12 tips to get rid of back pain after delivery includes- rest, exercise, good posture, maintain normal body weight, hot water baths, sujok therapy, etc.
Having a baby is a wonderful and life-changing experience for the new mommies. Most of us face back pain after delivery which is more painful than labour pain during delivery because the labour pain remains for some hours but back pain remains for a longer period.
You may experience lower back pain from the second trimester onwards and it may continue a few months after childbirth.
It’s my personal experience, I also have gone through this after my second delivery. Along with back pain, I was feeling numbness in the outer part of my right thigh (from the 5th postpartum day onwards).
I had experienced severe back pain that started soon after delivery with difficulty in sitting for more than 10 minutes. It was getting worse while breastfeeding, bending and getting out of bed.
Now you would like to know, why your back hurts you so much during pregnancy and after delivery. Let me help you to understand the reason behind post- delivery back pain and different ways to get rid of it.
What are the reasons behind back pain during pregnancy and after childbirth?
About 50% of mothers experience back pain after childbirth. So, here are some reasons behind back pain –
- During pregnancy, your pelvic muscles stretch as your uterus expands due to the growing baby; causing abdominal muscles to weaken and pulling the lower spine forward, putting strain on your back.
- When you put on too much weight during pregnancy, it puts extra pressure on your back muscles and causes back pain.
- Change in the hormones during pregnancy may also cause back pain. During pregnancy, your body releases progesterone and relaxin hormones which relaxes the ligaments and joints of the pelvic bone to make the delivery of the baby easier. But these hormones may stay in the mother’s body for a few more months and may lead to lower back pain.
- During a normal vaginal delivery, your body muscles have to work hard to push the baby out. Due to extra stress, you experience back pain after delivery.
- Faulty posture while breastfeeding and doing strenuous work after delivery leads to back pain.
- Back pain is also caused by physical changes that occur during pregnancy.
- Bending and lifting the baby and less sleep at night may also lead to back pain after delivery.
When will you get relief from back pain?
When your hormones level starts to subside and gets normal, you will get relief from pain. Usually, it takes 6-12 months to get rid of back pain. As your body regains its strength and the muscles get toned and get back to normal then the back pain may also go away.
How to get rid of back pain after delivery?
Here are some ways by which you can get rid of back pain.
- Rest- Most importantly, you need to take complete rest after delivery for at least 1 month in normal delivery and 2 months in caesarean delivery so your stressed joints and muscles get back to normal. Always rest in a comfortable position with extra pillows to support your body.
- Avoid lifting heavy weights- Don’t do any physical activities other than baby care for 1 month. Afterwards, you can resume your activities. But be careful against lifting heavy weights and try to avoid it for 4 months as it causes stress on your joints and muscles.
- Exercise- Exercising can help you a lot to get relief from back pain as it helps to lower the stress on strained muscles and ligaments. You can start with walking for 20-30 minutes (especially for mothers with caesarean delivery), yoga and simple stretching exercises.
- Good posture- Always breastfeed the baby in an upright position and don’t lean forward; support your back with pillows to prevent back pain. You can also assume a side-lying position to feed your baby.
- Carry your baby properly – Avoid carrying your baby on one hip for a long time as it can increase the stress on your back muscles. While lifting your baby, get closer or into the kneeling position.
- Avoid high heels- Don’t go for high heels and try to avoid them for a few months after delivery.
- Maintain normal body weight- It is natural to gain weight during pregnancy and after delivery. So try to lose weight after delivery by exercise, walking and a healthy diet.
- Pelvic exercises– Pelvic exercises also help a lot to get relief from back pain.
- Hot water baths- Take hot water baths for a few weeks after delivery to relax strained muscles.
- Oil massage- Get your back massaged regularly with oils by an experienced person to improve blood circulation which helps in pain relief.
- Pain relievers – You can use ointment which provides instant relief.
- Sujok therapy- It is a type of acupressure, which uses points on hands and feet to treat the problem. It also makes use of seeds, semi-precious stones along with pressure stimulation that helps relieve the problem.
If you are not getting any relief from the back pain even after following the above-mentioned tips then you should consult a doctor. After doing a complete examination, your doctor may recommend physiotherapy sessions and medicines to get rid of the back pain.
After delivery, I had experienced severe back pain for 8 months. Then after I consulted the doctor, many tests and CT scans were done to diagnose the problem and prescribed medicines. But medicines were giving me relief for a short period. One day my mother suggested Sujok therapy, then I thought for a moment that I have tried many things let’s try this one also. I took Sujok therapy sessions for 1 month. It worked and was very effective and I got rid of back pain. I was overweight after delivery so I did exercises and walking to lose weight. It took 9 months to get complete rid of back pain.
If you are also experiencing the same problem then it’s your turn to do it and make it possible.
Conclusion
In the above post, we discussed the back pain after delivery, the reason behind back pain during pregnancy and childbirth and the tips to get rid of it.
