Ways to Treat New Mom Back Pain
Back pain is a common experience during pregnancy, though it typically dissipates within a few weeks after delivery. That said, new mom back pain can come right back as you’ve started lifting and carrying your baby on a daily basis. As your new bundle of joy continues to grow, they increase the weight load on your back, making mom back pain an all-too-real ailment to find solutions for.
Today, we’re taking a look at ways to treat new mom back pain to keep you feeling as comfortable as possible in the late stages of pregnancy to nursing and beyond. Read on, and learn how to be comfortable as you start your new and exciting part of life!
What Is New Mom Back Pain?
During pregnancy, your center of gravity shifts and there is excess pressure on the lower back and pelvic areas. This can lead to pregnancy lower back pain that is both uncomfortable and stressful for both you and your baby.
What about new mom back pain, though? Just because your baby has arrived, that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily in the clear! Now comes the days and nights of holding your baby, nursing, and carrying them around. Carrying this extra weight (especially as they grow), can still lead to pressure on the spine, causing common symptoms called “mom back pain.”
Between the changes in posture during pregnancy to the new shifts in balance while taking care of your baby, finding ways to treat new mom back pain is essential.
Treating New Mom Back Pain
New mom back pain can be a challenging obstacle while you’re adjusting to taking care of your new baby. This is why learning ways to treat new mom back pain is so important because who needs the extra stress? With so many new and exciting changes happening, being impeded by discomfort doesn’t need to be part of it! To help you out, we’ve put together a few ways to treat new mom back pain that can make your journey easier:
- Choosing the right sitting positions during pregnancy
- Alleviating excess spinal pressure while pregnant
- Using a zero gravity recliner as a nursing chair
- Practicing good posture
- Exercising to treat new mom back pain
- Experiencing massage and heat therapy
Knowing How to Sit While Pregnant
As we’ve mentioned, new mom back pain can start before your baby even arrives. As you’re carrying your baby in the womb, your center of gravity shifts and you will experience excess pressure on your lower back. One of the simplest ways to treat new mom back pain at this time is learning sitting positions to avoid during pregnancy that may exacerbate the issue.
Some of the positions you’ll want to avoid include:
- Sitting too long in the same position
- Turning or twisting at the waist
- Using a chair or stool without a backrest
- Sitting in a chair or recliner without leg support
While getting used to these and making sure you’re not practicing bad sitting habits may take a little adjusting, you’ll find they may be extremely helpful along your journey.
Alleviating Spinal Pressure in the Zero Gravity Position During Pregnancy
Excess spinal pressure while pregnant is another reason to learn ways to treat new mom back pain before it begins. Being pregnant is a life-altering event filled with excitement and joy, but that doesn’t mean it doesn't come with its own set of potential complications. In addition to learning sitting positions to avoid, you may also want to consider the benefits of the zero gravity position during pregnancy to alleviate new mom back pain!
Reclining in a luxury zero gravity chair elevates the legs above the heart level and distributes weight evenly along the body. While this position may not seem like it would make a huge difference at first glance, it actually helps drastically reduce pressure on the lower spine and promotes better blood circulation to help with how the body heals itself.
Experiencing the zero gravity position may also help fight things like swelling and inflammation, manage stress and anxiety, as well as even help you get better sleep while pregnant. Starting to see their immense benefits yet?
Using a Zero Gravity Recliner as a Nursing Chair
Once your baby has arrived, there are new activities that could trigger new mom back pain. One of the most common ones is nursing or feeding your baby. You’ll be spending a lot of time in your nursing chair comforting, calming, and taking care of your baby so it’s important that it works for both of you and helps avoid new mom back pain as much as possible.
This is where a zero gravity chair comes in handy once again. Not only do these chairs provide comfort and have versatile style as nursery room ideas, but they also recline back into one of the most common nursing positions. This breastfeeding position, also called biological nurturing, is often the first one moms try as it is so effective.
Other considerations for using a zero gravity recliner as a nursing chair as a way to avoid or treat new mom back pain include:
- Comfort while sitting in your baby nursing chair
- Lumbar support to prevent lower back pain while nursing
- Easily getting in and out of your nursing chair
Practicing Good Posture to Avoid Mom Back Pain
Simply put, moms who want to ease their back pain after giving birth should make sure they’re practicing good posture. Posture has a major impact on new mom back pain (and beyond!). Making sure you’re avoiding bad sitting habits like slouching or stopping over can not only help you avoid mom back pain, but correct it if you’re experiencing some already.
While a comfortable, supportive chair like that zero gravity chair you’re using in the nursery is an excellent choice here, there are also other additional ways to help improve posture during this time like postpartum recovery garments. These garments are designed to help women keep their hips, lower back, and midsection stabilized to limit, avoid, or treat new mom back pain.
Back Exercises for New Moms
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to treat new mom back pain is with exercise. While it’s important that you respect your physical limitations to avoid making the problem worse, finding some back exercises for new moms that you can do may alleviate back pain and help your body stay in top condition. The key thing is to start off slowly and work your way up safely.
Before beginning any new exercise routines, make sure to speak with your doctor to ensure it's safe for you to do so.
Massage and Heat Therapy for New Mom Back Pain
Last, though certainly not least, on our list of ways to treat new mom back pain is with massage and heat therapy.
Way more than a simple self-indulgence, massage has been shown to have a positive impact on back pain relief. As a new mom, however, you may find it difficult to schedule regular appointments! Instead, many new moms look to zero gravity chairs with massage features to expand the benefits of their new favorite recliner. The bonus features of zero gravity luxury recliners like massage functions help keep your body loose and relaxed.
Other specialty features like heated zero gravity chairs continue to help with new mom back pain relief. Heat therapy promotes better circulation throughout the body, helping you heal faster, stay loose, and relax more deeply.
We hope this guide has given you some new ideas on ways to treat new mom back pain. Pregnancy and having a new baby should be some of the happiest times of your life. Don’t let mom back pain get you down! From paying attention to posture and how you sit to choosing a zero gravity chair for their numerous benefits for the nursery and beyond, find relief and get back to the joy of your growing family.
Want to learn more about the potential health benefits of zero gravity chairs? Check out these resources:
