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Melbourne Midwifery

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pregnancy

How to enjoy your pregnancy without the discomfort of back pain

There is nothing fun about back pain at any stage of your life, whether it’s minor or major, but when it strikes during pregnancy it simply gives you one more thing to worry about during a time when you have enough on your plate, right?

Expectant mothers are going through a tough time; you might think that pregnancy is a joyous time to the maximum, and if you look at images thrown at us in the media, and read magazine articles, you’d be forgiven for thinking any differently, but the reality of the matter is that a life growing inside of you is a huge responsibility and not only is it an anxious time, but it’s also an uncomfortable one.

On average, a woman can put on between 10-15kg during a pregnancy, which puts strain and weight on the lower back, as well as pressure on the sciatic nerve as the baby grows bigger. Hormonal changes and other physical changes within the body can reak havoc with daily life, and all in all pregnancy can be an uncomfortable and difficult time for all concerned.

Having said all this, we can’t take away the major positives of this time – the growth of a new life! Taking away the difficulties and looking towards the positives is the first step, however there are many ways to reduce the risk of developing uncomfortable back problems during pregnancy too. Sunbury chiropractor,Dr Chatfield,has much advice for the expectant mother during pregnancy, as well as offering gentle chiropractic care to help smooth out any misalignments in the spine as they occur, as the baby grows.

Exercise is one of the first pieces of advice to give to help strengthen the muscles and alleviate discomfort. Of course, such exercise should be gentle and not prolonged, with walking and swimming ideal candidates. Lifting correctly, such as lifting from the waist and not the knees is an important step, however avoiding heavy lifting altogether is the first line of avoiding injury and strains.

We all know that getting enough rest and relaxation is highly important during pregnancy, but another good tip is to lay on the left hand side during pregnancy; this is for a couple of reasons, firstly to help improve blood flow, but also to help minimise pressure placed on the lower back during sleep, especially when a pillow is placed between the knees.

All of this might sound like we’re painting a rather bleak picture, but it’s certainly not the case. Pregnancy is a time to be enjoyed, and if you can work out methods to get around the discomfort a growing life inside you can cause, then looking forward to the joyous birth of your bundle of happiness is much easier. Call the practice now on (03) 9303 9952 (Roxburgh Park) or (03) 9746 3977 (Sunbury) to arrange an appointment, and let us help you conquer your discomfort, allowing you enjoy this special time in your life.

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