Tailbone Pain Pregnancy: Solutions for the Expecting Mother
Tailbone Pain During Pregnancy is when the coccyx or tailbone becomes painful during any trimester of pregnancy. The tailbone is the bottom of the spine. It has many attachments to the pelvic floor muscles, sacroiliac ligaments, and pelvic bowl, which become stressed during pregnancy. Tailbone pain or coccydynia occurs during pregnancy due to hormones making the ligaments and joints more flexible in the pelvic bowl to prepare for birth. The tailbone is also just below the uterus, and as pregnancy progresses, direct pressure on the tailbone occurs. Tailbone pain during pregnancy can cause discomfort during sitting, pelvic pain, back pain, or make labor more painful.
5 Easy Ways to Relieve Coccyx Pain During Pregnancy
Cat-Cow Exercise
Child’s Pose Breathing Exercise
Breath deep into the pelvic floor and tailbone while in the child’s pose position. This breathing exercise creates a gentle stretch on the tailbone via the pelvic floor attachments.
Pillow Between Legs at Night
A pillow between legs can level the tension on the tailbone and pelvis.
Change The Way You Get Out of Bed
Tailbone pain increases as the expanding uterus stretch the core muscles and push down on the floor and tailbone. Therefore it can be helpful to use both arms while side-lying to get up. This modification is also the best way to prevent diastasis recti.
Tailbone Release (Hands-on)
Hands-on treatment by a physical therapist or chiropractor to the ligaments of the pelvic girdle can help reduce coccyx pain during pregnancy.
These ligaments include:
- Sacrotuberous ligament
- Sacrospinous ligament
- Coccygeal ligament
- Pubic symphysis (opposite side of the pelvic girdle)
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