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One of the most common discomforts in pregnancy and one that can worsen with pregnancy is backache. Pregnancy affects your posture and how you walk, especially at the end of the day when you are tired. Your "waddle" is caused by the compensation of the extra weight you are carrying out front by arching and curving your back inward.
The best approach to these discomforts is a preventive one. If a woman can maintain a certain degree of activity during pregnancy, it minimizes a lot of discomfort. Try doing low-impact aerobic exercises such as walking, using a treadmill, or riding a stationary bike two to three times a week, supplemented with stretching exercises. Here are some additional tips to help alleviate your back discomforts: Take breaks throughout the day and rest your back. Wear low, rubber soled shoes (I personally like my Birkenstock sandals and clogs the best!) Place a small pillow or rolled towel in the lower part of your back when sitting or driving. Practice appropriate back exercises according to guidelines set by your physician, midwife or chiropractor. Avoid lifting heavy objects; this includes older children. Always bend at the kness, keeping your back straight to lift. Do not bend at the waist to lift. Sleep on your side with a pillow behind your back, under your pregnant abdomen and between your legs to provide proper support and back alignment. Try a warm bath followed by ice to your back. Sometimes women who are incredibly uncomfortable are often dismissed because backache is such a common discomfort. It shouldn't be this way! Severe pain means something is wrong, perhaps a strained ligament or problems with the disks in your back. For severe or incapacitating back pain, consult your physician, midwife or chiropractor.
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The copyright of the article My Aching Back in Pregnancy & Childbirth is owned by Maurenne Griese. Permission to republish My Aching Back in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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