Back Pain

Since I've had the boys my lower back and tailbone have gotten really bad!

This past week I have spent most of my time lying down and being completely useless- I can barely pick them up!
Things have certainly aggravated it- I work as an Art Teacher part-time and recently unloaded a kiln (ouch!!!!) and feeding them
bottles in the boppys. I have just recently abandoned the bobby in favor of feeding chairs since they have started solids (hooray!).

Anyway, anyone have any good ideas with dealing with this? I am trying to get an exercise reg. together.

 

Almost every day I wish for a combined morphine/ibuprofen intravenous drip... Especially now that they're both over 20 lbs! :wacko:

But seriously - have you thought about going to a physical therapist and/or massage therapist? There's no cure for the "two babies to lug around" problem, but if there's a muscle imbalance or something you can cure that.

 

I'm with you it seems like all I do is slouch now adays because I am constantly feeding or something to that effect.
I had physical therapy a few years ago for my lower back. So I do some of those stretches. They seem simple but they work for me.

There are a bunch on this website. I just put the ones I did.

Lay on your back and tighten your abs. Tighten 8 times hold for about 5 secs. Do that for a total of 10 times.

Pelvic Tilt: lower back stretching exercise
Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Tighten buttocks and abdomen, flattening small of back against the floor. Hold for a count of five. Slowly relax. Repeat five - fifteen times.

The Cat: back stretching exercise
Begin on all fours, hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
Inhale as you drop tummy towards the floor and look up over your head.
Exhale as you bring your tummy back up, rounding your back as you tuck your chin in and tuck your tailbone in.
Move slowly back and forth between these two positions pausing on each pose.
Repeat about 5 times.

 

my remedy is to complain A LOT!!! :lol:

i am a huge believer in massage therapy, if only I could find the time or way to get there!

 

I had back problems before I got pregnant. They only got worse after I had the boys. I see a chiropractor. It took him a few months to get my body back in shape after birth. I had to be real careful while bottle feeding to switch sides when I was holding them. I tried to limit the amount of carrying the boys & lifted with my legs.

 

I also started doing my "old" physical therapy back exercises again. They really do help, and it only takes 5-10 minutes at the end of the day if you are consistent about it. I do them while I am watching tv or right before I go to bed. I also try to be very aware of what I am doing during the day - try to limit bending over from the waist (I know, almost impossible, but you'd be surprised). Try to squat to clean their feeding chairs, pick toys/papers up off the ground, to put things in dishwasher, pick babies up, etc. Bonus: you will find that you have the best glutes of your life if you are consitent about doing this! Bath time and putting them in and out of cribs forces you to bend over, but if you are ONLY doing that, it would be better for your back. You can also get a stepping-stool to put by the crib so you can step up before picking them up, makes it less of a bend.
I noticed that when I hear them cry (especially if they are down for a nap or in bed at night, or if I go in to check on them) I tense up my middle back. As soon as I figured that out, I tried to stop doing it and it really helped. Try to lift by bending your knees. It's a pain, it takes longer and it's harder, but if you don't protect your back it will get worse as they get heavier. Mine are 23 and 25 pounds now, DH has been gone for 6 weeks, and I'm actually feeling ok because I am watching my back muscles and posture and doing the exercises when my back hurts. I do the exact same exercises the PP described above.

 

It's hard!!!! I ache in those same spots too - part of it is my old age (45) too I am sure!

 

I have had a lot of back problems since my boys were born and although some mornings I do have to take an alieve it hasn't been as bad since I started seeing a chiropractor. I go to this woman who uses a more targeted type of adjusting, she uses this little vibrating gun type thingie (that's the technical term) and it has worked miricles on my back. I feel soooo much better, I actually found out that I had a few ribs out of place or that had spread apart when I was pregnant that were causing a lot of pain. For as much as I would love to take pain meds (the good ones) I just can't so I had to find a different option. It has changed my energy level and everything. Hang in there and I hope you find something that works I know how frustrating it can be :hug99: Oh and I also bought one of those memory foam matress toppers for my bed which I think helps a little, I at least get a better night sleep.

 

Hi,
I get lots of lower back pain after I have babies it always worse cause it effects my sacroiliac joint and it is really painful at times. The pain is always in the lower back near the tailbone and sometimes pain radiates down the leg like a pinch nerve. It could be that. Try walking that can help lower back pain a lot.

 

I also have a lot of lower back pain since the babies were born. I would recommend seeing a chiropractor, plus I also find the soaking in a hot tub helps too (and Motrin!). Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

 

I had back surgery before the babies were born. Thank god because I can not imagine life without it. My back still gives me lots of problems if I do not stretch every night. I do some of the stretches mentioned above and I always take my Yoga ball and lay flat on the floor in front of a wall. I take the ball and push it up with my legs against the wall untill my legs are straight and hold it for a while. It really loosens my lower back where I have a lot of my problems. The other thing I strongly recommend is Acupuncture. I rarely have time to go but it is the best thing I have ever done and I have found it to help me much more then a chiropractor. Hope you find something that helps.

 

I can sympathize. :hug99:

I take the rapid release tylenol it always helps me.

One thing I learned was to use a changing table instead of changing them in the floor. That always seemed to aggravate my back pain more.

 

Chiropractic care really helped me. He does accupuncture (sic?) and that alleviates the pain for several days. Also, ask if they have seeds or tacks. They are small seed like things in the middle of a piece of tape that go on pressure points. They stay on for up to a week. This way that pressure point is getting constant attention.

I would also recommend yoga. If you don't have time to go to a class, I would suggest - down ward facing dog. This makes me feel great. Yoga is all over the web. Just google it and back pain.

I had a back injury after having a bad back most of my life. Cut out the soda and down the water. It will relax your muscles.

Hope you feel better!

 

I threw out my back twice while picking up both infant car seats at the same time. They are both 21 pounds so it was a lot to hold....(Yeah I still used the infant car seats....lol...Not anymore after that!!!) The first time I did it, I was in sheer agony for 6 weeks....I mean, I could hardly get out of bed or change positions easily....I had to go on major pain meds and go to the chiro and it "magically" disappeared. Then I did it again a month later, but it only hurt for a week. Now I don't dare pick them up at the same time, ever!