As your baby grows, the hollow in your back may become more pronounced, and this can cause backache. During pregnancy, your ligaments become softer and stretch to prepare you for labour. This can put a strain on the joints of your lower back and pelvis, which can cause backache.
Avoiding and coping with backache
To help prevent backache:
- avoid lifting heavy objects
- bend your knees and keep your back straight when lifting or picking up something from the floor
- move your feet when turning round to avoid twisting your spine
- wear flat shoes as these allow your weight to be evenly distributed
- work at a surface high enough to prevent you stooping
- try to balance the weight between two bags when carrying shopping
- sit with your back straight and well supported
- make sure you get enough rest, particularly later in pregnancy
A firm mattress can help to prevent and relieve backache. If your mattress is too soft, put a piece of hardboard under it to make it firmer.
Massage can also help.
When to get help
If your backache is very painful, ask your doctor to refer you to an obstetric physiotherapist at your hospital. They can give you advice and may suggest some helpful exercises.
Pain in pelvic joints
If during or after your pregnancy you have pain in your pelvic joints when walking, climbing stairs or turning in bed, you could have pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). This is a slight misalignment or stiffness of your pelvic joints at either the back or front of your pelvis. It affects up to one in four pregnant women to a lesser or greater extent. Some women have minor discomfort, others may find that it affects their ability to get around.
When to get help for pelvic joint pain
Getting diagnosed as early as possible can help to keep the pain to a minimum and avoid long-term discomfort. Treatment usually involves gently pressing on or moving the affected joint so that it works normally again.
Ask a member of your maternity team for a referral to a manual physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor who is experienced in treating pelvic joint problems.
These problems tend not to get better completely without treatment from an experienced practitioner. You can contact the Pelvic Support Partnership for information and support.
Healthtalkonline has interviews with women talking about their experiences of pelvic pain in pregnancy and how they coped.
Find out about more common minor problems in pregnancy.
