Along with nausea, swollen feet, and late-night food cravings, people often underestimate the burden of lower back pain that affects over two-thirds of all pregnant women. The good news is- this typically means the baby is growing! There are times, however, when the lower back pain can be serious and life-threatening to the baby. Because of this, it is important to listen to what your body is telling you and be knowledgeable about lower back pain in pregnancy, including knowing when to talk to your doctor.
Back pain can start anywhere from the first trimester to the third. Lower back pain in pregnancy usually falls into one of two categories:
There are several factors that can come into play when it comes to lower back in pregnancy. First and foremost, the mommy-to-be is gaining weight! As a reminder, here is how much weight is healthy for our pregnant moms to gain:
1. Changes in posture and hormones: Biomechanics refers to our body’s posture and the way our joints move. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body’s biomechanics will change throughout the entire pregnancy. In the second half of pregnancy especially, a woman’s center of gravity changes. Hormones are relaxing the ligaments in the joints of the pelvis to prepare for childbirth, causing lower back pain.
2. Weight gain is the leading cause of lower back pain in pregnancy since all the extra weight must be carried at the spine.
3. Believe it or not, stress can also be a contributing factor in lower back pain in pregnancy. The emotional stress can not only cause pain, but full-fledged back spasms.
4. Sciatica, which is back pain due to an irritated sciatic nerve, is another possible, but rarer, cause of lower back in pregnancy- especially in the third trimester and in women who had chronic back pain prior to pregnancy.
Although lower back pain affects 50-80% of pregnant women, there are times when lower back pain can be serious to both mom and baby’s health. Back pain can be a sign of preterm labor or a urinary tract infection.
A woman should contact her doctor if she experiences lower back pain in pregnancy for longer than two weeks. A doctor should be notified immediately for symptoms such as vaginal bleeding or irregular discharge, burning during urination, feeling pins and needles or numbness in limbs, recurring cramping pains, and severe, abrupt pain.
In rare cases, lower back pain can be a sign of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis, which is a condition where a woman’s bones become extremely fragile in pregnancy and can break easily. Women who have low bone density before they become pregnant may be more susceptible to the condition.
Ask your doctor about taking a safe over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol. Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, Aspirin, Motrin, Advil, and Aleve are typically not advised because they can be harmful to the development of the baby’s heart
Sometimes the back pain that a pregnant woman experiences is inevitable and very little can be done to provide long-term relief. Here’s the good news- the body will naturally go back to normal shortly after childbirth. Physical therapy may be recommended if back pain is still severe two weeks after giving birth.
Women who experience back pain in pregnancy may also experience postpartum back pain after the baby is born, which is a normal sign that hormones are starting to re-regulate. This can last at least an additional six weeks. Breastfeeding moms may experience postpartum back pain for even longer, since pregnancy hormones continue to cycle through the body.
Women who deliver their babies via c-section often have less pelvic floor problems than women who deliver vaginally but make up for it by experiencing weakened abs.
How to fix- do not do any movements that involve sit-ups or abdominal crunches. We naturally use our abs just to get out of bed. Try to roll to the side first and push yourself up. The following exercises are also recommended:
As we’ve learned, growing and birthing a baby affects a woman’s posture. After childbirth, new moms must adjust to lifting the baby, breastfeeding, leaning over cribs, and constantly maneuvering car seats, strollers, and heavy diaper bags. The following tips may help to subside postpartum back pain:
If you need help managing your lower back pain, the first step is getting the right medical team of professionals on your side.
That’s where we come in. We understand lower back pain during pregnancy may be difficult to handle. We’ll identify the causes of your pain through a complimentary free screening before arranging the right kind of physical therapy for you.
Click here to make an appointment at Premier Physical Therapy or request a free screening with one of our physical therapists by filling out the form below. Take a look at our various physical therapy locations, discover the right treatment tailored for you and achieve relief from lower back pain and enjoy the miracle of pregnancy pain-free!