Why does my back hurt in pregnancy?
Your back and pelvis carry more as the bump grows. Hormones soften the ligaments around the pelvis to prepare for birth, and that gives the joints more give than usual, so the muscles work harder to hold you steady.
As your centre of weight moves forward, the lower back curves more and the tummy muscles stretch. The result is an ache across the low back, sometimes with pain over the back of the pelvis or at the front, over the pubic bone.
It is common and it is not a sign that you have harmed the baby. It does deserve attention, because early help can keep you moving more comfortably through the rest of the pregnancy.
Who is helped most?
Anyone whose back or pelvis pain is limiting sleep, work, walking or looking after other children. That includes the mum who stands all day at a food stall, the office worker whose chair no longer fits, and the grandparent helping out while also expecting.
Physiotherapy also suits women who are expecting a second or third baby and carry a toddler on one hip. Lifting and carrying adds to the strain, and small changes in how you do it help a lot.
If you were already a back-pain sufferer before pregnancy, tell us. Our page on back pain explains the wider picture.
What do we check and treat?
We start with your pregnancy details: weeks, any complications, and what your obstetrician has advised. Then we look at how you stand, sit, turn in bed and walk.
- Where the pain sits: mid-back, low back, one side of the pelvis or both.
- How you move from sitting to standing and roll over in bed.
- Strength in the hips, buttocks and deep tummy muscles.
- How your bump affects posture and balance.
- Whether a support belt or pillow would help.
Treatment is gentle. It may include easing tight muscles, teaching safe positions to rest in, and exercises for the hips, pelvis and back that you can do at home.
What can I do this week?
Small changes make the day easier.
- Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees and another under the bump.
- To get out of bed, roll onto your side and push up with your arms, keeping your knees together.
- Sit with a small cushion behind your lower back, and stand up to stretch every half hour.
- Carry shopping in both hands or use a trolley, and bend your knees to pick things up.
- Walk daily at a comfortable pace, and choose a shaded path in Ipoh’s heat.
Resting with your feet up and a warm shower can ease an evening ache. Avoid anything that makes pain sharp. Tell us if pain travels down a leg.
When should I ring my obstetrician?
Contact your obstetrician or go to hospital at once for vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, regular tightening, fever, burning when you pass urine, or sudden severe pain.
Tell them too if the baby is moving less than usual or your face or hands swell up. Also tell them if the back pain comes with new numbness or leg weakness. Our guide on when back pain needs a doctor lists more.
Is a home visit helpful during pregnancy?
For most women it is the easier option. You do not need to sit in traffic or in a car seat that already feels tight, and the physiotherapist sees the bed, sofa and kitchen you use every day.
You message us on WhatsApp with your weeks, your area of Ipoh and what hurts. We reply with how a visit would run and a quote, then agree a day that suits your rest and work.
Read about home physiotherapy in Ipoh or how we approach lower back pain from sitting. Our Canning Garden centre, near Fatimah Hospital, is opening soon.
Questions people ask
The questions below come up most. If yours is missing, send it on WhatsApp and we will answer directly.