Back labor can be excruciating during birth! Not everyone will experience back labor, but if you have in the past, you know you want some relief tips for any future labor!
Back labor is commonly believed to be due to your baby’s position, but this is not always the case!
Sometimes back labor is just due to our own personal anatomy, and not an indicator of an issue at all.
If you tend to have more pain in your back during your menstrual cycles, you may experience back labor during your birth.
If your back labor is accompanied by an abnormal contraction pattern, then it may be related to your baby’s position!
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5 Tips for Back Labor Pain Relief
If you are having back labor, or you have had back labor in your previous labor and are looking for tips to find some relief, here are five things we can try:
- Sacral Counter Pressure
- TENS
- Shower/Tub
- Heating Pad
- Inversions
Learn more about the science of birth and labor comfort techniques in our childbirth education course!
We offer our course completely online and self-paced so you can start it at any time and maintain lifetime of the course access!
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1) Sacral Counter Pressure
Counter pressure techniques help to release the tension on the uterine ligaments by physically pressing against the pelvis during a contraction.
The sacral counterpressure technique focuses on the sacrum! Four ligaments attach to the sacrum: the uterosacral ligaments. Sometimes we experience more back pain if there is more tension in these ligaments.
Sacral counterpressure can be a great technique to find some relief!
In our third trimester on-demand program and third trimester specific portion of our 40-week prenatal strength program, we include labor prep workouts that teach you different laboring positions and comfort techniques. These on-demand videos are 20-30 minutes in length and are both solo and with a partner!
Here is a preview of our counter pressure labor prep workout.
2) TENS: Electric Massage
The TENS is an electric massage that can help to relieve pain! Research supports it is just as effective at pain relief as IV pain meds without the side effects.
Place the pads on the back (between bra strap and pant line, and somewhere on the glutes). The same wire should be on the same side of the spine.
During a contraction, increase the intensity of the TENS. In between, lower it to a dull buzz.
Adjust the pads and intensity as needed throughout labor!
3) Shower or Tub
Next up, we have using water! The shower or tub is a great option for pain relief, especially back labor.
If using the shower, focus on the water hitting your back. Your partner can run the water for you to target areas you want more relief.
If using the tub, either submerge your back into the water or have your partner pour water on your back with a cup.
4) Heating Pad
We recommend having a heating pad available in your labor! Not only are heating pads great for postpartum cramping, but they can help during labor!
I like to carry an electric heating pad since it heats up faster and lasts longer than the one you throw in a microwave.
Place the heating pad on your back, and we recommend securing it to your body if you are moving around with a band or long piece of fabric.
If you are sweating, the pad is too hot!
5) Inversions to fix baby's position
Now, if you are also experiencing an abnormal contraction pattern, your back labor could be related to your baby’s position.
If this is the case, we want to address their position with movement!
Inversions are a great start to help baby adjust their position.
After an inversion, focus on forward-leaning postures to help your baby rotate towards the front.
And finish with a movement that opens the pelvic level your baby is currently at (inlet, midpelvis, or outlet).
It could be helpful for your provider or nurse to assess baby’s position either internally with a cervix exam or externally with belly palpations! THis can help you better understand what movements may support rotating the baby to a more optimal position.
Find relief from back labor!
We can use different comfort measures that target the back for relief from back labor, such as:
- Sacral counterpressure
- TENS
- Shower/Tub
- Heating Pad
If back labor is related to baby’s position, then we want to focus on correcting their position with the support of our birth team!
Learn more ways to support your baby’s position for labor in our childbirth education courses and prenatal fitness programs!