terrible back pain

[peggyfromwastate]

Has anyone dealt with this? I am 36.5 weeks pregnant and have had this terrible back pain way down in the back of my pelvis (lower buttocks region?)... It's really bad in the morning-- it takes me a long time to stretch out so that I can walk at all without really intense pain. Then it hurts intensely again every time I get up after sitting or whatever. I try to stay on Tylenol every 4 hrs, but it doesn't seem to help much. I didn't get any back pain with Kate or with the twins ( :!: ) so I am really surprised to have it now. It could have to do with the fact that I have to take care of the twins all day, and they are pretty heavy, and then this baby is sooo low down (so my perineum area is sore too). Anyway, if any of you have had this, in your experience did the back pain go away soon after labor? Did it persist? It makes me want to run to the hospital for a C-section right now... I'm such a wimp.

[mommax3]

Yuck, Peggy! I don't really have any advice, other than for you to stay off your feet as much as possible (I see you rolling your eyes at me, young lady! ) I will say that the 3rd time I was pregnant, I had a LOT more aches and pains. I felt like my belly was practically dragging the ground when I walked for the last six weeks.

I was just thinking about you the other day and realizing that you are getting pretty close to delivery. As I recall, you are hoping that the baby comes at a certain time because your mom will be visiting, right? (Or was that someone else? ) Anyway, keep us updated and really, do try to take it easy as much as you can. Is your oldest daughter getting excited about the new baby?

Sally

That stinks, Peggy. I had lower back pain with my last pregnancy and it sucked. I gave up on the Tylenol because it didn't really help. My doctor advised taking it easy (ha).
I just asked DH what I did to help with the back pain. "Nothing helped, right?" "Nope." Oh, I know what helped -- delivering that baby!

Hang in there.

[Sheherezade]

I had a persistant pain in my lower back/hip region that came on at night and lasted through the morning/early part of the day. It got worse with sitting and really bad when I would lie on my sides. I always thought of it as hip pain, but I guess it could be similar if you say lower buttock.....it was deep tendon/muscle stuff I think. Anywhoooo---it did go away post pregnancy. My OB husband was useless in diagnosing it......If it is similar, you could try sleeping with a pillow or two between your knees to lessen the angle on the hip/lower back. I did turn out that my uterus is tipped backwards and I got all my labor pain and (and now my mestrual cramps!) in my lower back instead of my abdomen--maybe that was part of it. I hope you feel better!!

Angie

[Meenah]

Does the pain start in the buttock and travel down your leg to your foot? Is it a burnig sensation? If so, could be the sciatic nerve. I would check with my OB.
Luanne

I had really bad back pain in my third trimester. There were times I'd actually freeze up and be unable to walk the pain was so bad. My baby was also very low and often my pelvic floor hurt as well. My mother-in-law bought me an hour long prenatal massage which left me virtually pain free for the whole day (thank goodness, I could have never afforded it myself). The massuse showed me a massage for my husband to do when my back hurt. Lay on your side (with a plenty of pillow support as suggested by someone else) and have someone press with the palm of their hand right on your lower back, just after the small of your back starts to curve back out. Its not really a downward press, but kind of horizontal. If you were kneeling, they would press down, but you are on your side. Do you know what I mean,? Its more difficult to describe than I thought. But then roll onto your other side and do it again. I found the more pressure the better. It would really help with the pain, though not as effective as the professional massage. Supposedly this is great while you are in labor as well, but I had an epidural instead! I hope it helps, back pain is no fun.

[peggyfromwastate]

Thanks for the advice! I feel like such a wimp, but it really does hurt and I was looking forward to getting stuff done this month, since I'm so far behind from my broken wrist episode. Anyway, I'll mention it to my doc tomorrow at the appointment, but I'm guessing I'll be told just to hang in there...

Sally, my mom is coming into town to help with the kids and hopefully be here when I go into labor. She is arriving just as I get to 39 weeks. As soon as she is here, I'll be looking for magic potions to drink and what not to get this baby out...

Anyway, thanks so much for the encouragement... It does help to know that others have been there and after the big event the back pain subsided!

[SueC]

Sorry to hear about your back pain--that is a bummer! I concur that the third time around, the pains were so much worse. I think your body starts to protest each time it is put it through pregnancy! I was getting shooting pains from my hips down my thighs, which I attibuted to the baby's positioning, and luckily resolved with child birth. I can't believe you're so close!!! I hope the pain eases off in the next few weeks for you.

[Rapunzel]

Oh, you have my empathy, Peggy. My second and third pregnancies I had really bad sciatic pain as well as a killer back pain. I think it was a combination of my hips spreading (and, apparently my hips have to spread really wiiiide during my pregnancies) and my sudden lack of abdominal muscle to support my back. Lying down didn't help (it often made it worse). I had to be careful with heating pads because of the pregnancy. I was miserable.

The good news is the pain completely went away immediately after delivery. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!

Jennifer

[peggyfromwastate]

I really am such a wimp. I know that I'm not in such pain as many of you were!!! I had an OB appt today and my doc said that I had SI joint pain (I can not remember what that stands for) and she told me about some streches I can do and some counterpressure massage techniques my dh could do to help... I'm just glad to know that this will probably go away completely after the baby is born. When I look up back ache in What to expect (should be called "what not to read if you don't want to totally freak out about your pregnancy") they say it could last for 6 months after delivery. 8O They don't really qualify it by saying, for instance, that 1% of women may have some back pain for up to 6 months after... Anyway, my doc said it should go away as soon as the baby is born and the pressure is relieved too... Oh well... The miserable part of pregnancy I guess! Thanks for the support!