Why does the waist always hurt during pregnancy? Expectant mothers often have this question, especially the abdomen and buttocks often feel uncomfortable. Is there any good way? Let's see what the doctor says.
[Causes of Waist Pain During Pregnancy]
1. Normal physiological response
As the fetus grows, the mother's weight gradually increases, and her body fat content increases. The most significant change is in the abdomen, where the fetus causes the abdomen to protrude, adding stress to the waist. At the same time, due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, the elasticity of muscles is slightly reduced, which can easily lead to waist pain.
2. Calcium deficiency
During pregnancy, the calcium needed for fetal growth and development comes entirely from the mother's body. The amount of calcium consumed by pregnant women is much larger than that of ordinary people, so many pregnant women are prone to calcium deficiency, which can also cause waist pain. It is recommended that expectant mothers pay special attention to calcium supplementation throughout pregnancy.
3. Incorrect posture
Some pregnant women have incorrect sitting posture, with their backs not straight and their lumbar spine tilted backward. This will concentrate the weight of the entire upper body on the lumbar spine, increasing the burden on the lumbar spine and making it more prone to pain. In fact, many pregnant women do not know how to walk, sleep, sit, and stand correctly. Poor habits in daily life are the most common cause of waist pain.
How to relieve waist pain during pregnancy?
[Methods to Relieve Waist Pain During Pregnancy]
1. Maintain correct sitting and walking posture
Starting from the beginning of pregnancy, maintain good sitting, standing, walking, and sleeping postures to effectively avoid or alleviate early pregnancy waist pain.
① Correct sitting posture: After becoming pregnant, when sitting on an office chair, choose one with a softer cushion to effectively relieve back pressure. Also, prepare a small stool to rest your feet on, which can promote leg blood circulation.
② Correct standing posture: After becoming pregnant, if standing for a long time, it is easy to feel backache and waist pain, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Therefore, expectant mothers must avoid standing for too long. If you feel tired while standing, find a place to sit down and rest. If standing for a long time, stand with one leg in front and the other leg behind, and change positions every few minutes to distribute weight evenly on the extended front leg.
③ Correct walking posture: When walking, pregnant women should keep their backs straight, head up, tighten their buttocks, land on their heels, take steady steps, and maintain overall balance. You can walk using handrails or railings, but remember not to walk too fast or protrude the abdomen forward.
④ Correct sleeping posture: During pregnancy, lying down to rest can promote blood circulation and relieve soreness. When lying down, use a soft cushion to elevate both legs. Develop the habit of sleeping on your side, which can effectively reduce the burden on the waist and alleviate discomfort during pregnancy. Warm reminder: When pregnant women sleep, they can place a soft towel folded into a square under the knee joint, which can effectively relax abdominal muscle pressure and relieve early pregnancy waist pain.
2. Pay attention to details when doing housework
① Sweeping or vacuuming: Hold the broom or vacuum cleaner handle with both hands and place it diagonally in front of the body. Take a small step forward with one leg slightly bent, while keeping the other leg straight and leaning the upper body slightly forward. Avoid exerting force on the neck and waist. When tidying up rubbish, use a long-handled dustpan. In fact, whether you are pregnant or not, a long-handled dustpan is more suitable for your physiological characteristics.
② Cooking: The kitchen countertop is generally low, so bending over is necessary when working. To avoid bending the waist and causing neck fatigue, pregnant women can support their bodies with their left hand while using their right hand to work.
③ Doing laundry: If using a top-loading washing machine, place the laundry basket on a stool at almost the same height as the washing machine. Find two support points on the washing machine, stand with legs parallel and slightly bent, with the knees against the machine body, lean the belly against the side of the washing machine, and slightly bend the waist when taking out clothes. If using a front-loading washing machine, place the laundry basket on the ground, kneel on one leg, bend the other leg at a right angle, support the washing machine door with one arm, so you don't have to bend over.
3. Balanced diet and calcium supplementation
Ensure a balanced diet and control weight: During pregnancy, pay attention to a balanced diet and control weight, so as not to gain too much weight too quickly.
Attention to calcium supplementation: During pregnancy, due to the continuous growth of the fetus and the formation of bones, a large amount of calcium is needed for the fetus to use. Therefore, in addition to ingesting the necessary amount of calcium for themselves, pregnant women should also provide sufficient calcium for the baby. If calcium is not supplemented during pregnancy, the mother will become calcium deficient after the entire pregnancy, resulting in loose teeth and back and leg pain. In addition to sufficient calcium intake, pregnant women should also expose themselves to sunlight and exercise regularly to promote calcium absorption.
