WHAT IS BACK LABOR IN PREGNANCY?
Back labor is a term for refer to labor in which the majority pain and discomfort
is felt in the mother's back. Roughly about 1 in 4 women will experience back
labor. This pain is usually very harsh. This often used to describe labor in
which the woman feels the most discomfort in her lower back, just above her
tailbone.
Back labor typically occurs when the baby descends into the birth canal with
its skull hitting the mother's spine. This is referred to as the "occiput
posterior" position. This pressure often causes constant severe pain in
the back. The pain may radiate to the abdomen, but the center of pain will be
the back.
Some women may get relief from the back pain involved in Occiput Posterior
through the use of a local anesthetic. However, this is not guaranteed. There
are several things that the mother can do for help labor be more comfortable
and may be able to relieve by :
- Using counter pressure on her back.
- Having someone assist with a "hip squeeze" massage.
- Pelvic rocking or other activity to gently move the pelvis, to help encourage
the baby into a proper position.
- A chiropractor may be able to realign the pelvis to improve the position
of the baby.
- A birth ball may encourage good positioning for the baby and relieve some
of the mother's pain.
- Various exercises done on all fours can help, such as wiggling your hips
from side to side, or arching your back like a cat, followed by dropping the
spine down.
- In early labor, walk up stairs - sideways if you need to.
- March or 'tread' on the spot
- Step on and off a small stool
- Use kneeling or all-fours positions. Kneeling on one knee can help.
- Avoid lying on your back, semi-reclining, sitting or semi-sitting.
- Directing the warm-water spray of a shower onto the lower back.
- Epidural or spinal anesthesia.
(by Sophia Levis - BABY.TopResource.NET Reference)
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