Back pain in pregnancy
In the common imagination, when we think of a pregnant woman , an expectant mother, we often associate the thought with the female figure with the pelvis moved forward, the belly prominent and the hands resting on the lumbar part to help the back.
This posture, together with the typical walk with the legs slightly apart and the back arched, is truly the realistic image of the future pregnant mother and underlines that physical changes have taken place and are in progress in the body involving the musculoskeletal part to make room for the new life that grows.
The main change is determined by the uterus which throughout the entire pregnancy continuously adapts in shape , weight and volume while two types of hormones , estrogen and relaxin, relax the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis which prepare to widen and facilitate the passage of the baby for delivery. A lower support capacity of the abdominal part, the weight of the pelvis and legs mean that starting from the third trimester of pregnancy between 40% and 70% of pregnant women suffer from low back pain caused by the shifting of the body's center of gravity, sometimes including pain in the sacral and pubic area.
The reasons for this annoyance are mainly due to the weight of the belly which, weighing on the spine , pushes it forward in the lumbar area and it is precisely to find and maintain balance that it is natural to bring the torso backwards by arching the back. Here the spine curves causing lordosis which in turn triggers tension and pain in the back muscles. The good news is that they are disorders that in any case will not be forever, but will disappear with the birth of the child, the decrease in body weight and a newfound postural balance.
The way we sleep also affects the well-being of the back since the same rest and relaxation positions habitual before pregnancy are now no longer suitable for the new body shapes and indeed, some are really not recommended and lead to greater skeletal muscle tension even in what should be the phase of regenerating rest and sleep.
To relieve back pain during pregnancy, there are some simple solutions you can adopt to feel better:
Put on the right shoes
Pause momentarily your beloved heels and instead wear comfortable shoes with heels around 4 cm to help posture. Do not recommend flats, promote sneakers provided they have a minimum of arch support and do not have a flat sole.
The famous two steps
Don't spend too much time standing still; if you happen to be unable to sit down every now and then to rest your back, remember to take a walk every now and then to loosen up your muscles and help blood circulation.
If you work sitting down
If you have a sedentary job, choose a chair with a wide back that allows you to sit relaxed with your legs slightly apart keeping your back straight by supporting the lumbar area. All you need to do is get up every now and then and stretching your arms up you can gently stretch your entire back. You will immediately feel better!
Relax at home
If you have a chair or armchair with a slightly reclined backrest at home, take the opportunity to relax your back by sitting with your legs flexed by moving your entire center of gravity backwards. You will unload all the weight on the backrest favoring the relaxation of the lumbar muscles.
Soft gymnastics
Do Yoga exercises combining breathing with stretching and muscle lengthening you will learn to relax the stiffness. There are even free Yoga courses for pregnant women online, if you don't know this discipline it will be the right occasion. If, on the other hand, you're used to doing pilates, you can continue to do it to train postural muscle control and strengthen them. Obviously the teacher will be able to instruct you on the exercises best suited to your state.
The massage
If you feel tired, massage the lumbar area perhaps with an oil or simply with a moisturizer; they are a panacea for relaxing the muscles. Having your partner massage you will be even more pleasant ;-)
Sleep with a special certified pregnancy pillow
Choose a comfortable mattress but above all completely relax your spine using a special pregnancy pillow that will help you sleep on your side by keeping your knees apart with your legs and pelvis aligned correctly . This way you will avoid having the weight of one leg on top of the other and your back will be straighter.
Try to lie on your left side, the best position suggested by specialists because it promotes better blood circulation for you and your baby who will be more oxygenated and your kidneys will work better by purifying your body from waste.
The best pregnancy sleeping pillows have back support to help keep you on your left side and are long enough to support your belly. In addition, the upper part can be kept under your head pillow so that your neck and shoulders are relaxed as well.
Pay attention to the padding, which must accompany your body without forcing it into forced positions. If you suffer from insomnia or sleep badly, really find out how much a suitable pillow can change your life to get you to the moment of delivery rested and strong to welcome your baby.
Remember that choosing a pregnancy pillow certified as a Medical Device offers you the guarantee of support designed to offer you and your baby only benefits without contraindications.
