Thanks to hormonal and postural changes during pregnancy plus caring for a newborn, postpartum back pain is a common symptom. And though a lot of symptoms will dissipate within a few months, there's still a lot you can do to speed it along.
Don't want to read?
Join me and a certified a Pre& Post Natal Specialist and Doula in the audio version above while we chat about the role tight glutes play in back pain and the general day-to-day tasks of a mom. Learn what symptoms of tight glutes may look like, when to see a physical therapist, and the best way to loosen them so that you can get them strong.
What Is Postpartum Back Pain?
Postpartum back pain is stiffness and soreness that occurs immediately after and in the months following giving birth.
It typically manifests right in the low back and can feel worse as you learn to carry, feed, and care for a newborn (though these postpartum back pain exercises help!).
What Causes Back Pain Post-Pregnancy?
Postpartum back pain can be caused my numerous factors and is often not just one thing. Some common reasons are:
* Carrying extra weight
* Postural shifts from pregnancy
* Learning to breastfeed
* Poor abdominal engagement
* Carrying a newborn all the time
* Muscle weakness
* The hormone relaxin
During pregnancy your posture shifts to accommodate a growing baby. You also gain weight and use your muscles in different ways.
Plus, you have the hormone relaxin in full force which is made to loosen ligaments to help birth the baby.
All of this adds up on your body and most commonly shows itself as low back pain.
The Role Glutes Play In Postpartum Back Pain
The gluteal muscles are just one of the muscles that support our pelvic floor (and our torso in general).
However, when you're pregnant, constant tension happens and much of the center of gravity shifts. You tuck your tailbone under your bum and the glutes become overactive and tight.
Overactive glutes lead to a tight pelvic floor which can lead to:
* leaking
* hip pain
* back pain
* pelvic pain
We want to be able to both relax the glutes and the pelvic floor as well as strengthen them. So you get that full range of motion which will help reduce back pain and pelvic pain.
It's like if you were to hold your bicep in a shortened position all the time and then you go to pick up something off the floor, you're not really going to have that full range of motion or the strength that you would if you actually were to let your arm go and relax every once in a while.
It’s the same thing with the glutes and the pelvic floor.
How To Alleviate Postpartum Back Pain With 3 Steps
Before we move forward, let's remember that we're chatting about common back pain or pelvic pain (not severe pain or chronic pain).
If you're experiencing severe pain, please check in with a doc.
