Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain is a Popular Combination

Just about everyone has observed a pregnant woman holding a hand to her lower back as she stands or walks. If she isn't doing that, she's probably massaging her tummy. When you're protruding to the extent that you are in the later months of pregnancy, you just can't seem to help yourself from trying to soothe the pain in your back.

There are a number of reasons why you experience more lower back pain during pregnancy. First of all, your body is manufacturing hormones in quantities that are generally higher than normal. One of the primary hormones produced by your system is known as relaxin. This is the hormone that assists your pelvic joints and ligaments to relax so that your baby can fit through the birth canal. However, it doesn’t only loosen things up during childbirth. It's also doing its thing right through your pregnancy, which is what produces the awkward waddle that is so common among expectant mothers.

As well, since your uterus is growing ever larger, it shifts your center of gravity. Your have to be more cautious when exercising, even going for a walk, and become accustomed to balancing your body in a new way. While you go about your daily routine, the ligaments that keep your uterus in place are becoming more relaxed, and they will pull on your spine and back muscles. Since these muscles weren't really created to handle the extra weight of your uterus, your spine and the muscles in your back have to do their part. And that's why you get lower back pain when you're pregnant.

You need to make sure you get regular, moderate exercise when you're pregnant. This will help protect your from lower back pain and make you generally more comfortable. Do some pelvic tilts, either standing or on the floor. These are often recommended as a good exercise to do when pregnant in order to help ease your lower back pain.

You can also get some relief for pregnancy back pain by maintaining good posture. Of course, that bulge on the front of your body makes it difficult to maintain your balance sometimes, but you can still focus on remaining upright with your shoulders back.

If you already have a child in the house, be extra careful about not picking her up using your back for leverage. Don't bend at the waist, and use your legs to lower and lift your body. If you have to pick something up off the floor, squat and then use your legs to get back up. This will protect your back and reduce the chances of suffering from lower back pain during pregnancy.