Pregnancy is a time of extreme…
For some, it is a beautifully unique time where the heart’s capacity to love exceeds what was once thought possible.
For others, it is a time of seemingly never-ending gas, sweat, tears, and full body discomfort.
For most, it is both.
As a chiropractor for pregnant moms, I’ve seen the skepticism many moms have about continuing chiropractic care during pregnancy and I’ve seen how patients who continue chiropractic care have enviable pregnancies. Pain and discomfort are inevitable when one essentially has a parasite growing bigger by the day, taking up space, and demanding nutrients. But pain and discomfort don’t have to define each trimester.
One of the most common issues our patients have during pregnancy is back pain.
There’s the unfathomable weight gain, a dramatic shift in the body’s center of gravity, and a bunch of bizarre hormones that relax joints and ligaments. Even with these dramatic…
…it is possible to ease and, even, prevent back pain during pregnancy. Here are seven things to consider, if back pain is a pregnancy experience that is not high on one’s list.
Practice Good Posture
Posture is critical to overall wellness, regardless of whether or not someone’s womb is housing an alien life form. When our posture collapses, our body compensates in ways that lead to pain and dysfunction. The spine can shift out of alignment putting pressure on the nervous system, our muscles become unbalanced creating the useless combination of weakness and tightness, and our internal organs get squished (medical term) and are unable to function optimally.
As a baby grows, it shifts a woman’s center of gravity forward. This will cause women to compensate by leaning back, which ultimately strains the muscles in the lower back. These principles of good posture are good to keep in mind:
- Stand up straight and tall
- Hold the chest high
- Keep shoulders back and relaxed
- Don’t lock the knees
Posture is ultimately reinforced or destroyed by our habits. Too much sitting can contribute to bad habits that are posture destroyers. When standing, take a wide stance. Make sure to give each leg a break if standing for a long time, like at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond liquidation sale.
Get the Right Gear
Pregnancy really isn’t the time for this:
There are plenty of other ways to maintain the status of fashion icon and influencer without wreaking bodily havoc. Louboutins, Jimmy Choos, the Jessica Simpson collection, these are looks best kept for a post-pregnancy bash. Wearing them while gestating could lead to a pregnant lady crash.
High heels increase the curvature of the spine that focuses all the stress into the lower back and hip joints. There’s also a balance issue as a woman’s center of gravity changes. Flats don’t make anything better because they don’t offer adequate support for swollen feet. Poor foot position and support sends imbalance and pain all the way up the legs and back. In a perfect Goldilocks compromise, a low-heeled shoe with built-in arch support is the best bet to distribute weight evenly.
A maternity belt may also be a worthwhile investment-
Hear me out. A belt can help diffuse weight if the belly is protruding forward in a pronounced way. The belt acts as a substitute for core muscles two stabilize the spine. They’re not for everyone, but if they work they’re a great complement to other remedies.
Lift Properly
Lifting properly is important, pregnant or not. LIFT WITH THE LEGS. The waist and back should just be along for the ride, but not doing the brunt of the work.
Though, in my professional opinion, no pregnant woman should ever lift a finger. Get someone else to do it. And if that person complains, send them this way…
Become a Side Sleeper
Many pregnant women, and new parents for that matter, think that sleep is a myth. It’s certainly not made any easier by back pain. Sleep is so important for our ability to heal and process the information we learned during the day, even more important if that information was which paint color the doula thinks the baby will like the most. I’m sure that’s a doula’s #1 focus.
Sleeping flat on the back isn’t the best position, for mom or baby. Plus it’s not comfortable. Side sleeping optimizes blood flow to the baby and, with the help of body pillows, is a much more comfortable position. Establish a consistent sleep schedule with a relaxing bedtime routine like avoiding bright screens, keeping the bedroom cool and dark, and not eating right before bed.
Experiment With Temperature
Ice works best for acute low back pain within the first 48 to 72 hours. An ice pack wrapped in a towel can help to ease swelling and slow those pesky pain signals to the brain. In a pinch just grab a bag of Archer Farms frozen peas and call it a day.
Heat increases circulation which promotes healing after the acute phase has passed. Put some rice in a sock and heat it up in the microwave. Dinner and pain relief!
It’s best practice to apply ice or heat in 15-to 20 minute intervals.
Get Moving
Physical activity is the best way to avoid rusty joints and weakened muscles. Focusing on strengthening the core muscles will stabilize the spine, reinforce good posture, and help alleviate back pain.
Ladies love yoga.
It’s a great way to improve posture and tone the body in preparation for delivery. It also helps relieve stress which will improve sleep, relax muscles, and help the body function on all cylinders.
Swimming is another recommended way to exercise because it relieves pressure on the spine. Gravity is rendered useless in water. Sweet relief! Not only will swimming help tone and strengthen the legs, arms, core, and back muscles but it will decompress the spine, alleviating pressure on the joints and discs allowing them to heal.
Always talk with your doctor before physical activity while pregnant, but no one will be happier about a pregnancy exercise routine than…
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors don’t just record dramatic “cracking” adjustment videos and post them to YouTube. The ones who actually care about their patients’ health do much more than that.
We use a range of techniques to relieve back pain. We work with each individual patient to find the specific cause of their pain and build a care plan around them. Chiropractic adjustments are the best tool to combat back pain. By correcting spinal misalignments we can relieve pressure on the nerves, restore balance to the muscles, and reduce the physical and emotional stress on the body.
Proper function throughout the body is important every day, but especially for the 280 of pregnancy. When the spine is misaligned it puts pressure on the nerves making the brain and body unable to communicate. The body can’t receive the proper messages from the brain and the brain can’t accurately tell what’s going on in the body. This results in organ malfunction and eventually disease.
Correcting those misalignments will allow the body to function properly, to adequately feed the growing baby. Chiropractic care can also properly prepare a pregnant woman’s body for a smooth and efficient labor.
Chiropractic care is such a valuable aspect of any wellness routine, but especially for pregnant moms. Providing for the most comfortable pregnancy makes for a healthier birth and a healthier baby. The best time to start focusing on a child’s health is before they’re even born. Call us or schedule a visit with one of our amazing doctors. Let pregnancy be a magical time and not something to look back on in horror. Pregnancy shouldn’t be a time to survive, it should be a time to thrive!
