Did you have upper back and neck pain during pregnancy?
Have you noticed it more after the birth of your baby?
Do you find some feeding (bottle or breastfeeding) positions uncomfortable?
This may mean that you struggle to get comfy, or to stay in a position to feed. This may cause your baby to be fussy when feeding.
Some causes to upper back and neck pain for a new mum are:
- Pre-pregnancy posture or previous injuries
- Postural changes during pregnancy, as the body had a lot of new weight to support as the baby grew.
- Holding a fixed position whilst feeding, many times a day for many minutes. This can involve positions that are less than ideal for mum, but good for baby.
- Your baby is growing and getting heavier.
In extreme cases mum becomes so uncomfortable breastfeeding they may stop earlier than planned.
Mums are concerned that they may have high levels of relaxin (the hormone that supports ligaments staying loose for birth) or are not able to have treatment if they are breastfeeding due to changes in their body.
Treatment of Breastfeeding Mums
Osteopaths are able to treat postpartum mums. We modify our treatment to the patient being mindful of the woman’s changing body.
An osteopath will take a full case history that may include questions about the pregnancy, the birth process, positions causing the discomfort. We undertake a full physical examination and discuss the most appropriate treatment approach based on what you want to achieve. This will include hands on treatment, advice such as positioning of baby for feeding or other activities.
Many of our mums benefit from a having a few sessions of osteopathic treatment as their bodies recover from the birth, and as they adapt to their growing baby. We work together to make you feel comfortable, to cope with and enjoy your new baby.
Mums are most welcome to bring babies with them for appointments.
This article was written by Melissa Thorpe, a Registered Osteopath in the Shefford Osteopathic Clinic team.