Why Does Pregnancy Cause Low Back Pain?

Lower back pain can be a horrible halt in day-to-day activities for a pregnant woman. If you have ever seen a pregnant woman you will have noticed her often rubbing her aching back. Along with rubbing her belly, which sticks out more than ever before, putting a hand to her sore back is a natural motion while pregnant. The obvious cause of lower back pain is the biomechanical stress being placed on the mother by the added weight of her baby. As the baby gains weight, the mother is pulled forward.

Why Is The Back More Likely To Hurt During Pregnancy?

There are numerous reasons for excessive lower back pain during pregnancy. First, the body produces hormones in different amounts than usual during pregnancy. One of the major hormones the body makes is called relaxin. Yes, it really is called that. It is the hormone that helps the ligaments and pelvic joints to ease up and allow the baby to get through the birth canal. But it doesn’t just relax things at the end of the pregnancy, but relaxes them throughout the pregnancy resulting in the funny waddle that pregnant women tend to do when they walk.

Also, with the uterus getting bigger, it changes the womans center of gravity. She has to be more cautious when she exercises, even when walking, and get used to balancing differently. While she goes about her usual day, the ligaments holding her uterus are relaxing and pulling on her spine and muscles. These muscles are not designed to carry the extra weight of the uterus, so the spine and back muscles help with the weight. Hence, lower back pain during pregnancy! Getting moderate exercise while pregnant can help protect her from lower back muscle pain and make her more comfortable overall. Pelvic tilts, a standard exercise suggested during pregnancy, helps eliminate lower back pain, whether done while standing or while on all fours.

The woman can also avoid lower back pain while pregnant by having good posture. Obviously, having the bowling ball or watermelon out front changes her balance, but she can still stand up straight, with her shoulders back. It’s fine to have her belly sticking out in front while she smiles and walks with pride!

If she already has a child or two, she must be extra vigilant about not picking them up using her back. She should not bend at her waist , but use her legs to lift herself down and back up instead. Same thing goes for when she picks things up off the floor (if she can not get someone else to do it), she should squat to reach them and use her legs to get back up. This will preserve her back and protect her from lower back pain during pregnancy.