There are many pregnant women who suffer from lower back pain in late pregnancy. It causes various issues and obstacles because one cannot move easily. But you can relieve and/or avoid pain with prevention. Let’s learn about the causes that are likely to cause lower back pain in late pregnancy.
Causes of back pain during late pregnancy
There are two main reasons why your waist hurts in the late pregnancy.
Posture
As the stomach grows bigger, the bodyweight also increases by around 10 kilograms, and the center of gravity of the body changes where it develops a posture that warps the waist to maintain balance. This increases the burden on the muscles supporting the back and waist and changes the inclination of the pelvis and lumbar vertebrae, which causes the pain that you feel in your lower back. This also causes numbness and pain at the base of the foot, hip, and thighs.
Pelvic changes due to hormonal effects
During pregnancy, the “hormone” called “relaxin” will be secreted so that the baby can be delivered smoothly. Relaxin loosens the pelvic ligament and begins preparations for childbirth.
The ligament also supports joints such as the pelvis, waist, and hip joints, loosening the ligament will cause unstable support, and burdens the surrounding muscles which cause pain.
Recommendation for late pregnancy back pain
When the burden on the muscles that support the waist increases, it causes poor blood circulation and muscle work. As a result, recovery from muscle fatigue takes much longer and lower back pain worsens, so it is necessary to pay attention and avoid accumulating muscle fatigue and improve the blood flow of the muscles supporting the waist.
Pelvic belt
A pelvic belt wraps the part under the stomach which provides the necessary joint supports on the pelvis.
Exercise moderately
Let’s incorporate exercises such as walking, exercising, yoga that do not cause a lot of burden on the body. As the blood flow improves, fatigue in the muscles is discharged easily, and muscle tension is loosened.
A recommended pose that you can do easily at home is a posture called “cat pose” from yoga.
Cat’s pose
- Spread your legs as wide as your shoulder width and get down on all fours
- While exhaling, I round your back to the point where you can see your navel.
- Breathe in and out as you bend your back
Swimming
When lower back pain becomes terrible, buoyancy relaxes the weight on your back. You can exercise by walking in the water.
Wear shoes with 2cm to 3cm heel
When the bottom of the shoes is 2 to 3 cm taller, the center of gravity is lower and makes it much easier to walk. The burden on the waist is also lessened.
Warm your body
Warm your body to improve blood circulation. It is also recommended to take hot drinks in the bathtub while taking a bath.
Have a massage done
Massage is also effective for better blood flow in the waist.
Attention to daily habits
Avoid burdening the waist as much as possible. Avoid lifting heavy stuff.
Summary
To relieve back pain, it is best not to strain the waist and improve blood circulation. Moderate exercise is also effective for physical fitness for childbirth, and it also helps to relieve irritation and stress. When the baby is born, your busy schedule as a mother begins, so keep yourself and the baby in your belly healthy during pregnancy and rest as much as possible.
If you do feel lower back pain and cannot bear it, consult your doctor without hesitation. Make sure to get a doctor’s advice first before taking medicine for pain relief.
