Maternity Back Pain

What's a comfortable position for pregnant women in the last months before delivery? Obviously they wouldn't be able to sleep on their bellies, and sleeping on the back would have the same effect, in the opposite direction, because it has the uterus pressing down on the back muscles and the nerves. Again, lying on the side would be the most comfortable way to sleep. Also, a pregnant woman can get needed support by using a back support.

Studies estimate that over 50% of women experience low back pain during their pregnancy. This pain is primarily due to the increase in body weight that naturally occurs while carrying a child, particularly in the abdominal region. This extra weight puts stress on the body, specially the low back. Gravity pulls this weight downward, causing an exaggeration of the lordosis curve in the lumbar area (low back curve). Hip positioning is also changed. (The stomach tends to shift downward and forward, and the buttocks shift backward and upward.) Even slight changes in these things can put a major strain on your low back, and can leave you miserable. Also, during pregnancy, the hips begin to expand and the connective tissues soften to accommodate the expansion of the birth canal. This "loosening" of the hips can contribute dramatically to low back pain.