Pregnancy and birth bring major changes to a mother’s body. One frequent complaint after delivery is postpartum back pain. What lies behind postpartum back pain? Find the explanation below.

Causes of Postpartum Back Pain

The discomfort pregnant mothers feel on their back often begins in the final trimester. For some mothers, back pain will ease after they gave birth. However, many women also continue to experience persistent low back pain following delivery, a condition known as postpartum back pain.

Back pain may come and go in breastfeeding mothers. In general, those who had back pain during pregnancy are more likely to experience this symptom again after delivery.

According to What to Expect, several factors can cause postpartum back pain, including:

Hormonal Changes After Childbirth

During pregnancy, hormone levels will fluctuate and change to prepare mother's body and to support the growth of fetus. One key hormone in pregnancy is relaxin, which helps loosen pelvic muscles, joints, and ligaments. After delivery, relaxin levels fall, and muscles and joints gradually return to their pre-pregnancy state. Tissues around the joints usually need about 6 to 8 weeks to stabilize and bear weight effectively.

Strained abdominal muscles during labor

During a vaginal birth, the abdominal muscles will tense to assist with pushing the fetus. This delivery process can affect your back and even alter body posture, changing them and contributing to the occurence of back pain. The changes accumulated in your body structure over months of pregnancy will not disappear immediately after birth. It is a gradual process. You may still feel discomfort, especially if your labor was long or difficult.

For mothers who had a cesarean section, lower back pain can also occur while recovering. This is often related to the longer healing period compared with a vaginal delivery.

Bad posture when holding a baby 

Taking care for your newborn can involve many positions, such as bending, holding and rocking your baby. Poor positioning when you are breastfeeding can also cause lower back discomfort after delivery. Daily fatigue from infant care can further slow the recovery of lower back pain.

How Long Does Lower Back Pain Last?

Postpartum back pain can last from several weeks to a few months after labor. If you experienced severe back pain during pregnancy, you may also feel similar back pain that can still persist for some time after delivery.

Other contributors of back pain include obesity and day-to-day activity levels. In mothers with obesity, persistent back pain can be related to excess weight.

How to Manage Postpartum Back Pain

Back pain can be improved by strengthening your back muscles and adjusting your daily habits. These are the managements you can do, include:

Pay attention to how you move

Avoid lifting by bending at the waist. Bend your knees first, then lift. Apply this when taking your baby out of a stroller, lifting laundry, and handling other items.

Choose a comfortable position while breastfeeding

Feeding your baby can lead to back discomfort. Avoid hunching while breastfeeding. Try different positions to find what feels most comfortable. Choose a supportive chair, and use ample pillows to support your back and arms.

Exercise

When your lower back hurts, you may be reluctant to move. Try to keep exercising your abdominal, upper back and lower back muscles. Gentle movement helps to relieve your back pain.

Continue with postpartum exercises, stretch when muscles feel tight, and include activities that strengthen the lower back, such as swimming.

Relaxation

Relaxation helps relieve lower back pain. Options include soaking in a warm bath, applying ice packs to sore areas, massage, yoga, and other stretching routines.

Lower back pain after childbirth is usually not dangerous and often improves on its own. If these measures do not help, consult a doctor promptly.

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