Experiencing Back Pain

You might want to think about visiting a chiropractor for gentle adjustments. It makes a huge difference for me. Also try a prenatal yoga class. Not only will the exercise be good for you but the instructor can give you stretches to do at home and help you find the ideal sleep position.

Good luck!

Look on Amazon for a belly support wrap. I can't remember what it's technically called,but I bought one my last pregnancy. Before I bought one, I was always rubbing my back. I was on my feet almost all day at my job (teacher). This wrap provided tremendous support for me.

Hi A.,
Try a heating pad on your back during the day (Sitting against it). Then at night sleep on your left side (by the time I got to my second trimester, sleeping on my back was not comfortable). I don't know what kind of shoes you wear during the day but the soles could be adding to your pain. Lastly I would check out any yoga classes for pregnant women. Gentle exercise might alleviate the pain.

Have you tried putting pillows between your knees? Also, how is your mattress? Have you told your OB about that. You're only in your second trimester and you're having back pains....it makes me question something like that. Try the pillow and talk with your OB exercises you can do while pregnant and help your back at the same time. After you have the baby, start exercising after your 6wks appt with your OB and hold your tummy in when squatting to pick something up because our backs are like paper and can get damaged easily especially if you have held your tummy in (like me) and then for 9 mos you can't and afterwards you haveto do it all over again and strengthen your core again. Let me know how it goes...I'll be praying for you.

A body pillow and visiting the chiropracter helped me (I'm halfway through pregnancy #2). So can a heating pad for worse days. My friend had very bad siatica pain during pregnancy and also used accupuncture (accupressure if you want to avoid needles).

You should be sleeping on your side, and I definitely recommend a body pillow. Three pregnancies (last one ended almost 3 years ago) and and I still sleep with a pillow between my knees b/c it helps my back!

You don't need an expensive one at all although there are a bunch of them out there. You just need something that you can slip between your knees and rest the side of your belly on. I always put a regular pillow in the small of my back too.

Good luck with your new life!

Try heating pads and get yourself a humungo body pillow. It won't cure the horrible sleeping...that just lasts all of the pregnancy once you start getting big but it will help hugging it and wrapping your legs around it at night. Good luck!

O.

Hi A.,
First you need a good mattress, or get a couple of egg crate foam mattress pads.
Second you need to have lots of pillows to put between your knees, behind your back and under your belly while in sidelying
Third you need to be doing some abdominal muscles exercises
but be careful that you don't rip your rectus muscle by doing them the wrong way (check out maternalfitness.com)
Fourth you can try doing yoga for pregnant women--it saved my life
IF you can find a kind soul to massage your back it wouldnt hurt
Good luck

Congratulations!
First - my OB said not to sleep on my back, so that's #1.
#2 - get a body pillow, you kind of snuggle up to it on your side, it's great to take some of the pressure off of your back.

Enjoy this pregnancy - there is nothing better than the first time!! You get to do all this focusing on you, which you deserve! Next pg, you'll be chasing a toddler all around!! LOL!
J.

I love the chiropractor. I have back and neck issues when I'm not pregnant, so while pregnant everything hurts even more. So I up my visits to the chiropractor and it helps ALOT!!

A body pillow. I have back pain always, not just pregnant. A body pillow helped alot to get into a position that was somewhat comfortable and I could sleep.

Hello A., first thing I would do is buy a pregnancy pillow (JCPenney's). If you feel comfortable enought you could go to a chiropractor. Do research and check around first if you do not have one. I went all through my second and third trimester. Mother of 2 year old girl and 1 month old boy. Tammy S.

I also used a chiropractor and prenatal yoga. It made so much difference. I was also having pain in my coccyx which was helped by these solutions. Swimming also helped take the pressure off. I was swimming and doing yoga up until the day before I gave birth.

I used to put a pillow between my legs while sleeping on my side to help with back pain. The full body pillows are good to have someting to support your whole body so you can put your arms around it for full support. good luck!

Hi A.
I had back pain too, for both of my pregnancies. The second time around I couldn't stand it any more! To sleep, I had to have a pillow between my knees, a pillow behind my back, a pillow undre my belly...! I couldn't sleep on one side to long because it hurt, so I had to move all the pillows with me. I spent more time moving everything than I did sleeping!I found a pillow on line at one step ahead The back and body pillow. It was the greatest thing ever! I is shaped like a u. So all I had to do was roll over and I was comfey again. I also could sleep on on side for quite a while again, because everything was supported. I also used it after my pregnancy. I had a c-section. I could sleep on my stomache about a week after thanks to this pillow. My husband tried to fight me for it...(he then tought better of that idea and let me have it!)It comes with a cover so you can wash it. The only downside, the cover is next to impossible to put back on once you remove it to wash. I took som cheap pillow cases and cut out the closed end and slipped them over the part when you lay your head. Then I only had to wash that part often. the other cover could go much longer. Also, It is a little expencive...$69.99...but well worth every penny! I would have spent a hundred to sleep like that while I was pregnant! I still use it sometimes, and so does my husband. Totally worth it! Good luck! Hope this helps.

I too had really bad back pain during my first pregnancy. It did go away mid second trimester & I was very happy. But while it was bad I did try changing positions alot. I usually found sleeping on my side with a good size pillow between my legs worked best. Sometimes it helped to lean back against my husband or a firm body pillow. Good Luck. I also went to a chiropractor for adjustments. I think that helped & it is safe during pregnancy.

I had back pain with both time's I was expecting. Second time was really bad and ended up having to do pysical therapy. I used a body pillow at night and bunched it up between my knees and I also did some stretches every morning it did make me feel better. If it get's intense I would check with your doctor. Good luck feel better you want as much sleep now as you can get.

Ever since having my 2nd child I have horrible back pain and cannot sleep in a bed. I always sleep in our recliner...it takes the pressure off of my back and there had been no substitute. I start off the night in bed but after an hour I wake up in so much pain that I'm out to the living room for relief. Not the best for the marriage, but if I don't get a good night's sleep, I'm no good anyway. Hopefully your back pain will just be temporary, but trying the recliner might help.

D.

Really it will only get worse as time goes on!!Yes I know it is uncomfortable but the only thing that really helped ease it a little for me was a body pillow. Putting it between your legs when you sleep help raise your legs to the hips so it is all straight through your back. Hope this helps.

I started with the back pain early on & my ob-gyn told me that the best thing to do is to lay flat on my back w/my knees slightly bent - slip a pillow between your knees and try to sleep like that. It definitely helped - I think I slept like that thru just about both of my pregnancies. Good luck!

I'm so sorry- I can feel your pain! I had back pain from 20 weeks on. Hot water bottles, lots of warm (not too hot) baths, good pillows between your thighs/calves and also under your arm (in front of you), and a couple of tylenol.

It doesn't get rid of the pain, but it does help a little. :)

Avoid sleeping on your back, even with your legs bent--toward the end of pregnancy you can seriously compromise you circulation! I agree with all the recommendations to sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs, and I second the idea of visiting a chiropractor (with experience workink with pregnant women!) for a gentle adjustment. I had some beginning back pain issues around the 4th month but a few visits and I did not have issues for the rest of my pregnancy. Do not suffer and do not believe that it is a normal part of pregnancy! If the chiro works for a little while but the adjustments do not hold, find a Physical Therapist with experience working with pregnant women to get specific exercises for your situation. (disclaimer:I am a Physical Therapist)

There's a pregnancy pillow(they have at babies r us or online). It's like a giant snake pillow, it was a great releif for me when pregnant. Congrats on the pregnancy!!! Good luck!

First, check with your Dr to be sure all is well - which I'm sure it is!!!

Then - Many pillows positioned all over your body. What worked for me: The Boppy Pregnancy Wedge Pillow plus a tempur-pedic mattress pad - covered the whole mattress so it was soft. And then regular pillow between my legs. Some people like the body pillow. It was lots of repositioning all night long.

It's all worth it!
R.