All the activities related to caring for a new baby will almost invariably lead to some back problems for mum. Think about all the times you will be carrying your baby, rocking them to sleep, bending over to change nappies and picking your baby up.There are are number of things you can do to strengthen your muscles and some tips to keep in mind which will help to reduce back pain.
What you can do to help your back:
- Exercise. Building up abdominal and back strength will help reduce back pain. Doing exercises such as pelvic tilts, and yoga poses such as the cat and cow are good exercises to start with. Pelvic tilts: lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Inhale and allow your belly to expand with your breath. Exhale and tilt your tailbone toward your belly button while keeping your hips on the floor. (It’s a subtle movement.) At the top of the tilt, tighten your buttocks, then release. Repeat eight to ten times. If you’ve had a c-section, wait at least six to eight weeks to start exercises like this.
- Check feeding posture. Make sure you feed in a comfortable position and that your back is supported with the back of a chair or pillow and use an armrest of pillow to support the arm holding your nursing baby. If you have tense shoulders and upper back pain, the side-lying position may be most comfortable.
- Be aware of your posture. With all the extra weight you are carrying around it’s critical to stand and sit up straight and always maintain a good posture. Keep your stomach and pelvic floor muscles tightened.
- Avoid hunching over. If you spend a lot of time pushing a stroller make sure you buy one with adjustable handles that suit your height. Also make sure working surfaces are at waist or hip height so that you are not bending over.
- Avoid carrying your baby on one hip for long periods.
- Think about your lifting. Avoid bending at the waist in order to minimise the stress on your back. Always bend at your knees and lift with your legs. They are large and strong and better able to cope with lifting maneuvers than the muscles in our back.
- Stretch. Do some stretches to ease tight muscles. Yoga is great for this and has the extra benefits of being a great relaxing and calming tool.
Following these tips will help you feel less sore and able to focus on your baby and enjoying motherhood rather than on your an aching body.
