Pregnancy Stretches for Back Pain: Relieve Tension and Support Your Body
Pregnancy stretches for back pain are a safe, effective way to relieve the tension many women experience as their bodies change. During pregnancy, your body undergoes dramatic physical and hormonal shifts that can lead to discomfort, particularly in the lower and upper back. Incorporating targeted pregnancy stretches for back pain helps reduce this discomfort and supports overall well-being for both mom and baby.
Understanding Common Causes of Back Pain During Pregnancy
Pregnancy stretches for back pain target specific sources of discomfort caused by the changes happening in your body. Let’s take a closer look:
Hormonal Changes and Joint Instability
A key hormone, relaxin, increases during pregnancy to soften ligaments and prepare your pelvis for childbirth. While necessary, this change can create joint instability and lead to lower back pain.
Shift in Weight and Posture
As your baby grows, the increased belly weight pulls your center of gravity forward. This shift places strain on your lower back. In addition, larger breasts add weight to the upper body, contributing to upper back discomfort.
Emotional Stress and Muscle Tension
Stress is another contributor. Emotional tension can manifest physically, leading to tightness along the spine that becomes painful if left unchecked.
Effective Pregnancy Stretches for Back Pain Relief
The good news? Pregnancy stretches for back pain can reduce, and in many cases, eliminate this discomfort. By releasing tight muscles and lightly engaging your core, you’re actively preventing and relieving pain.
Stretching Deep Back Muscles and Hips
Stretching allows deep back and hip muscles to relax. This encourages spinal alignment and eases pressure around the lower back.
Building Gentle Core Strength
Strengthening your core improves posture and stabilizes your lower back. A strong core minimizes future pain and supports your changing body.
Creating Space and Feeling Good
This simple stretch sequence aims to create space in your body—particularly the lower back—helping you feel energized, comfortable, and ready for your day.
Consistent Practice for Maximum Benefit
The more consistently you perform pregnancy stretches for back pain, the greater the benefits. Regular stretching sessions reduce muscle tightness, improve mobility, and foster a stronger mind-body connection.
When you feel good, your baby benefits too. Prioritizing self-care through mindful stretching is one of the best ways to support both of you throughout your pregnancy journey.
7 Pregnancy Stretches For Back Pain Infographic
1. Goddess Pose with side stretch – Utkata Konasana
Open your legs wide with the feet opening outward and bend the knees to let your hips sink towards the floor. Breathe deeply in this posture for a few moments.
Then place your right elbow on your right side and extend your left arm over your head, turning your heart towards the sky. Here again breathe deeply and slowly, feeling the stretch on your left side. Repeat on the second side.
This posture is a good pregnant stretch for back pain! It will help to create space in your pelvis and to strengthen your core muscles.
2. Wide-Legged Forward Bend – Prasarita Padottanasana
Open your legs as wide as you can with your feet parallel to each other. Stand tall while you inhale and as you exhale bend from the hips, place your hands on the floor (or a block if it’s more comfortable) and let the top of your head get closer to the ground. Lengthen your spine as you breathe deeply. Stay in this posture for 5 to 10 breaths.
This is a good posture to release tensions in the lower back and stretch your hamstrings.
3. Garland Pose – Malasana
Open your feet as wide as your mat with your feet pointing outward. From here lower down your hips into a deep squat, your hips hovering above the floor. If the posture is unstable, you can place a blanket underneath your heels or sit on the block. Press your elbows against your chins, hands in prayer to open your chest. Lengthen your back with each breath.
This is a great posture to open your hips and relieve pressure from your lower and upper back.
4. One-Legged King Pigeon Pose – Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana
From a downward dog position, place your right knee close to your right wrist and extend your left leg making sure it is in line with your left hip. Place your hands on the side of your front leg and let your hips sink. You can fold forward if it feels good. To make this posture more comfortable and to level your hips, you can place a blanket underneath your right hip. Breath deeply for 5 to 10 breaths and repeat on the second side.
This pose stretches the hip flexors deeply, can alleviate sciatica and piriformis syndrome.
5. Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose – Upavishta Konasana
Sit with the legs extended and as wide apart as possible. Tilt your pelvis forward to allow your spine to be straight. Place your hands in front of you and gently start walking them away as far as you can, bending from the hips. Make sure to keep your spine long. Take long deep breaths in this pose.
6. Bound Angle Pose – Baddha Konasana
Sitting down, bring the soles of your feet together and close to your hips. Allow your knees to open up towards the ground. Interlace your fingers around your toes and use this as an anchor to extend your back. Slightly bend your chin towards your chest to feel the stretch in the back of the neck. Breathe here for a minute or two.
7. Extended Child’s Pose – Balasana
From a kneeling position, open your knees wide and let your hips rest on your ankles. Extend your arms in front of you or by your side and rest your forehead on the ground. You can also place a pillow or blanket under your chest for extra comfort. Close your eyes and let your body relax deeply with long deep breaths. Stay in this posture as long as you want to.
You should feel a pleasant stretch in your lower back as you rest here.
Featured Video:Seven Pregnancy Exercises For Back Pain
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a crazy thing! Miraculous, yes but still crazy! A baby is growing inside of you! Your body is not just yours anymore. For nine months it is the actual home of your unborn child! Cray cray!
You can’t pour from an empty jar and if you want to give everything you can to your family and this baby, you need to give to yourself first.
Self care is not selfish and now more than ever is the time to tend to your body and its pains and complaints. Because you, Mama, deserve to feel good and happy, just because you are you, and also because for goodness sake, there is a baby growing in your belly!
About
Clementine
Clementine is a multi-style prenatal yoga teacher, world traveler and animal lover. She started yoga back in 2015 and fell in love with this beautiful ancient practice. Read More..
