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| Back Pain In Pregnancy, Relief Advice Needed |
Question:
Over the past number of days my wife has experienced lower back pain
while sleeping - not too bad early in the night but gradually getting
worse over the course of the night until it gets to the point where she
finds it impossible to sleep.
She is 23 weeks into her pregnancy and has tried changing positions but
nothing seems to help.
Have other mothers had similar experiences ? How did you deal with them ?
Answer:
I slept with a pillow between my knees and ankles, on the advise of a friend with
a bad back. Eventually I added a pillow to cradle my belly.
I would also lie down and do pelvic tilts whenever I had back pains, (if this was
possible). Usually 5 minutes to pelvi tilts relieved my pain. (pelvic tilt =
lying on your back, with the small of your back on the floor, knees bent, feet
flat on floor. You tighten your abdomenal muscles and your butt, lift your butt
off the floor while trying to press the small of your back even more into the
floor.)
My guess would be that this is due to the loosening of her ligaments which
will continue throughout the pregnancy. That combined with the increased
weight of the baby can bring on terrible back pains.
My first suggestion is for you. Learn the fine art of massage. It is the
most loving thing you can do for your wife over the next few months. It is
also a wonderful way to help her restore her libido after the baby is born.
Second is to get LOTS of pillows. I slept with a pillow under my head, one
at my lower back, two under my pregnant tummy, and one between my knees.
I would shift back onto the one on my back so that I was't quite lying on my
side, but was at a 45 degree sort of angle. This became the only way I could
sleep during the last months. I've seen adds for pregnancy pillows which
are really large and long, but I never tried them.
Third is access to a pool. Submerging in water helps relieve the stress
of the baby on the back. It's a lot like heaven. If you don't have a pool,
a Jacuzzi kept warm but not hot is the next best (sometimes better) thing.
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