Back pain during breastfeeding: causes and tips
Certainly, back pain during infancy is annoying; Fortunately, some simple corrective measures and exercises can help soothe your back and prevent the pain from turning into a chronic one.
What causes back pain while breastfeeding?
Back pain is common during breastfeeding. The following causes and factors can contribute to this.
Breastfeeding position: Frequent slouching while breastfeeding can cause pain in the back muscles. Repetitive lifting and positioning of the child may also cause back pain.
Muscle pain after childbirth: Back pain during breastfeeding may be a residual of pregnancy pain. Pregnancy hormones relax the muscles and relax ligaments and joints for delivery.
However, relaxed muscles can become sore, especially due to the extra weight of the child. The pain may persist during the postpartum stage and can be exacerbated by the stress caused by the cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery on the abdominal and pelvic muscles.
Postpartum weight gain: Decreased thyroid function and stress from pregnancy may lead to postpartum weight gain in some women. Excess body weight can cause back pain.
Lack of sleep: Mothers who sleep less than five hours a night for six months after giving birth are three times more likely to maintain their pregnancy weight or even gain weight. It can be a contributing factor to back pain while breastfeeding.
Ways to relieve back pain while breastfeeding
The following tips and practices may help relieve and prevent back pain while breastfeeding.
Maintain correct posture. Incorrect posture brings a lot of pressure to the lower back. Most cases of back pain go away once the nursing position improves.
Use lumbar support pillows for extra support. You can also use a comfortable nursing pillow to reduce the extra weight in your arms and back.
Try to sleep whenever the child sleeps. Stress and fatigue are often responsible for back pain. Adequate rest can relieve back pain and also help you recover better after childbirth.
Try slow walking after getting your doctor's approval. Walking is a safe exercise, and you can do it while taking the child outside for a walk.
Doing light exercises can help you strengthen your muscles