News about pregnancy brings a feeling of extreme joy and excitement for a woman. But, it is also the time when the utmost care is needed by the body. People are usually aware about the importance of a healthy nutritious diet during the period of pregnancy. But, another major factor, that people often either neglect or are unaware of, is spinal health. Back pain is one of the most common problems that a woman generally suffers during pregnancy.
During a healthy pregnancy, a woman gains weight up to 25-30 pounds. The additional weight has to be supported by the bones, which puts a huge amount of pressure on them, especially the spine. This results in lower back pain, which is the most frequently reoccurring pain that a woman experiences during pregnancy. Along with this, there are many other physical changes too that happen during pregnancy as the baby grows in the uterus. All these changes put pressure on the woman’s bones and blood vessels in the pelvic region, which causes pain.
Almost 50% of women experience some sort of back pain while being pregnant, especially during the later stages. The major reason behind this back pain is poor body posture. A lot of women stay inattentive towards their posture during this sensitive phase of their life. Due to the bodily changes that occur during pregnancy, the whole body balance is altered and body’s centre of gravity also shifts towards front of the pelvis. As a result, body’s posture is also adversely affected. All this place a lot strain on organs and joints, which result in severe backache.
Also, as the baby bump increases with time, a woman’s lower back curvature also increases gradually which puts additional stress on discs in the lumber region. Maintaining appropriate posture and doing some light exercises on a daily basis can be very beneficial for expecting mother in preventing such posture related back problems.
Pregnancy is an extremely complex body process with a number of changes occurring simultaneously. Along with the visible bodily changes, there are several internal processes that keep on happening. One of these changes is muscle separation. As the baby grows, the uterus also expands, and this expansion is accompanied by separation of rectal abdominis muscle that runs from cartilage to the public bone. This separation further exaggerates the back pain.
Other major changes that occur are the hormonal and the emotional ones, which directly or indirectly affect our health. During the pregnancy months, the body keeps on preparing the body for childbirth, for which it secretes several hormones. But sometimes, these hormones also affect our joints, which may add on to existing ache. Similarly, stress, which is again very common in women, especially during the later stages of pregnancy, can cause contraction of muscles in back and lead to spasms and pain.
Being a mother is the most special feeling for a woman. But, continuous back pain can make it a miserable experience. Therefore, pregnant woman must stay careful about their health and specially the back health to make this time a joyous and memorable one.
The first and foremost tip to prevent such problems is regular exercising. Being pregnant doesn’t mean that a woman shall stop moving her body. Doing safe, simple and light exercises regularly, helps in strengthening body muscles and increases flexibility. This can help in making child birth easy. Just make sure to do exercises suggested by a specialist only and avoid any exercise that involves jerking or bouncing movements. Along with exercising, always remember to have a good nutrition rich diet and take plenty of rest also.
Be very careful
about your posture and body movement. Apart from that, never lift any
heavy weight, as it can put excess strain on your joints and can also be
very risky for pregnant women. In case you need to pick up something,
it is better to squat. Bending, in any case, must be avoided. Keep away
from wearing high heels during this time. Even while sleeping, pregnant
women need to be careful about their position. For pregnant women,
sleeping on side is an apt position. If you are prescribed some medicines by your doctor, take them religiously. In case of severe or persistent back pain, do not delay in consulting a doctor.
These simple care and precautionary tips can be extremely beneficial for the mother-to-be in staying healthy and having a pleasant pregnancy experience.
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