Exercises for Backaches
by Kristy Howard , January 2008
For the most part, I enjoy pregnancy- my growing tummy, feeling baby kick inside me, seeing the glow on my husband's face every time he feel the baby moving, too.
Unfortunately, pregnancy is not without its discomforts as well as its delights. For instance, I am plagued with terrible backaches during pregnancy- a common discomfort for expectant mothers I'm told. Common perhaps, but not easy or fun to deal with.
After three pregnancies (I'm now 5 1/2 months along with baby #3) I've learned a few tricks to help relief the discomfort of lower back pain.
Getting enough exercise helps a lot, especially walking and stretching exercises. I've found that the more I sit (on long trips, for example) the more by back hurts.
Keep good posture. We expectant mothers are rather famous for becoming "sway backed" as our bellies swell and it becomes increasingly difficult to carry ourselves with "normal" posture. Make it a point to keep your shoulders straight and your abdomen tucked in. This causes your lower back to stay in line better and also strengthens the abdomen muscles. (Weak abdomen muscles will cause increased backaches since the pressure of the baby and uterus will rest solely on the hips and lower back.)
I've discovered (at the advice of my mother and midwife) two different back stretches that help a lot. 1) Get on all fours on the floor and arch your back as high as you can; hold a few seconds and repeat. Do about 15 or 20 of these several times daily to strengthen the lower back muscles. 2) Stand with your back against a wall with your feel about hip distance apart. Press the "small" of your back flat against the wall and slowly lower your body until you are squatting with your knees slightly bent; hold for several seconds then straighten up. Repeat 10 or 12 times, or as often as you can.
Another helpful trick is to take time out for a few minutes to lie on your back and put your feet up. Lying on the floor with feet propped on a stool or low chair for at least 5 minutes is best. This not only helps relieve back pain by stretching the lower back, but is also good for improving circulation if you suffer with varicose veins.
Wearing a maternity belt offers a lot of relief for the lower back, especially once you begin to "show" a lot. I would definitely recommend these for women who suffer with a lot of lower backaches during pregnancy.
Going to the chiropractor once-a-month during pregnancy prevents a lot of back trouble associated with misaligned spinal discs. During pregnancy, the ligaments of the body become very soft and easily slip out of place, thus causing pain in the back, hips and neck, as well as headaches. Going to the chiropractor is not painful or scary, as some might believe it to be. In fact, it is extremely helpful and relieving, as pinched nerves, burning backs and sore shoulders are often cured by simply being properly adjusted.
Side note: Getting adjusted by a chiropractor on a regular basis will also aid in a better birth, since your body will be properly aligned. I learned this the hard way; I was in hard labor with our first child for over an hour simply because my pelvis was tilted (which I discovered later when I went to the chiropractor during my second pregnancy) and the baby's shoulder "caught" on my pelvic bone and she wouldn't come out! You could say I learned the hard way on that one.
Kristy Howard is a pastor's wife, stay-at-home-mommy and homeschool grad. She and her husband, Jeremy, are the blessed parents of two precious little girls, Amy and Emily. Together they make their home in Cisco, Texas, where Jeremy has served as pastor of their church since December 2004.
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