woman with a pregnancy backacheMost every pregnant woman will experience a backache at some time or another during their pregnancy. In fact, as many as 75% of pregnant women have back pain at some point.

The backaches may start during your second trimester, or it could come later as you grow larger. A few women even have serious back pain after lots of exercise, bending, walking, or lifting. These women need to be careful getting out of bed and getting up from a seated position. But it’s more common to have just mild back pain.

Your backaches during pregnancy are caused by your uterus growing larger, your joints getting looser, and an increase in hormones. Also, as your uterus grows, your center of gravity will move forward, over your legs. Here are 7 tips on how to soothe and prevent backaches:

  1. Keep exercising. Make sure to check with your doctor beforehand though, because there are some conditions where you’d need to limit exercise
  2. Pay attention to your pregnancy weight gain so you don’t gain too much
  3. Lie on your side when you sleep with a pillow between your legs
  4. Wear comfy shoes (and avoid wearing heels!)
  5. Try taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief
  6. Stand up straight and sit up straight
  7. Apply heat where you feel pain

If your backaches become constant or get worse even after you try all of our tips, make sure to talk to your doctor about it. He or she can gauge your situation, talk about treatment options, and maybe even refer you to a specialist.