Safe lower-back stretches for pregnancy: ease pain in Minutes

There are some welcome pregnancy symptoms – a radiant glow, lustrous hair, and the excitement of planning for a baby. And then there are the annoying and potentially debilitating symptoms, such as back aches. A painful lower back is one of the most common side effects of pregnancy, and it often gets worse as your pregnancy develops.

Read our guide for five quick and easy lower back stretches to help soothe this unwanted pregnancy symptom. Plus, these moves can help improve your posture and prepare your body for birth. To find out more about pregnancy yoga, read our Thrive blog on prenatal yoga poses.

Why Does Lower-Back Pain Intensify in Pregnancy?

We can feel back pain right from the start of our pregnancy, mainly due to the hormone relaxin, which floods the body from the first trimester. Relaxin softens the connective tissues supporting the womb, the surrounding organs, and the abdomen itself to adjust, move, and make space for the growing womb and baby. This means there is less support for the back, which can lead to poor posture and exacerbate back pain.

As your baby grows and develops, this pain often worsens, increasing pressure and stress on the lower back and hips. For help with hip pain, read our Thrive guide on managing hip pain during pregnancy.

Safety First: Stretch-Smart Checklist

• Before you start, get clearance from your doctor or midwife to exercise.
• Find a quiet, clear space where you won’t be disturbed.
• Gather any props you may need: yoga mat, chair, bolster, cushion, and have a wall nearby for balance. 
• Take a few deep breaths to ground yourself and do a few gentle stretches to warm up. 

Five OB-Approved Stretches That Really Work

1: Cat-Cow Pose (Hands-&-Knees)

Not only will this pose help soothe away lower back pain, but it also encourages your baby into the optimal foetal position (best position for birth), and it is excellent for improving sluggish digestion.

Steps:

• Get onto all fours in a kneeling position, with your shoulders above your elbows and knees above your hips.
• Place your hands palms down and your fingers spread wide
• Begin by tucking your tailbone under as you exhale and move each vertebrae in turn until your chin comes towards your chest, gently engage your core on your exhale to help protect your lower back.
• Inhale as you start to uncurl your tailbone, moving slowly until you are looking beyond the top of your mat. Keep your core gently engaged to prevent your belly from sagging.
• Repeat around 5 -10 times.   Finish by coming into a neutral spine and easing yourself into a comfortable seated position.

2: Supported Child’s Pose Variation

This yoga pose is lovely to do at any time of the day, but especially good at night as it gently decompresses the spine and soothes a busy mind. 

   Steps:

• From kneeling, take the knees out as wide as comfortable, and then ease your hips down towards your heels.
• Walk your hands forward to stretch out your arms.
• From here, either place your forehead on the ground, with a light pressure on the third eye (area between the eyebrows), or cup your chin in your hands.
• Take slow, deep breaths – on each inhale, feel the body expand, and on each exhale, have a sense of your back sinking into the earth.
• Stay for around 5- 10 breaths. Then, put your hands back towards your body and come into a comfortable sitting position.

3:  Seated Piriformis Stretch

This yoga pose is sometimes called modified pigeon or figure four. It relieves tension in the piriformis muscle, which can lead to sciatica and lower back pain. It can also improve flexibility in the hips and legs.

Steps

• Sit on the edge of a stable chair (don’t be tempted to use a sofa which has less support!), bend your knees, keeping ankles below knees and feet hip distance apart.
• Raise your right leg and cross it over your left leg just above the knee, so you create a triangle shape between the legs.
• Gently hinge forward from your hips until you feel a gentle stretch along the outside of your right leg.
• Take about 5- 10 breaths here before gently releasing and uncrossing the legs.
• Repeat to the other side.

4: Standing Pelvic-Tilt Rock

This movement gently mobilises the spine and targets a sway back, which is a common postural issue in pregnancy.  It also helps encourage your baby into a good position.

Steps:

• Stand up with your feet about hip distance apart and parallel
• Imagine there is a bowl of water in your pelvis
• Keep your knees slightly bent as you exhale and tuck your pelvis under, imagine the water gently pouring out the back of the bowl.
• Then reverse the movement and imagine the water pouring out of the front of the bowl.
• Return to neutral (your starting position) and repeat for around another 3 – 5 times.

5: Table-Top Pose

This pregnancy exercise helps to release the pelvis, hips, and lumbar area, releasing pregnancy back pain and encouraging your baby into a good position (the Optimal Foetal Position – OFP).   

Steps:

• Stand opposite a wall or the back of a sturdy chair, bend your knees, and place your hands about shoulder width apart against the wall or back of the chair.  
• Hinge forward, so your head is in line with your spine and your body is in a 90-degree position (a bit like the letter “L”).
• In this position, gently sway your hips from side to side and then slowly rotate your hips in both directions, keeping your knees slightly bent.

To come out, place your hands above your knees and on an exhale, bend your knees and slowly uncurl to standing, moving vertebrae-by-vertebrae, so that the head is the last part of you to come up.

Common questions:

• Q: Can I lie on my back while pregnant?
• A: It is generally recommended that you lie on your back until around Week 20 and from then on lie on your side, with a block or cushion between your knees and a cushion under your head, preferably lying on your left side. This is because the vena cava (the vein that carries blood back to the heart) can be slightly constricted due to the weight of your baby, potentially reducing blood supply to your uterus.
• Q: What positions are good for pelvic pain during pregnancy
• A: Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) is where there is instability in the bones and joints of the pelvis, which can radiate to the back. Cat-cow pose, Pelvic Tilt Rock, and the Table-Top Pose (above) will all help ease pelvic pain.

You may also like to use a large fitness ball.

Our Thrive Yoga expert, Sarah Manning, says: “I love using a large ball for my pre-natal back care students. You automatically sit correctly with good alignment on the ball. Your centres of gravity – the head, chest, and pelvis all align with the centre of the ball.” This means that you will naturally have a good posture and gently engage your core muscles to help protect your lower back and pelvis.

At Thrive Journey, you can attend live classes and chat directly with our experts to tailor movements that suit you at your stage of pregnancy.

When to Call Your Provider: what’s normal and what’s not

If you are experiencing nerve pain, tingling, muscle spasms, sharp pain, vaginal bleeding, or water leaking, then seek medical attention immediately. Remember, your doctor and midwife are part of your medical team of support and should always be informed of all changes.

At Thrive Journey, we have pre-recorded routines to help you manage and ease back pain, as well as live classes so you can connect directly with our experts.

Disclaimer: The exercises are a guide only. Make sure you have clearance from your healthcare professional to do any exercise during your pregnancy. If you have any questions or concerns, stop immediately and see your doctor or midwife.