Back Pain Since Giving Birth?

Back pain since giving birth?

First of all congratulations! You made a human! Now, forgive us for stating the obvious but being pregnant and having a baby will have changed your body.

While you have been enjoying the happiness, and lack of sleep, that goes along with having a baby, you may also have experienced some back pain.

You are not alone, nearly half of all women do following childbirth. Normally it goes away within a few weeks of giving birth, however sometimes...it doesn’t.

Why?

There are a number of reasons why you may suffer from back pain after giving birth, usually, it is a combination of factors. Your back pain could just be due to the sustained postures that go along with being a Mum. There are a lot of myths about back pain out there so be sure to check out our The Truth about Back Pain article.

Changing nappies

You will spend a large part of your day changing nappies! Make sure that your baby is close to you and you aren’t leaning far away over them for ages.

Feeding

Babies like to feed. Breast or bottle feeding your baby ultimately means you sit flexed for a while. Try to rest your upper back backwards and keep yourself well supported.

Bending & Lifting

Your spine is strong and tough but your muscles around the area may have got a bit out of shape and might complain with lots of repetitive lifting. Try to bend your knees, stick your bum out and this will keep your back in a sometimes easier position to lift and pick heavier things up. Make sure you keep things close to your body and make your thigh & butt muscles do the work to lift. If it’s just a sock though, bend however you like!

Pushing a Pram

Make sure you are not bent over the pram all the time. Adjust the height of the handle on the pram, stand tall and use your legs to do the pushing or alternatively try carrying your baby in a sling sometimes.

Hormones?

Before birth, you release relaxin hormone which helps to ‘relax’ the pelvis joints in order to make it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal. A theory is that this hormone can also affect your back. The jury is still out on this theory but the good news is that if your back pain is down to this, your symptoms should disappear of their own accord within a few months of your delivery.

Strength & Flexibility

Altered strength or flexibility or tension in the muscles around your pelvis or back can definitely affect things. Try to do a little bit of fitness work when you can. If your pain has lasted for longer than 3-4 months after the birth, then you should get it checked out. It is actually normally quite easy to get rid of once we have spoken with you and assessed your back.