We have already seen that back pain is usually a regular partner during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. But also back pain and postpartum birth may occur. There are several mechanisms that can cause this pain:
Muscle exertion: some deliveries can be an important effort, which can cause a muscular contracture in the back that can be maintained for several days. After those moments of tension and extreme push, we will discover laces where we had never had.
Alterations in the pelvic joints. During delivery, the pelvis dilates to allow the fetus to leave. The relative imbalance between the diameter of the mother's pelvis and the size of the child is one of the causes that can cause excessive dilation of the pelvis. This dilation can affect the sacroiliac joints, in the back of the pelvis, which are what join the pelvis to the spine. If that happens, muscle pain and contracture may appear in the lower lumbar area and the buttocks.
Exceptionally, the labor effort can trigger a fissure, protrusion or disc herniation. In that case, pain may appear in the lower back or sciatica.
Dislocation of the coccyx. If during the birth the passage of the fetus pushes the coccyx backwards, stretching or breaking fibers of the ligament that joins it to the sacrum, the coccyx can be displaced. It is what is called dislocation of the coccyx and can cause intense pain in the tailbone, at the end of the spine, especially when sitting on a hard surface.
"Back" or "kidney" delivery is one in which the pains of contractions are concentrated in the lower back. Even between contractions it is also possible to feel discomfort in the back.
Rest and rest will in most cases help the pain to stop, and the discomfort will resolve spontaneously. Although in other cases medical intervention may be necessary, analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs compatible with breastfeeding may be prescribed. Surgery could be considered in extreme cases of dislocation of coccyx, or herniated disc, for example.
Maintaining an adequate physical form, exercising the abdominal muscles, doing practices for the bids and changing posture during childbirth can be measures that prevent back pain in childbirth and postpartum.
