Calling all expectant mothers. First of all, Mazel Tov on your soon to be bundle(s) of joy. With any baby bump comes other bodily changes. And, one of those changes could very well be back pain whether it's your upper or lower back.
So, how do you know if your back pain is a sign of preterm labor, a urinary tract infection, serious injury, or nothing at all?
You should always consult your health care provider or medical specialist first, but it's also important to know the tricks of the trade. Here you will find seven tips to avoid back pain while pregnant.
As your pregnancy progresses, your center of gravity moves with. In order to compensate for falling forward, you may lean back too often, sometimes without realizing. Doing so can strain your lower back muscles causing you chronic back pain.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggests four principles to keep in mind when maintaining proper posture:
Mayo Clinic Obstetrics Specialist Dr. Yvonne S. Butler Tobah says to consider purchasing a maternity support belt. Some women with a chronic back pain diagnosis find this additional support helpful for their lower back pain. In addition, Tobah suggests wearing low-heeled —doesn't specifically have to be flat — shoes that possess superior arch support.
"Avoid high heels, which can further shift your balance forward and cause you to fall," the specialist adds.
When you go to pick up an object, squat down and lift with your legs, not your back. According to the doctors at the Mayo Clinic, it's critical to know your boundaries. Ask for help when you need it. And, don't bend and snap.
Always sleep on your side, not on your stomach. You want to keep one or both knees bent and then alternate sides as you fall asleep. We suggest using an additional support pillow that you would place in-between your bent knees. You can also put another one underneath your abdomen and/or behind your back. Basically, the more support, the better (use as many pillows as you can find to throne yourself in).
Nika Robinson, a pregnant Backer and sciatica patient from Central Florida reveals, "Sleeping was one of the worst things and now, it’s so much better. I literally dreaded it."
The low back pain patient got herself a body pillow for the pregnancy paired with an overload of better quality pillows.
"I sometimes feel like a queen when entering. My bedroom is like a throne with so many pillows. My husband and I always joke about that," she says.
Make that appointment at the salon for a massage. You will not only feel muscle strain freedom but your mind, body, and soul should be more relaxed, ready to take on the upcoming week. If you can't make it to the parlor, alternate between a heating pad or an ice pack on the affected area. When in doubt, ask your hubby (or significant other) to give you a back massage using the hot or cold therapies.
Tobah says regular physical activity can keep your back strong and might relieve back pain during pregnancy. Of course, you need any excess activity approved by your doctor first, but with their OK, consider moderate exercise.
If your chronic back pain lasts for more than two weeks, make an appointment with your doctor or specialist. Since you are pregnant, you have to worry not only about yourself but another tiny human. And, some medications that non-pregnant females consume for pain relief cannot be taken while expecting.
If you are unsure where to begin, it's a fail-safe guarantee that your primary care doctor will know what's up. Consider the seven tips and above all, enjoy this time as a pregnant Backer. Remember, there is no better feeling than the movement of life inside of you.
Life as a writer is tough. There are numerous books that shine a light on the writing process and I have read them all. This was a beloved method of procrastination that I subscribed to for many years. These books have a way of making you feel like the second you finish them you are going to run to the page and write with the fury of a reporter on deadline. Sometimes this happens but the effect usually peters out after a few days. One of my favorite writers, Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art describes this procrastination as Resistance. It doesn’t matter if you are a writer, accountant, body builder, designer – Resistance exists for everyone. Resistance is the thing that gets in the way of you doing your work. It’s the millions of things on your to-do list, the unwashed laundry, the phone call you should really make, the quiet but powerful voice that says today I want to do anything but write.
I’m feeling Resistance particularly strongly today which is why I have decided to make lemonade out of these lemons and write about it. Resistance has gotten the better of me for years now. I have been writing somewhat consistently, but I am still at the mercy of the elusive and fickle inspiration angel. One of the greatest gifts that the Vipassana Meditation course gave me was the little bit of confidence I needed to prove to myself that I can, in fact, sit down and do the work.
Is there something you would like to be doing that you just can’t seem to get yourself to sit down and do? Chances are, you are facing your own Resistance monster. Here’s what it feels like for me:
A voice in my head saying ‘you have already written everything good you are ever going to write. To try again would be a joke.’
I’ve discovered what it all really comes down to. It comes down to fear. The fear that I will never write anything good again. The fear that I will not live up to my own expectations and the Muse will stop visiting me. The fear that I will waste my life doing something I am no good at.
Elizabeth Gilbert quelled some of these fears in her lovely book Big Magic. She writes “That’s what my books are to me: journeys that I took, in which I managed (blessedly) to escape myself for a little while.” I love this because it helps me to redefine what success is. For so long I have held the belief that success is monetary, it’s something that you get praise for, it’s something that gets you things. What a beautiful shift to think of the writing as the success. Success is what I am doing right now. Success is showing up and writing when everything inside of me is saying NO. This is my journey today.
Posted in Growing Up, Wisdom, WorkTagged do the work, failure, success, vocation, writer, writing, writing life
The AKC held its annual World Team Tryout for the FCI Agility World Championship this past weekend in Burnsville, Minnesota. German Judge Stefanie Semkat was joined by American Judge Linda Kipp. Each judge designed one standard course and one jumpers course. An additional standard course was provided by AWC Judge Nicolas Renaud and judged by Stefanie Semkat. A detailed breakdown by height and round is included below along with links to the course maps.
Note: We included dogs who incurred time faults but no course faults as having qualified since the course times are set at a very fast time compared to regular AKC trials.
What lovely cards and super kitties :-) I really love your card with the Mittens cat :-D xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So gorgeous, love them and the kitties are awesome..xx{aNNie The Journey Is The Start My Personal Blog}