How To Avoid Backache During Pregnancy



Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2010

by Dorine Wong
Prenatal yoga Centre

Backache during Pregnancy occurs in most expecting mothers that are due to the hormonal changes and your expanding uterus. Most backaches occur around the lumber and posterior pelvic areas.

As your pregnancy advances, the expanding uterus shifts the centre of gravity, which in turn stretches out and weakens the abdominal muscles. Your posture will change and strain exert on your back. Hormonal changes during pregnancy loosens the joints and ligaments that attached the pelvic bones to the spine of the expecting moms, and makes you less stable and causes pain when you walk, stand or sit for extended period, bend , get up from a low chair, climbing stairs and even when you roll over in bed.

The extra weight that you are carrying will also increase more work for your joints and muscles, which is also one of the main reasons for backache during pregnancy. The expanding uterus may be pressing on a nerve around the pelvic area and causes pain.

Here are some tips for you:

Start an exercise program like taking up prenatal yoga exercise or swimming to strengthen your abdominal and lower back muscles.

Always stand straight and avoid shoulders slumping and backs arching as pregnancy advance, which will put more strain on the spine.

Avoid standing or long period. However, if you can't avoid it, try taking breaks in between by lying on your side with upper legs and abdomen supported with pillows.

When sitting for long periods, have a footstool to rest your feet on and a small pillow at your lower back to support.

Learn yoga relaxation technique.

Avoid high heels and switch to comfortable low and back supporting shoes instead. High heels make you loose your centre of gravity further and increases chances of falling.

Always avoid bending from your back but to bend from your knees and lift things from a crouching position. Do not reach up for objects that had been placed in a high place and do not twist your back.

When getting out from a bed, bend your knees and hips and roll to the side , with the help of your arms to push yourself up when you place your lower legs to the side of the bed.

Avoid carrying heavy things, if you need to carry them, divide the weights into smaller portions and make another trip instead.

To avoid pressure on your back, try to sleep with a full body pregnancy pillow, which provide great support from head to shoulders, abdomen and legs. Pregnancy pillows promote healthier circulation and hence reduce head, neck and back aches.

Get yourself a comfortable and fully adjustable maternity support belt, which gently lifts the abdomen without squeezing and hence encourages a much more erect posture.

Do not gain more than the recommended amount of weight by practicing prenatal yoga exercises and other gentle exercises regularly, healthy diet but never to start a diet plan during pregnancy.

Always have sufficient rest.

Dorine Wong is a yoga enthusiast, fervent about enabling you and every expecting mother to have a healthy pregnancy through practicing prenatal yoga, and an ardent reviewer of  prenatal yoga products like DVDs, eBooks and other pregnancy related products. Visit her website http://www.10prenatal-yoga.com the completer list of her recommendation.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Richard Vail
 2 years 127 days ago.
60 fans.
my wife had many of these same issues when she was pregnant. wish we'd known about some this when she was.
» left by Anonymous
from Sydney 2 years 126 days ago.
Even though I am not going to have a child as a man, i would be interested for my wife to read this article
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