5 Ways to Reduce Back Pain in Pregnancy

5 Ways to Reduce Back Pain in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is amazing in so many ways and turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done. My two kids are my favorite people in the world, but getting them here wasn’t exactly easy. During my pregnancies (especially my second!) I dealt with extreme lower back pain that made truly enjoying my pregnancies almost impossible. During my second pregnancy, my back pain was excruciating. Back pain plus caring for our toddler made my days difficult and made sleeping at night super challenging.

I finally found the following solutions that helped alleviate my pregnancy back pain. I was able to sleep better at night, function better during the day with far less pain, and play with my toddler again without constantly thinking about how badly my back was hurting.

I’m confident these solutions will work for you too!

This blog post is in cooperation with Momcozy. All opinions are my own. You can read our full disclosure policy here. 

Stretching

No matter what aches and pains your body develops during pregnancy, stretching is one of the easiest solutions!

Stretching for just a few minutes a day is one of the most powerful ways to support your back during pregnancy.

Try to incorporate stretching into your daily routine by adding a few minutes of stretching to something you already do.

For example, stretch for a few minutes each time you finish brushing your teeth.

Maybe try to stretch for a few extra seconds when getting into bed at night and out of bed each morning.

If you want to add more stretches into your days, try adding some yoga poses (always check with your doctor first!)

There are tons of free pregnancy yoga videos on Youtube, including lots that are just 5 minutes long.

Low time commitment ideas like this will keep you motivated to keep stretching throughout your pregnancy and will almost definitely help with your back pain!

Walking

When you’re dealing with back pain that seems to make every task harder, the last thing you want to do is any sort of physical exercise.

My doctor told me that walking could actually help and as much as I didn’t want to admit it at the time – he was right.

Walking helps to loosen your ligaments and strengthens your muscles, both of which can help alleviate lower back pain.

A short walk every day seemed to be enough to lessen my discomfort.

I didn’t notice that walks were helping until I missed a few days and the pain started to come back.

If you’re dealing with lower back pain that is making daily life challenging, try taking a gentle 15 minute walk most days of the week.

Give it a week or two before giving up – I bet you’ll see the same results I did!

Drinking More Water

It seems like every time I complain about an ache or pain to someone, inevitably they ask “are you drinking enough water?”

As annoying as that question is, the answer is almost always “no.”

With lives full of responsibilities and distractions, drinking water often falls to the wayside.

As hard as we try, almost all of us are probably falling short when it comes to daily water intake.

Did you know that when you’re pregnant you need to drink even MORE water? 

When your body is dehydrated, nothing can work as it should – including the joints, ligaments, and muscles in your back.

Since you need to be drinking more water to support a healthy pregnancy anyway, you might as well try hydrating in the hopes of reducing your back pain.

As an added bonus, drinking tons of water can almost completely eliminate those awful leg cramps that come on at the end of your pregnancy! It worked for me!

Ice Packs for Pain Relief

This one was a true lifesaver in my second pregnancy.

The very best pain relief I found from my back pain was ice! 

I strapped ice packs to my back and switched them out all day long, trying to never be without some form of cold relief on my back.

I mentioned this to my doctor when I was worried about whether or not it was safe for the baby.

He told me that I wouldn’t be able to handle an amount of cold that would pose any danger to the baby, so it was safe to continue using ice packs all day and night.

Belly Bands

When I was pregnant, I tried all of these things and more, hoping for some long-term relief from lower back pain that was truly debilitating at times. While they helped for a while, nothing gave me the relief I was looking for.

Looking back, I really believe that what my body ultimately needed was more support for my growing belly.

Several times throughout my pregnancies, I would ask my husband to hold my belly for me just to get a brief break from the heaviness that was causing so much of my back pain.

I later learned that so many of my mom friends had asked their partners to do this same thing later in their pregnancies.

While this made me feel less alone with my discomfort, it made me realize how common back pain is during pregnancy…and that it isn’t just a minor inconvenience.

Back pain during pregnancy can be severe enough to interfere in our everyday lives. I didn’t realize that there was a solution that would make such a big difference.

I wish I had known what a life-saver maternity belly bands were back then and I really wish the Momcozy Maternova belly band was available when I was carrying our little ones!

The Momcozy Maternova maternity belly band is a brand new maternity belly band that will help take your focus off of your pain and discomfort so you can get back to preparing for your baby’s arrival!

It’s the first hospital-grade maternity belly band that is designed specifically for smaller baby bumps – meaning it’s perfect for moms that need extra support earlier in pregnancy like I did.

Momcozy’s upgraded Ergonest Support Structure™ has been tested and recommended by multiple experts to relieve lower back pain in pregnancy. PLUS the fabric on the Momcozy Maternova belly band is incredibly skin-friendly and comfortable. Far superior to other belly bands on the market, it isn’t scratchy or uncomfortable on your growing belly – an issue most belly bands and maternity belts are known for.

The Momcozy Maternova maternity belly band is made with soft, breathable fabric with tiny ventilation holes to promote airflow. It contours to your baby bump to help eliminate the feeling of heaviness that comes with a growing belly.

This new design makes the Momcozy Maternova maternity belly band not only comfortable against increasingly sensitive skin, but is also so discrete under clothing that it is almost invisible!

Maybe the best part about the Momcozy Maternova belly band is its user-friendly one-piece design, meaning it is a one-step process to put on and take off. This makes it incredibly easy to wear, even for busy moms on the go.

It is designed with an adjustable self-gripping closure on the side, allowing it to adapt to your growing belly without becoming too tight around your baby bump. Plus, it comes in four sizes, so you can find the perfect fit for your changing body.

Finding the right maternity belly band can make all the difference in your comfort level during pregnancy. The Momcozy Maternova maternity belly band is the solution I wish I had during my pregnancies. It provides the comfort and support every mom deserves!

Pregnancy back pain, even though it’s super common, can be extremely painful and isn’t something you should just accept as your new normal. With new amazing belly bands on the market, plus stretching, using ice, staying active with gentle walks, and drinking plenty of water – there are several simple ways to ease your discomfort. Be sure to listen to your body and do what feels right for you. Of course, always check with your doctor before trying new remedies! Figure out what works for you and remember, your baby will be here before you know it and this back pain will be a distant memory!