BACK ACHE!!!

Hiya Ladies,

I am only 5 weeks pregnant and work twelve hour shifts and was wondering if any of you had been or have suffered from lower back pain this early on in your pregnancy? It was killing me at work this afternoon as I stand up a lot and I was worried that it might mean something else?? I work from 6.30am till 6.30pm and am worried that this might not be a great thing to do when pregnant.

Also, I have noticed that in the morning my belly is quite flat and but he afternoon I am so bloated!! I swear I look about 4 months pregnant alread LOL!! Is this normal too? I think I may be eating too much as well, but I seem to be hungry all the time. I am trying to lay off the chocolate, but working at Cadbury's makes it very, very hard LOL!!

Anita xxx

Hello,

Lower back ache can be very common in early pregnancy. I was told that your body produces hormones that start to relax your muscles and therefore some people get lower back ache due to mucles relaxing and the uterus expanding.

I guess you and your doc would be the best judge regarding your job. Ask your doctor for some exercises to reduce the stress on your back and legs. I used to be a hairdresser and I really could not imagine doing this job whilst pregnant. Good luck

Hi Anita!!

Definitely normal. I'm already starting to feel twinges in my hips and sciatic nerves. As BekZ says, it is hormonal. It might pass, but if not, then definitely look into exercises and/or a back support. If you're going public through the Royal, when you've booked in you can get a referral to the pregnancy physiotherapist and they are excellent!!

Lucky you working at Cadbury's. I am craving chocolate at the moment and trying desperately to resist it!!!

Lisa (who is also in Hobart)

Hi Anita
I had the same thing early in my pregnancy.... I always suffered from twinges in my hips and sciatic nerves but at about 5 weeks till about 12 weeks the pain was full on... well full on as you just wish you could take a couple of nuerfon plus and have a hot bath!!! which of course we cant at 5 weeks!!
If you can get your hubby or partner to give your bum a rub as such :) i found that if I layed on my side and he rubbed around the cheek and hip it would just ease if off for me a bit.
Mine subsided after a while but by that stage I was used to it!

Good luck and I hope it eases up on you soon!

XXOO

Hi, I had the same thing very early in this pg, and it still gives me grief when I work alot. I'm a dental nurse, which means I have a bad lower back anyway LOL. I've been very lucky in that I could reduce my hours, so I only work 7 days a fortnight now. Reducing my hours has helped alot, but if we have a particularly long day I find that I'm very uncomfortable by the end of it. It's an awful ache!

I spoke to my Ob about it, he said that his dental nurse and dentist pts have the worst back probs, and that as long as I keep working it will probably be a problem. I have to admit, being on hols for the last three weeks has really helped, I've hardly had any pain at all. My OB did suggest using heat packs on the area to try and relieve the discomfort.

It certainly is very normal, but if it's getting unbearable maybe you could see about changing your hours, or your role until you go on mat. leave. Good luck!

BTW I still find that my tummy is bigger, probably more bloated, at the end of the day! I definitely noticed it in the first trimester.

wow that is a long day and alot of strain on your body let alone a pregnant one! If you "Can" cut back on some hours it might help a little.

Cut back on the chockies too sweetie or that will cause another problem later on!!!!! lmam!

Hi Ladies,

BEKZ, MUMINTAZ!!; KITTY 33; SEZJM AND SOUL thanks for your alll your advice!!

I had to work another 6.30am to 6.30pm shift today and I wasn't so bad. I tried to sit down as much as possible today to see if that would help and it did. I also didn't lift as much heavy stuff and managed to get others to do it without them being suspicious of my pregnancy LOL!! Just told them my back was sore and they didn't argue.

Lisa (Mumintaz), we made giant caramello bears today and I managed to resist them all!! I normally break off their feet and eat those thinking that it is "only a little bit" but when you eat around 20 of them it soon adds up to a lot of chocolate.

SOUL, I will definately take your advice on cutting back on the hours AND the chocolate LOL!! I really don't think either of those practices are going to be a benefit to me in the long run!!

xxx

oh love this will be the best time of your life minus the parts of pregnancy you could toss aside, but your body is doing an amazing job to have that little miricle grow and become one, so you should be treated like a queen right now, feet up and plenty of good food! I know people have to work and all, but my love you really do need to slow down some, your body is already doing so much work and thats a fact, so you really need to take it easy.

I think womens bodies are the most amazing realities in this whole universe! And yours is right now!