Pregnancy is beautiful but far from painless. If you’ve had a child or are expecting a child, this is no surprise to you.
Pregnancy can come with many aches and pains, but there are things you can do that may make your pregnancy a little less painful.
Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a common symptom among pregnant women – you grow an entire child in your belly, adding extra weight to your body and putting more pressure on your back.
Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken to reduce back pain, according to Mayo Clinic.
Be aware of your posture. Your center of gravity shifts forward when you’re pregnant; women tend to compensate for this by leaning back, which can strain their back muscles.
It is important to remember to practice good posture: Keep your shoulders back but relaxed, stand up straight and avoid locking your knees.
Mayo Clinic recommends using a wide stance when standing and being conscious of your posture when sitting, too. Make sure your chair supports your lower back or place a pillow behind your back for more comfort.
Also, it is recommended to sleep on your side when pregnant. You should avoid sleeping on your back, according to Mayo Clinic. Instead, sleep on your side with one or both of your knees bent. This will relieve pressure from your lower back.
You can also use pillows in between your knees or behind your back for added support.
Labor Pain Relief
These techniques can help with false labor or real labor. Mayo Clinic explains that real labor pain cannot be fully relieved with the following non-medication techniques, but they will help you relax and get through labor pain.
Breathing techniques, such as patterned breathing, may help with labor pain, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Patterned breathing is when you change up the rate and depth of your breaths; you can switch between long, deep breaths and short, shallow breaths. Patterned breathing can increase oxygen intake, help with relaxation and provide a sense of control during labor.
Moving around – either by walking or changing the position of your body – may relieve labor pain or completely stop false labor pain, according to Cleveland Clinic. If you think you may be having false labor pain because your contractions are irregular and not increasing in frequency, try this technique to relieve the pain.
Another technique is to listen to music. According to the National Library of Medicine, a study found that planning to listen to music during labor can distract women from the pain and help them manage their stress.
Listening to music throughout your pregnancy can also help uplift your mood and allow you to relax a little.
Try these techniques to relieve some of your maternity aches and pains. If you have extreme pain or think something isn’t right, make an appointment with your physician.
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