Pregnancy - how it changes our bodies
A woman’s body is incredible... There’s no two ways about it! Our ability to grow and birth babies is a miraculous and special thing. This doesn’t always mean it is easy or glamourous and there are so many changes that occur which can be challenging for a lot of women. I think it's important to understand what these changes are, generally, and the role they play in bringing you your baby.
Initially, as your belly grows with bub, there is a shift in your center of gravity, this causes your pelvis to roll forward and lower back to arch. As the pregnancy progresses there is an increased demand on the muscles running along your spine to help counterbalance this. This shift in center of gravity & tightening of back muscles can be a cause of low back pain during pregnancy.
Our spine has a natural curve that helps us stay upright. This means that as your lower back begins to arch, your upper back begins to flex forward to help balance this out. This, in addition to your breasts growing and the fascial drag through the front of your body, causes your shoulders to roll in. These changes can contribute to upper back, shoulder or neck pain (which may be exacerbated post-partum by all those hours spent carrying and feeding bub).
As you move through pregnancy, and approach birth, your pelvis will begin to widen, your hips will externally rotate, and the arches of your feet will begin to flatten. This creates space for bub within the pelvis but can play a part in the development of pelvic girdle, hip, knee or foot pain.
In addition to allllll of this, there are big changes in the pressure systems within your body. Generally speaking, our diaphragm and pelvic floor work together to maintain the pressure within our abdomen and pelvis. During pregnancy, as your bub grows and starts taking up more space, these two structures are put under a lot more tension - your rib cage will expand and there will be more weight coming down on your pelvic floor. This can sometimes lead to reflux/indigestion, bladder leakage/increased frequency or swelling in your feet or hands (think carpal tunnel).
Reading all of this may seem like a lot (and I hope it isn’t too overwhelming) but the reason I write this is to show that what your body is going through is complex and if you’re experiencing pain or discomfort its understandable. However, this does NOT mean that you must endure it.
Pregnancy-related pain is common but not necessary. Osteopathy can help create balance and support your body throughout these changes (that’s code for ‘make you feel a lot better’).
If you feel you’d like to be a bit more comfortable thorughout your pregnancy journey or have questions about the changes you’re experiencing, then please reach out.
You really are amazing..
Zoe xo