Pregnancy is wonderful. It is an exciting time for the new parents and watching as your baby grows is one of life’s miracles. Pregnancy is, however, not without its challenges. As your belly grows, your body will start to take strain and you could start experiencing aches and pains, especially in your lower back.
Back pain during pregnancy is normal and most pregnant women will experience pain in their lower back at some point during their pregnancy. There are a few things you can do to reduce the pain in your lower back.
- Practice good posture: This might not always be easy to remember but try to focus on sitting up straight, keep your shoulders back and relaxed and avoid locking your knees when you are standing up.
- Ditch the heels: You don’t have to throw out the heels completely but opt for flat shoes as often as possible and if you do need to wear heels, find a pair that aren’t too high and offer you support.
- Lift things properly: You shouldn’t be lifting heavy objects frequently when you are pregnant but if you do have to pick up items, bend your knees and crouch down to pick them up. Do not bend at the waist as this places extra pressure on your back.
- Sleep on your side: Side sleeping is the recommended sleeping position when you are pregnant as it alleviates pressure on your back.
- Apply heat or cold: You can apply a heat pack or an ice pack to the area you are experiencing pain. It may offer you some relief.
- Get physical: Regular exercise can do wonders for back pain. It doesn’t need to be high impact, intense exercise. A short daily work, yoga classes a few times a week or water aerobics will help to keep the pain at bay.
- Invest in a good pregnancy pillow: There are a range of pregnancy pillows that can sleep with to support your back and help relieve your back pain.
We have reviewed a few of the pregnancy pillows that we recommend you should try out as a pregnant woman.
Meiz Giant U Pillow
We love this big, snugly soft pillow, it is the perfect pregnancy bed rest pillow. This pillow replaces all your other regular pillows and will support your whole body while you sleep. It will conform to your body and help with lower back pain, general body pain and reflux. You can also use this pillow to support your back while you are sitting up in bed while reading or watching TV. This is a great back and belly pillow that offers you extra support while you are sleeping.
Queen Rose U Shaped Body Pillow
The unique design of this u shaped full body pillow will help you to sleep through the night while you are pregnant by offering you support in all the right places. This pillow is long enough to support you while you stretch out and get comfortable.You can use this pillow in a variety of different positions including using it as a sleeping pillow or as a reading pillow or watching TV while you are on bed rest. The velvet pillow cover is super soft, removable and machine washable.
ComfiLife Memory Foam Wedge
This is not a pregnancy body pillow but it will still offer you relief from your back and hip pain while you are sleeping. When you place this wedge pillow between your legs it keeps your legs, hips and spine in alignment while you sleep. This can also help to improve circulation which will improve the quality of sleep you are getting. Not only will this pillow align your spine and improve circulation but it will also prevent you from tossing and turning during the night.
Boppy Pregnancy Pillow
When you fall asleep lying curled up to this body pillow, you will have complete comfort from your head to your toe. If you are in your second or third trimester this is the best pregnancy pillow for you. The shaped pregnancy pillow follows the shape of your body for support while you are pregnant and through your recovery once you have had your baby. The Boppy pregnancy body pillow is an award winning pillow for pregnant women that offers them the right amount of belly support throughout their pregnancy.
BioPedic Maternity Body Pillow
This pillow may not look like much but it is one of the best body pillows you will find and makes for a great maternity pillow. You can use this full body pillow in a range of different ways. The 240 thread count cover is soft for added comfort and you can use this pillow by placing it along the side of your body or curl up to the pillow on your side with the pillow placed between your legs.
These are our favourite pregnancy pillows, if you are going to buy a body pillow at Walmart, make sure you lookout for one of these pillows. Sleeping with one of these pillows can really improve the way you sleep and result in you getting some good quality sleep.
