Back Pain and Too Much Weight.

I have had back pain off and on for years. What generally works are simple stretching excercises. You didn't say where the back pain is centralized (lower back? mid? upper?) so you can do an internet search and find some good general stretches.

Yoga is a really good way to go but there are some poses that put extra stress on the back, its a good idea to go to a few classes first so that the instructor can show you the correct way to do the poses. It also helps with stress and believe it or not can help with the weight issue a little too. Its good for toning. I am in the same boat, I don't have time for all that! BUT, I have to tell myself all the time that if I don't take a few minutes to stretch and clear my head, I will have many more minutes of pain and stress to deal with instead. Good luck!

Try to take time and just go for a walk. I started doing this to wear my 3 year old out. It gets you some exercise and helps with stress. Plus your little one will enjoy it as well.

Isagenix! It's an incredible nutritional line and is the only thing that would make my last 10 pounds, post pregnancy, budge. Check out the website....www.isagenix.com. My husband and I don't actively work the business but do have the associates card and order products monthly. Let me know if you're interested in trying and I'll help you out.

I have found the best way for me to relieve stress and drop the pounds was walking. Find a great walking trail, put that baby in a good jogging stroller (this will save your back) and walk all the stress/pounds off.

The best thing that worked/works for me is yoga. Leisa Hart has out several videos that are great, and you can choose individual sections if you're in a time crunch. The best one that I've tried is the Fit Mama Postnatal workout. It is unbelievable!! There are different sections: cardio dance routine, pilates, abs, and yoga (I think it's called stretching). The dance routine is either 20 or 30 minutes long, I can't remember, but the other sections are about ten minutes each. I always work in the pilates and yoga, because they really help re-align my back. Plus, it all really does help you lose the pregnancy weight. I'm pretty sure I got my DVD at Walmart. Hope that helps!!

I had the same problem (with back pain) for a while & I found a simple way to relax & get some pain releif is to take a hot bath with Johnson's Bedtime Bath by candlelight. It doesn't completely take the pain away but it does help a lot & I rest easier at night.

I know you said you didn't want to turn to medication, but how about some chiropractic treatment. Its possible that something in your back is out of place(and you wouldn't know it) and its causing all the pain. It might be something to look into.

Weight watchers online worked great for me.

Hi S.,
I'm gonna give you a couple ideas. I think they all coincide together. So here is where you could start...
* Diet~ portion control, watch the size of the portion you put on your plate, I've always heard that a portion to "you" should be the size of your hand. Also don't stuff yourself only for what satisfies you.
Should you look at what you eat probably but with a controled portion and amount I believe you will loose pounds you want to.
Also when you eat ask yourself am I hungry or just board, angry, upset, stressed out, identify the issue and talk it out. Or when you have the urge to eat something exercise instead say you can only have that candy bar if you do 25 sit-ups, 2 sets. Set yourself a goal and call a friend when you have the urge to give up.

Backpain~ Even a little bit of weight can effect each person.I think that if you got your weight down your back would feel better. Also make sure you are lifting your son correctly, carrying your bags correctly, to not cause your back harm.
Exercise~ This one can be simple and it doesn't require you to go to the gym at all. So first Whe you are going to work park farther away from the building (walking is exercise) if you have to take the elevator, don't take the stairs for now on (this is a good cardio work out and for your lower body strength, your calves and thighs), when you go to class take the longer way to the class room. If you have stairs at home let say you have to run up and down them to go do laundry or to go upstairs whatever the case is do 2 sets of 25. You can add in exercise everywhere you don't have to just go to a gym. If you don't have hand weights use a can of vegetables (you never cook the veggies first) do 3 sets of 10. And on more thing when you and your son are at home turn up the radio and dance around the house, do sit-ups with him sitting on your stomach,20 lbs of baby is a good weight. You can do all kinds of exercises with your son :), use your imagination he will love it and so will you, lol. Take your son for a walk in the stroller 1 night a week.

Stress~ I think your stress is caused by all the things listed above, so when you get home take out your stress notebook and write everything down that you are stressed about, or on the drive home from work or to school say it out loud what you are stressed about. When you finally see your little girl tell her about your day good or bad, she doesn't care what or who you are talking about, she only cares that her mommy is home and is seeing her now.

And one thing to remember always is life is to short so don't sweat the small stuff and what you don't get done today will be there tomorrow. And the most important thing is spend every moment with your baby girl. She can sense your stress and it doesn't do anything for the both of you.

I don't think you need a pill or medication you just need to revaluate what is going on around you. Goodluck W..

I don't know much about the back pain but I completely understand about the weight issue. I know this sounds cliche but try weight watchers. You can do it online and you don't have to go to meetings but It really worked for me. You should give it a try. Its pretty easy and all you have to do is count points. I am really busy as well and it seemed to fit in well in my life. Hope it helps.

Hi S.,

I would recommend yoga to help you relax. To lose weight, try a combination of pilates, Tae Bo, and walking/jogging. I would recommend getting videos for yoga, pilates, and Tae Bo. You can walk/jog around your neighborhood block. Try scheduling in 30 to 45 minutes of pilates, Tae Bo, OR walking/jogging, then 15 minutes to 30 minutes of yoga everyday. Mixing up the exercises helps your body lose weight faster than just doing the same routine everyday. On the weekends when you probably have more free time, incorporate sit-ups and lifting light weights (3 to 10 lbs). You can just use ordinary things around your house (a half-gallon of milk, can of beans, whatever you have). You don't have to go out and buy dumbbells. If you drink soda, dump the soda quickly. This is the worst thing you can do for your body. Drink water instead. If you have a craving for drinking something sweet, try a small glass of fortified orange juice. You can get a baby carrier, put your daughter in it if needed, and power walk around the block. Hope this helps.

One thing I didn't see as a response was an alternative to carrying your baby around. My daughter is 5 months old and weighs around 17 pounds and carrying her on my arm was causing my back to bother me enough to take ibuprofen on a fairly regular basis. Mainly, the pain formed a "T" across my shoulder blades and down my spine. I felt very "tight" and it began hard to get up off the floor when playing with her, without help.

So, I tried carrying her in a ring sling I borrowed from a friend. There were a few pros from the experience...
1. She really enjoyed being close to Mama.
2. I had my hands virtually free to do other things or carry things (bags, groceries, purse, phone, etc.).
3. My backache improved significantly - enough that I haven't taken ibuprofen now and I can lay down at night without wondering if I'm going to be able to roll out of bed on my own in the morning!

If you are interested, there is a local gal that makes these slings for around $35. I returned my borrowed sling to my friend and purchased my own. It was worth the investment to me!