How to Sleep With Back Pain During Pregnancy
If back or hip pain is keeping you up, the short version from ACOG is this: in the second and third trimesters, sleeping on your side may be best, with your knees bent and pillows doing some of the work.
Why pregnancy back pain can feel worse at night
By bedtime you have carried extra weight in front of your body all day, and pregnancy hormones have softened your ligaments. Cleveland Clinic’s overview of back pain during pregnancy notes that back pain is more common in the second and third trimesters, and it is no surprise that many women feel it most when they finally lie down.
The sleep position ACOG recommends
In an Ask ACOG answer about sleeping on your back, ACOG explains that in the second and third trimesters, lying on your back may compress a major blood vessel that carries blood to the uterus, which can cause dizziness and may reduce blood flow to the baby. Sleeping on your side during those trimesters may be best.
A simple pillow setup
- A pillow between your knees, with one or both knees bent.
- A pillow under your belly for support.
- Or a full-length body pillow that does both jobs, which ACOG also suggests.
- Some women find a small pillow or rolled towel behind the low back helps them stay on their side.
If you wake up on your back, just roll back to your side and settle in again.
Other things that take the edge off
ACOG’s other suggestions for backache apply at night too: supportive low-heeled shoes during the day, good posture when sitting and lifting, a lumbar support, heat or cold on sore muscles, and regular walking or water exercise. The NHS page on back pain in pregnancy also lists warm baths, massage, and prenatal yoga or aquanatal classes led by a qualified instructor. Ask your OB before taking any pain medication.
When pain at night is worth a call
Call your OB or midwife if…
Night pain is not always just a bad mattress. Get in touch if:
- ACOG advises calling if back pain is severe or goes on for more than two weeks.
- Your back pain comes with a fever, burning or pain when you urinate, or vaginal bleeding.
- You have pain on one or both sides under your ribs, which the NHS lists as a reason to contact your midwife or doctor urgently.
- Before 37 weeks, you notice a constant low, dull backache, regular belly tightening, pelvic pressure, or fluid leaking. These can be signs of preterm labor, according to March of Dimes’ guide to preterm labor symptoms.
- You lose feeling in a leg, your buttocks or your genital area. Get emergency care right away.
Where chiropractic fits
If your OB has ruled out anything urgent and your pain looks musculoskeletal, an evaluation can look at how your spine and pelvis are moving. We do that at Radiant with posture and movement checks and, when appropriate, CLA INSiGHT scans, and Dr. Williams is Webster Technique certified. The research on chiropractic for pregnancy back pain is limited, so we are upfront about that and will not promise a result.
If the pain runs into your hip or down one leg, our guide to telling pelvic pain, sciatica and round ligament pain apart may help you describe it. For hip pain in particular, our page on hip pain during pregnancy and what eases it goes into more detail. If your lower back is the main complaint, read how we approach pregnancy back pain in Colleyville. If it is more that you cannot settle at night, our page on poor sleep and restless nights covers that side of it, and you can see how prenatal chiropractic care works at Radiant.
Not sleeping and not sure why?
An evaluation can help sort out what is behind the pain. If we think you are better served by your OB or another provider, we will tell you.
Sources
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. For questions about your own health or your child’s, talk with your doctor, OB, midwife or pediatrician.
From the team at Radiant Chiropractic, 8090 Precinct Line Rd, Ste 101, Colleyville, TX.
About the Author
Dr. Cameron Williams, DC
Founder of Radiant Chiropractic in Colleyville, TX
Webster Certified (ICPA)CLA INSiGHT Scanning
Dr. Williams found chiropractic in college, after nearly a year of migraines nothing else had touched. He holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Arkansas and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Parker University, and guides every care plan with CLA INSiGHT nervous system scans.
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