Lower Back Pain In Pregnancy

Lower back pain in pregnancy is common because of the baby’s weight and position. Hormones cause the joints and ligaments of your pelvic area and spine to soften which places strain on your back; this is made worse by bad posture.

If pain is severe this may be caused by strain on your sacro-iliac joint which can make it difficult to walk. In pregnancy this joint can become unstable which can be very painful. If the pain is too much to cope with see your doctor.

Be aware of your posture, avoid any twisting movements, don’t lift heavy objects, and have a massage. If severe you may need to be treated by an osteopath experienced in treating pregnant women.

If you have sharp pain in your back, buttocks and legs this could be caused by the baby’s head pressing directly on the pelvic bones and affecting the sciatic nerves. This can cause severe back and leg pain, or your legs may feel numb. The best way of dealing with this is to spend some time lying down on a firm mattress. You baby’s head may move and relieve the pressure on the nerves.