Backache after childbirth - why and what to do?

With the onset of pregnancy in the female body, there is a global restructuring aimed at the successful bearing and birth of a healthy baby. There is a change in the level of hormones. The uterus, increasing in size, presses on the internal organs. The bones are also preparing for delivery - they become softer, the bones of the small pelvis expand. These factors affect the lower back and back muscles. It is for this reason that women who have become mothers suffer from uncomfortable, and sometimes rather painful sensations in this area.

You should be careful about your health, as well as perform special exercises, then the recovery process will be faster.

Causes of back pain after childbirth

There can be many provocative factors due to which a newly minted mother has a back pain. Most of them are associated with natural restructuring during the period of bearing a child and preparation for his birth. In addition, the lifestyle that a woman led before and after the birth of the baby also influences. However, it is not rare that the appearance of pain in the back is due to pathological reasons.

Physiological factors

The increased production of progesterone that occurs during pregnancy has an effect on the condition of the ligaments and cartilage, as a result of which they become softer. This is necessary for free bone separation and safe unhindered passage of the child through the birth canal. It happens that, as a result, there is a "subsidence" of the vertebrae even during the period of bearing the child, which leads to pinching of the nerve endings. When the bones begin to converge back, and the cartilage tissue is restored, it takes quite a long time. At the same time, the process is accompanied by uncomfortable sensations, and sometimes severe pain.

In addition, there are other reasons that cause back pain after childbirth. These include the following:

1. It is considered normal weight gain for the entire period of pregnancy from 10 to 13 kilograms. This is a fairly large increase in body weight for several months. Stretching of the muscles of the abdomen and back occurs, the spine is subjected to increased loads. After the birth of a child, a slow recovery of muscles begins, the spine returns to its usual position, so that uncomfortable sensations disappear.
2. Change in posture of a pregnant woman. The future mother deviates back while walking, which is why the muscles of the back and lower back are constantly in a state of tension. This becomes the cause of pain in this area of ​​the body.
3. Directly during childbirth, there is a significant separation of the pelvic bones, otherwise the baby will not be able to go through the birth canal. Recovery is not so fast, pain often occurs during this process.
4. After the pregnancy is completed, the load on the spine is again distributed differently, and this happens abruptly. In the process of getting used to a new position, the spine and back muscles are in tension, because of this, back pain appears.
5. A fairly common cause of pain is constipation, often accompanying newly made mothers. When the stool normalizes, the discomfort in the back will disappear.

One to two months after the birth of the baby, the process of recovery of the female body is completed, the joints take their usual place, the condition of the ligaments and muscles normalizes, and over time the back ceases to hurt. At this time, it is important to pay attention to your own posture, to prevent back tension.At the first signs of discomfort, which threatens to turn into severe pain, it is recommended to postpone all things and take a rest.

Pathological factors

When a newly minted mother begins to hurt her back, it is highly undesirable to wait for them to disappear on their own. You should go to the doctor to help determine what caused the pain. In some cases, this condition is provoked by the presence of certain diseases, among which:

1. Injuries to the spine that were received before pregnancy and for a long time did not make themselves felt. Often exacerbations occur precisely after childbirth.
2. Displacement of the vertebrae during delivery, pinching of the nerves, pressure on the vessels.
3. The presence of intervertebral hernia.
4. Exacerbated diseases (osteochondrosis, scoliosis), which is provoked by the process of childbirth.
5. Exacerbations of kidney pathologies.
6. Inflammation in the lumbar.
7. Use of analgesia (epidural anesthesia).
8. Other diseases: genitourinary tract, intestines, accompanied by pain in the lumbar region.

Not so rarely, painful sensations in this part of the body are the result of psychosomatic disorders that occur after a woman becomes a mother. Such a fairly common phenomenon as postpartum depression has an effect on the state of her entire body, and in particular on the occurrence of back pain. In such a situation, a consultation with a psychologist is required.

Treatment of back pain

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to take into account that various medications in the form of ointments or tablets give only a short-term result, briefly reducing the pain syndrome, but without removing the provoking factor. This means that the pain will reappear when the action of the drug is completed. In addition, many medicines are forbidden to use when breastfeeding.

If back pain is not caused by a disease, then therapeutic measures should first be aimed at quickly restoring the musculoskeletal system.

Women who recently became mothers are advised to wear a special corset, which will help the back muscles, so that they will quickly take the necessary position.

To strengthen and restore muscle should perform therapeutic exercises. Moreover, it is recommended to do this throughout pregnancy and a couple of months after childbirth as a preventive measure against back pain.

To alleviate the pain syndrome, the doctor can give a direction to the newly minted mother for massage and physiotherapeutic procedures. Such measures contribute to the restoration of blood supply and muscle strengthening, as a result, the spine quickly takes the necessary position.

Good applicants in the fight against discomfort in the lower back will be special applicators, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. Such agents improve blood circulation in the tissues.

Prevention

Preventive measures should be carried out in the process of bearing a child. Already in this period it is necessary to do exercises that strengthen the muscles of the back. Excessive weight gain should be avoided, if necessary, follow the diet recommended by the doctor.

In the last months of pregnancy, you need to avoid overstrain, because during this period the body prepares for childbirth, it is likely that the vertebrae will “sag” or pinch nerves.

When a woman becomes a mother, she must follow a few simple recommendations to prevent complications:

1. When lifting heavy objects, inclines should be avoided. This should be done from a sitting position, this is to ensure the correct distribution of the load.
2. When caring for a baby, you need to take care of your own back.It is necessary that the child’s bed, bathtub, changing table, be adapted to the growth of the mother, so that she does not have to constantly bend over.
3. It is recommended to sleep on a hard mattress - this will be the best solution to keep your back in a healthy condition.
4. We must not forget that the more extra pounds, the greater the load the spine experiences. Therefore, it is advisable to get rid of excess weight that was gained during the bearing of the child. A well-chosen diet will help in this young mother.
5. When feeding a baby (regardless of the type of feeding - breastfeeding or artificial), you need to choose a comfortable position in which the back will not get tired and undergo excessive stress. A good option is a soft chair. Most mothers say that if you feed the baby in a supine position, there is almost never any discomfort.
6. Both a woman and a child will benefit from being outdoors. In addition, the movement will bring the muscles to tone, help them recover faster. It is not necessary that this was a run. A leisurely walk will reduce stress and charge a good mood.

For back pain, you need to analyze your lifestyle and, if necessary, make adjustments to it. Be sure to monitor your posture. From a habit formed during the period of bearing a child, to protrude the stomach forward, it is urgent to get rid of. Bending of the spine leads to the fact that the muscles of the back, and without it subjected to a heavy load, experience overstrain, as a result, this part of the body begins to hurt. In addition, serious complications can occur in the form of a curved spine, displaced vertebrae, and hernia formation.

Video: pain in the spine after childbirth