Along with morning sickness, insomnia, and many other ailments, back pain during pregnancy is an unfortunate reality. This discomfort will start early on, and likely last through delivery.
While there isn’t a ton you can do to prevent your back hurting while pregnant, there are some things you can do to alleviate it such as by supplementing with turmeric. Particularly, many women report that their back pain makes their insomnia worse during pregnancy. We have a really good solution to this problem, which we’ll share at the end.
First, though, we are going to explain what causes back pain during pregnancy, and explain what’s normal and what isn’t.
What causes back pain during pregnancy?
The two most common causes of back pain during pregnancy are your growing uterus, and the hormone relaxin.
Your growing uterus puts a lot of pressure on your lower back, and it will unfortunately get worse as the pregnancy progresses. This is further exacerbated by the hormone relaxin, which increases in your body throughout pregnancy as well.
Your abdominal muscles, referred to sometimes as your core, are responsible for protecting your spine and helping you maintain your posture.
Relaxin causes your muscles and ligaments to loosen up, so you’ll have a harder time remaining upright. The reason relaxin increases during pregnancy is to make it easier for your body to ease the baby through your birth canal. But, the flip side of this is that all of your body loosens up.Â
Your core muscles will also weaken from this, which will lead to more back pain.
Is it normal to have back pain during early pregnancy?
It is perfectly normal to have back pain during early pregnancy. In fact, some women report that their first sign of pregnancy was the emergence of back pain, seemingly out of nowhere.
The first trimester is when the relaxin hormone starts working in your body. Another factor that lead to back pain during early pregnancy is stress.
Why does my back hurt at night during pregnancy?
Many expecting women report that their back hurts more at night during their pregnancy. There are a few reasons this could be the case.
The most likely, according to one study, is that when you are laying down, there is more pressure placed on the vena cava by your uterus. There are all kinds of nerves here, and this pressure can cause serious back pain.
Unfortunately, this back pain at night can worsen another issue expecting women deal with - insomnia. Fortunately, we have some tips to help you alleviate back pain at night throughout your pregnancy, so you can get the restful sleep your mind and body need!
When should I worry about back pain during pregnancy?
For the most part, dull, aching back pain is not a reason for concern. However, many women wonder whether back pain is a sign of miscarriage.
According to experts, there are a few specific symptoms to watch for that may indicate a more severe underlying issue. If your pain is severe, shooting, sharp, or anything other than a dull ache, its worth chatting with your doctor.
You should also be cognizant of tingling sensations, or sciatic pain. This is an issue on its own, and likely not just typical pregnancy-related back pain.
Is back pain a sign of miscarriage?
While dull aching back pain isn’t necessarily a sign of miscarriage, painful cramps in your abdomen and lower back may indicate a miscarriage.
Before you start freaking out, there are a few things that you can look for that are more obvious and accurate signs of miscarraige. These include vaginal bleeding, discharge of tissue/fluid, and loss of pregnancy symptoms (such as morning sickness).
What can I do to relieve back pain during pregnancy?
If you are in the 66% of women that experience back pain during pregnancy, you don’t need to stress.Â
We are going to share some of the top tips we’ve found for alleviating your discomfort, and getting you back to enjoying your life and doing the things you need to.
Strengthen your coreÂ
To combat the stretching and loosening of your ligaments and muscles due to the hormone relaxin, you can exercise.
If you are actively trying to get pregnant, you can work on strengthening your core beforehand to set yourself up for success. But no matter what your situation is, exercising is a must during pregnancy. It will help with so many of the inevitable ailments you encounter, including insomnia, stress, along with back pain.
Improve your posture by wearing the right gear
You should also take inventory of your posture multiple times throughout the day. If you catch yourself slouching, force yourself to sit up straight.Â
There are supportive clothes you can wear during your pregnancy that will help you work on your posture and alleviate upper back pain. These take the pressure off your back, similar to how a weightlifting belt works. The compression feels amazing, too!
You should also evaluate your footwear. A lot of the shoes we wear flatten our arches, and our feet play a bigger role in our posture than a lot of people realize. Low heeled shoes should be your go-to during pregnancy.
How can I sleep with lower back pain during pregnancy?
If you are wondering how to sleep with lower back pain during pregnancy, you are not alone. This seems to be when most expecting women seem to have issues.
First, make sure you are sleeping on your side, with a pillow between your legs. It has been shown that this is the ideal position to avoid hip, back, and knee pain. As you get more used to this position, it will become more comfortable and make it easier to sleep.
But, there is a specific product you can try that will really help you sleep with lower back pain during pregnancy.
8 Sheep Organics Sleepy Body Lotion
8 Sheep Organics Sleepy Body Lotion is specifically formulated to help pregnant women combat the issues that prevent them from sleeping.Â
Its completely natural, and is a great source of magnesium. The way the lotion works is you can massage it into the areas you have pain, or just all over your body as stress-relief.
When massaged into your skin, it will start working to relax the area and calm not just your body, but your mind as well. It really helps prepare you for a night of deep, restorative sleep. One of the biggest benefits this lotion offers is relieving lower back, hip, and knee pain.
It also combats restless leg syndrome and cramps, another issue preventing those expecting from falling asleep.
It's backed by a 60 day guarantee. So you can try it today and if you don’t love it, we’ll refund you! That’s how confident we are that this remedy can help you.