What can I do for the backache?

[annettemarie]

I've had babies before, but growing two at a time is really hurting my back to an extent I have never experienced before. I'm only 16 weeks and my lower back is really achy. I'm wondering, what can I safely do to help relieve it (or better off, make it stop altogether.)

[momasana]

I've only ever grown one baby at a time so I can't imagine how your back must feel with two in there! The only thing I've found that helps relieve the back pain is to get in the pool. Do you have a pool nearby that you can use? Or a really large inflatable that you could sit your entire body in?

[CherryBomb]

I'm only growing one and my back is killing me, way worse than my other pregnancies I'm going to the chiropractor, and I spend most of the evening (when the pain is worse) taking tylenol and sitting with a heating pad on my back :/

[annettemarie]

Is a heating pad safe? (Not insinuating you wouldn't do something safe; I just assumed it wasn't). Or maybe a hot water bottle? The round ligament pain is incredibly painful as well.

[CherryBomb]

Yeah, it's safe to use It doesn't raise your core body temperature since it's isolated to one area of your body. There's no evidence that the EMFs cause any problems, either. I don't know about using it for RLP, I have the badly too, but I'm not sure if you can use it around your tummy so I haven't.

[luckiest]

I started having truly awful back pain a few weeks ago (around 15 weeks), which I attributed to spending all day walking on concrete floors at work. The pain was in my SI joints and then worked its way around to my pubic bone.

My midwife suggested a few chiropractic adjustments (which I have yet to arrange), but the thing that worked wonders for me is simply sleeping with a pillow between my legs. Within a couple nights of doing that the pain was nearly gone.

I doubt something that simple works for everyone, but I would suggest some adjustments in case your pelvis is out of alignment, and a hot water bottle. Maybe a not-too-hot bath as well.

Hope it gets better!

[jensb]

I woke up with terrible back pain several weeks ago. Stretching didn't help; neither did ice or heating pads, and Tylenol made it simply bearable to go to work. I had a massage, which got some things moving around - temporarily more sore, then I could feel it healing over the next 3 days. Now that it's better, stretching/yoga keeps my back good. I hope you feel better soon!

[colorclash]

I second the yoga and the heating pad. I was using a heating pad every night for awhile, then I started doing yoga twice a week (as opposed to only once a week) and that helped a lot. Also, I've found that once I got a body pillow, probably around 18 wks, I woke up with less back pain. Now I need about 5 pillows to get comfy at night, and I notice that if I stop using them in the middle of the night, I wake up more achy.

[HeatherB]

For the short term, heating pads are a great idea. I wouldn't put it on the front but feel totally comfortable with it on the back. Of course, I don't mind a hot bath, either, so maybe the front isn't a big deal.

I would absolutely recommend chiropractic care. You'll likely need to continue through the pregnancy, though only you will know how frequently you need adjustments. It has really saved me throughout my pregnancies, and I generally end up going every 7-10 days. But, many people can go more infrequently.

Also, some people use belly support bands. Might something like that help take some pressure off your back?

Hope you find relief!

[Yuba_River]

Walking and gentle yoga help me.

[hapi2help]

Walking, yoga and CHIROPRACTOR! Mine has been a God-send my entire pregnancy. I would like to give her a trip to Tahiti for all the wonderfulness she has brought to my pregnancy!

[LindsayK]

I find that a cold pack on my back works better than heat. Or sometimes even alternating the two.

I've also used a belly support band, though I have found that it tends to just shift the weight to a different part of my back, which then hurts. But, at least it gives one part of my back a break!

I've done more stretching this pregnancy (toe touching, or just hanging arms down towards the ground), and though I am not sure how much it helps, at least I feel like I am *doing* something to make myself feel better.

[Llyra]

Swimming can really help. Well, not swimming exactly, but being in deep water. I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time in a pool often during my twin pregnancy, and it really gave me a lot of relief. I think it's because the water takes some of the weight off your poor stressed muscles and skeleton. I would feel so much better for hours afterwards. So if you have access to a pool, I'd recommend (in addition to the other excellent suggestions) a good long soak every day.

[paintedfire]

For me? Heating pads, cold packs, soaks in the tub, drugs (prescription meds - nothing illegal going on over here, I promise!), yoga, walks, swimming, massages, and accupressure (was accupunture).

I'm only having one, but I have SLE so my joints are bad all the time and I've had plenty of time to figure out the best ways to deal with things - I was officially diagnosed since I was eleven and I turn thirty in August.

Also, sometimes I just have to lay down on the kitchen floor and wait it out. Sad, but occasionally the only thing left to do.

Good luck!

[hollytheteacher]

Yoga is awesome. When I talked with my yoga instructor about my back pain she said the best thing you can do it get into the downward dog position BUT MAKE SURE you stand with your feet PIGEON toed. The more you can point your toes in and your heels out, the more you are opening up your back. Also make sure when you are walking you are either straight footed or pigeon toed. If you point out at all you are making your back a smaller place.

[annettemarie]

Sigh. I went to two thrift stores and the grocery store yesterday and woke up in the middle of the night not able to walk. I need to figure out something soon, and I don't know that chiropractic care is really in the budget.