Back pain after pregnancy is very common. Having just gone through the various physical challenges of pregnancy, labour and then delivery (sometimes even a C-section), women have already been challenged both physically and emotionally even before their little ones arrive. After baby arrives you are on call 24/7. Settling your baby to sleep, feeding up to 12 times per day, carrying car capsules and nappy bags, pushing prams, the list goes on. Add to that the lack of sleep, maintaining a household, no time to exercise and a post partum body that is trying to heal, is it any wonder so many new mums suffer from back pain?
Life with a newborn is often so overwhelming for new parents that self care is often pushed way down to the bottom of the list. However, with a little bit of effort and a few modifications, you can minimise or even prevent back pain from affecting those early days with your precious baby.
Here are some tips to help you reduce your back pain as you adjust to life as a new mum.
Carrying your baby
If your baby is like any of my 3 babies, they love to be carried- and I loved carrying them too. Its wonderfully addictive to cuddle a tiny little bundle in those early days. But those light little bundles do eventually grow and get heavier and while partners often assist with household chores, there always seems to be something that needs to be done-right?
Investing in a well-fitted structured or soft carrier is essential to still being able to carry your baby and get those chores done. Use a carrier that holds your baby centrally and symmetrically across your front. Ensure the carrier has wide padded shoulder straps and adjust the straps so that the weight of baby isn’t pulling your shoulders down. Make sure the carrier also has a hip belt which helps to distribute weight evenly and takes some load off your shoulders.
Some carriers are designed so that you can actually carry baby on your back. This is particularly useful when baby is bigger. Switch it up if you can.
Make the most of it whenever there are people around to help. Most family and friends would love to have a cuddle with baby so that you can have a break from carrying.
When you don’t have a carrier or sling, alternate your carrying side to avoid strain patterns developing.
As your little one gets older, encourage them to move around themselves as much as possible. Lots of tummy time early will help your baby to develop strong muscles for movement.
Feeding Positions
Newborn babies can feed up to 12 times per day and it can often take 20 minutes or more if you’re breastfeeding. It is therefore so important to have a comfortable and supportive chair (preferably with arm rests) to feed in. Support yourself in an upright posture with pillows. The number and position of the pillows will vary depending on your chair but a small pillow behind your low back is usually helpful to support an upright posture. Cushions under the arm that is supporting your babies head will prevent strain to your upper arm and back. Use as many pillows as you need to bring baby up to you so you are not having to lean forwards to them.
If breastfeeding, using a reclined supported position (laid-back position) can help so that the weight of baby is partially taken by your body rather than your arms. As you and your baby get more confident in breastfeeding, you can even try feeding laying on your side in bed. Side-lying feeding can be relaxing way for bub to feed and for mum to rest.
Nappy change
With all of this feeding that baby does, there’s also an equivalent amount of nappy changing. What goes in, must come out! Babies go through 2,000 to 3,000 nappies a year. That’s a lot of nappy changes! It goes without saying that a changing table is so important so that you are able to change baby at a height where you can stand comfortably and not bent over for long periods. Try to avoid changing baby on the floor. Your back and neck will thank you.
Bath time
Giving your baby a bath is another task which often requires a sustained period of bending forwards. Household baths are generally quite low which means you need to kneel and bend right over. This can be quite uncomfortable and puts excessive strain through your neck, shoulders and back. Baby baths are light and can be placed at a height at suits you better. My babies were bathed on the kitchen table until they were old enough to sit unsupported in a shallow bath. Try to avoid carrying the filled baby bath tub too far though. If space permits, keep the baby bath tub near the kitchen sink so you can easily fill and empty it.
Lifting
Having a baby comes with a plethora of paraphernalia and it often feels like you need to pack a small house into your nappy bag to venture out into the world. Nappy bags are stuffed full of nappies, wipes, toys, bottles, snacks, spare clothes…and all of this weight adds up. Using a pram with a large under basket is recommended so that you can push around the load rather than carry it around your shoulders. If you aren’t using the pram, a nappy bag that is backpack-style can help spread the load across your shoulders rather than just across one shoulder.
Lifting heavy bags or a car seat capsule in and out of the car requires good technique to protect your back. Engage your core muscles and bend your knees keeping your back straight rather than bending forward to lift. Ask your osteopath for a demonstration if you are unsure how to lift with proper technique.
Exercise for back pain
Exercise is one of the most important things to prioritise but the thing that often gets pushed right down to the bottom of the To-Do List. We know that exercise is so important for both our mental and physical health. After you get the all clear from the doctor to start exercise again, start to do a little bit of exercise that gently strengthens your core muscles and mobilises your spine. Begin with an activity that brings you joy. It can be daily walks with baby in the pram, a post-partum Pilates You tube video in the lounge room, or even a weekly Mums and Bubs Yoga class nearby. It often feels like a huge effort on top of everything else that’s going on in your life but taking some time for self-care through exercise will not only strengthen your core and prevent back pain, it will lift your mood.
Hot showers and heat packs
Heat helps to relax muscles and often a hot shower will relieve any tension or pain in your neck and shoulders. You might also like to do some gentle neck stretches under the warm water to further relieve the tension. Speak to an osteopath about what stretches might be useful.
Sleep and Rest
Your body needs sleep and rest to rejuvenate and heal. People used to say to me “Just sleep when the baby sleeps”. That’s great advice if you can actually sleep at random times throughout the day. However, I’m not the type of person who is able to fall asleep at the drop of a hat (like my dear hubby can), and you might not be either. So I like to say “Rest when the baby sleeps”. Just laying down and closing your eyes for while helps relax your muscles and rejuvenate your mind.
Try to go to bed early. Get your partner to do a night feed if possible so that you can get a longer stretch of sleep over night. My husband and I used to work “shifts” in the night so that we could each get a longer stretch of sleep.
Use your support networks
Many new mums think that they should be able to handle this new gig on their own. This is impossible and often leads to parental ‘burn out’. Reach out to trusted family and friends. Tell them what you need and allow them to help you out. Most family and friends would be delighted to help out if you ask. Let them take a load off your shoulders.
Osteopathy for back pain before and after pregnancy
If you are a new mum suffering from back pain, getting the correct diagnosis and treatment along with appropriate management advice is essential. An osteopath will assess the cause of your pain and either use hands-on techniques to relieve muscle and joint tension, or refer on for further tests if necessary. Osteopaths will also advise on specific exercises and lifestyle adaptations to do at home.
Yiing Chen is a registered Osteopath at Lower Plenty Osteopathy and a mum to three wonderful children. She enjoys treating all family members, including pregnant women and babies.
