What a wonderful and exciting time it is to be an expectant mother! The miracle of life is something that should be celebrated, and I’m so excited for my friend who is currently in her third trimester. She may be downplaying her excitement a bit, but I know that she’s just as thrilled as I am about her impending miracle of life.
She didn’t look like she was ‘glowing’ to me. In fact, she looked exhausted. Puffy nose, dark circles under her eyes – it was like pregnancy had zapped all the life out of her. I had to agree with her husband that something wasn’t quite right.
When she reached her third trimester, she started having chronic neck pain that didn’t just occur during the day. At night, she had trouble sleeping, which only made the neck pain worse. She explained that this became a real problem for her.
It’s estimated that around 80% of pregnant women experience some combination of neck and back pain. Most women report neck pain specifically.
The first thing to keep in mind during pregnancy is that there will be a sudden increase in weight. This weight will be more pronounced in the uterus, and as the pregnancy progresses, the woman’s balance in her own body will be constantly shifting. Her body will be going through changes on a daily basis as it tries to adjust to the new size and weight. Additionally, back pain and neck pain during pregnancy do have some underlying causes.
Neck and back pain is very much reported in both men and women who are obese. The weight gain can cause both the neck and back pain. However, this does not bring relief even though the pregnant women gain weight all over the body.
Hormones are one of the main reasons that pregnant women experience pain in their ligaments and joints. These hormones cause the ligaments and joints to become more loose and pliable, which can lead to pain during pregnancy.
While the “relaxing” effect of this concept is great for childbirth, it unfortunately leaves the joints and ligaments in the neck and back without support.
Ice packs and neck exercises are two possible solutions for neck pain. However, one of the best solutions is to use a pillow that is specifically designed to help with cervical pain. These pillows can help heal neck and back pain.
A client of mine once told me that she experienced neck pain so bad during her first two pregnancies that it was unbearable.
The woman didn’t notice any relief from her neck pain until after she had given birth and recovered. Pillows and ice packs did little to help her during her pregnancy.
Her doctor suggested she look into specific exercises for the neck. These exercises would help take a preventative approach, meaning she could start them before the pain started. I’m happy to report that my Neck Pain program has been a success with her, and she is delighted with the results!
My neck exercises are a great way to reduce pain, regardless of the cause. The programs are very natural and come with proven results and zero side effects.
