As a yoga teacher, I absolutely love stretching—it’s fantastic! But here’s the thing: stretching is only one piece of the puzzle. What many pregnant women overlook is the importance of core strength. Most think they’ll work on their core after the baby arrives, but if you want to avoid pregnancy backache and keep your back healthy and comfortable, you need to focus on your core during pregnancy.
Don’t worry—this doesn’t have to be intense, and actually, it shouldn’t be!
5 Common Mistakes Pregnant Women Make That Causes Back Pain
1. Thinking more stretching will solve the problem
As a yoga teacher, I absolutely love stretching—it’s fantastic! But here’s the thing: stretching is only one piece of the puzzle. What many pregnant women overlook is the importance of core strength. Most think they’ll work on their core after the baby arrives, but if you want to relieve back pain during pregnancy and keep your back healthy and comfortable, you need to focus on your core during pregnancy. Don’t worry—this doesn’t have to be intense, and actually, it shouldn’t be!
2. Overdoing it
Pregnancy naturally reduces your overall physical capacity, and that’s completely okay! You simply can’t push yourself as hard as before or keep up with the same workout intensity. If you overdo it, you’re setting yourself up for pregnancy back pain.
The key is listening to your body when it’s whispering, not when it’s screaming. By tuning in early, you can prevent aches and discomfort before they even start. Don’t wait until it’s too late—start paying attention now!
“When I was pregnant with my second baby, my daughter was only 14 months old. Like many toddlers, she wanted to be picked up and carried a LOT.
At first, I would bend over and pick her up without thinking. My body whispered that it wasn’t a good idea—little twinges in my back that I ignored. Eventually, those twinges got louder until my back really hurt.
That’s when I realized I was picking her up the wrong way!”
3. Waiting too long
I definitely overdid it, and I waited too long. I didn’t listen until my body was screaming at me to make a change—and I don’t want you to make the same mistake.
Instead, I invite you to shift your mindset. Yes, your physical capacity is changing, and that’s totally OK! You’re creating a brand new human, and that’s pretty amazing.
So, let’s embrace those changes. We won’t overdo it with physical activity or strength training, but we’ll keep moving in a way that supports your body and helps ease pregnancy back pain.
Let’s keep it simple with just one easy core movement you can do every single day—multiple times!
BABY HUGS!
All you need to do is draw your navel in, as if you’re giving your baby a gentle hug, then release. We’ll do this 10 times in a row. Aim for doing that five times over the course of your day. Commit to doing these 50 baby hugs every day. It’s a great way to strengthen your core and help ease pregnancy back pain while staying connected with your little one. This movement is going to help your body hold the weight of that sweet little baby and stabilize the whole midsection.
Poor posture is a super common cause of pregnancy backache, and unfortunately, you can’t get away with it while pregnant! It leads to a sore back pretty quickly.
How do you stand, especially with the added weight of your belly? Many women tend to sway their backs during pregnancy. The easiest way to check is to close your eyes and imagine standing in line at the grocery store.
Now that you know your posture, here’s how to fix it: Imagine there’s a string on top of your head, gently pulling you up. As you pull up, your spine naturally elongates, and you’ll stand taller with better posture.
By doing those baby hugs regularly throughout the day, you’ll strengthen your core and make it easier to maintain good posture, helping to ease that pregnancy backache!
4. Picking up things from the floor
It’s easy to just hinge at the waist and bend over to pick something up, but this puts much more strain on your back, especially during pregnancy. Instead, when you need to grab something from the floor, either ask someone to help (totally allowed!) or do this back-friendly move: bend your knees, drop your bum, and squat to pick it up.
Yes, it does take more energy, but it’s a win-win! You’re not only protecting your back, but also strengthening your pelvic floor and core. Strong and stable is exactly what we want to relieve back pain during pregnancy!
If you have a toddler, you know they love being picked up, but that can trigger pregnancy backache if done wrong. Here’s what worked for me: I’d ask myself, “Do I have the energy to do a proper squat right now?” If yes, I’d squat and pick her up. If not, I’d help her climb onto a chair and lift her from there to avoid bending over.
5. Your sleeping position
As your pregnancy progresses, especially by the second and third trimesters, sleeping on your back becomes uncomfortable and can compress major blood vessels causing pregnancy back pain. This is when most women switch to side sleeping, but there’s a common mistake: not keeping your body properly aligned from shoulder to feet.
Without alignment, the weight of your belly can cause your spine to twist, leading to backaches in the morning. To relieve back pain during pregnancy, place a blanket, foam wedge, or small cushion under your belly for support.
Next, ensure your hips, knees, and feet are aligned. Many pregnancy pillows only support between the knees, but if there’s no support between your ankles, it can still make you sore. For the best sleep, support your body all the way down—from hips to feet—maintaining a neutral spine position. This will help keep your back happy and reduce discomfort!
If you’re waking up on your back, place a cushion behind you or use a curved pregnancy pillow. This way, if you accidentally roll onto your back while sleeping, you’ll be on a slight incline. Even just an inch or two off a flat position helps keep the uterus from pressing on major blood vessels, ensuring healthy blood flow to your baby.
And remember, incorporating safe, pregnancy-friendly movements can also help relieve pregnancy backache and keep your back supported throughout your journey!
Check out my prenatal yoga routine for a happy back.
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