improve your back pain.
There are plenty of exercise videos around the web tthat show you how to do strecthes or yoga poses to alleviate lower back pain. Do talk to your OBGYN before strarting a new exercise regime.
Olivia writes about fertility and pregnancy at Trying To Conceive.