We hear it time and again: “Pain during pregnancy is normal… The baby must be sitting on the nerve…”  We are told so by our friends, our sisters, our mothers and even uninvited strangers.  But the truth is that pain during pregnancy is not normal. It is not expected because the baby is small and cushioned well, so he or she cannot be sitting on a nerve.  However, pain during pregnancy is common. Statistics show 50-80% of women experience back pain while pregnant.  This can range from significant to completely disabling pain– 80% will be unable to go through their daily routine because of their intense pain.

So the term “Pain is normal” is not a good enough answer for me.  I’m a Physical Therapist, trained to help you with your “mechanical pain”.  Mechanical pain means the pain that is coming from muscles, joints, lose ligaments, discs, and pre-existing asymmetries.  A trained Physical Therapist can evaluate each of these structures for you, determine what is causing your specific pain, and help create a plan to help relieve that pain.  Our evaluation results in a treatment plan that can implement in the office, and teach you an exercise program that you can take home to manage your pain.

Instability in the muscles and ligaments is the most common cause of the pain, resulting in other muscles working too hard to stabilize the tissues, resulting in spasms and shooting pain, that may even travel down the leg.  Learning how to safely do a pelvic floor muscle contraction is the start of that stability.

Let’s try it:  lie down, or sitting a chair, with your legs and back at rest. Then, squeeze up and in, imagine that you are trying to hold in urine.  Try your best not to squeeze your gluteals, your knees, or your feet together, really isolate those pelvic floor muscles. Hold for a count of five, and repeat the exercise ten times.  You can be make it harder by holding longer, or steadily increasing the intensity of the squeeze.

Another strong stabilizer is your abdominals! Again, sitting or lying, sink your belly button in to your spine, hold for a count of five, repeat ten times.  Another nice way to help reset unstable joints is rhythmic motions, sit close to the edge of your chair and rock your hips backward and forward. You will be making your pelvis tilt forward and back, repeat ten times.  All theses exercises can be done several times a day for the best results.

Here are some tips that will come in handy to help with your pain as well. Think about your posture. Imagine the string pulling your head up as you stand and walk. Keep your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles engaged when you change positions, like when you are going up and down stairs, or when lifting heavy objects or children.  Wear sensible shoes, not heels and flip flops, throw the Uggs back in the closet, and instead, chose a strong heel, and good arch support.

We have touched on some important exercises and tips to help you with your back pain, but there so much more to learn.  Be sure to tell your ObGyn about your pain, no matter how small, even if you are in your first trimester! Ask if a Physical Therapist would be safe and appropriate for you. Remember, back pain is not “normal” and something you need to live with, but it is common. So don’t settle for dealing with unnecessary pain.

Mona Saeed DPT, Certified MDT, CHT earned her Bachelor of Science degree fromBarnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY.

In addition to general orthopedics, Mona is experienced and certified in McKenzie’s method to treat cervical and lumbar spine dysfunction. She also has the unique experience of treating patients with pain related to pregnancy as early as 6 weeks to full term, in both high risk and “normal” pregnancies.

Many of the physical therapists at Tidewater Physical Therapy Inc. hold Direct Access Certification through the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy allowing them to evaluate and treat patients without a prescription. As part of your healthcare team, a physical therapist will make an assessment of your condition and create a plan to start you on the road to wellness. Our team will communicate with your physician of record and obtain a referral, if necessary, for your continued treatment. We will also work with your insurance carrier to make sure services are covered by your plan. To make your own appointment, find a clinic near you.

This article is sponsored by Tidewater Physical Therapy.

Meet and interview Richmond area Doulas and find out how they can empower you during birth.

While a healthy diet is always the best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need, prenatal vitamins are recommended if you are planning pregnancy or if you are currently pregnant. Your health care provider might also recommend that you continue taking prenatal vitamins after your baby has been born, especially if you are breastfeeding. Prenatal vitamins can help fill in any gaps in vitamins and minerals, but they are not meant to substitute the need for you to eat a healthy diet.

Learn more about the important components of prenatal vitamins, when to start taking them as well as some of the side effects that may occur by clicking here.

Weekly Health Tips provided by Virginia Women’s Center

Please RSVP to Dr. Sylvestri adina@adinasylvestri.com or call 536-9143.

I’ll let that soak in for a minute.

This isn’t the first time someone has said something to me that couldn’t be interpreted as anything other than an insult.  When I was pregnant with my second, a customer actually scoffed when I mentioned my pre-pregnancy size.

Even pregnant women can manage to say the wrong thing to other pregnant women.

Now, what was my hormone-charged reaction to this woman telling me I look huge instead of cute?

Well, I laughed. Because it was funny. And I told her that other people looked cute because they were the one who is pregnant and not you and that we always judge ourselves (and apparently sales people) differently.

I was 30 weeks pregnant. Quickly on my way to outweighing my husband, I had dimples in places that aren’t cute, and just holding up a pair of jeans two sizes larger than my regular size I could already tell they’d be too tight.

Compared to non-pregnant me, I was huge.

And you know what? I’m totally okay with it.  I felt great about how I looked, which is why what she said really didn’t bother me.

I work with a lot of women, and I am always shocked how many women seem to truly hate their pregnant bodies.  It seems that at least once a day I hear someone say “I’m just so fat”.

To which I usually say “Stop.”

Just stop.  This will not help you. And besides, you’re completely missing the point.

Now there are extremes on either end, some people who gain too much and people who gain too little, but for the average pregnant lady (who always seem to be the most critical) I look at it like this:

Swimmers have long bodies and broad shoulders because they need strong arms and a strong back to perform strokes like the butterfly.

Marathon runners are much less broad, they are lean and spindly, they need to be light and muscular to carry their weight for long distances.

Olympic weight lifters have very big biceps of course but also large quads to stabilize themselves as they lift over 500lbs of weight.

And you’re going to need a few extra dimples on your butt to grow a strong and healthy baby.

Pregnancy and birth are nothing short of an Olympic feat. So take it easy on the self-criticism –at least temporarily.

So, no, I didn’t win any bikini contests during my pregnancy (never won one not pregnant so it’s not a hard loss). And, yeah, it’s a bummer when even your pajama pants are tight.  But I wasn’t about to be the one turning to the person next to me on the climb up Mt. Everest asking “Does this snow suit make my butt look big?”.

Because I’ll miss the view from the mountain.

And I’ll ruin the journey.

And I’ll stop myself from enjoying something that most people only get to do a few times in their life– if they are lucky. Some people never get to do it at all.

And who knows… Maybe being able to accept (maybe even love) your pregnant body… you might be able to make a few steps in forgiving that non-pregnant body too.

Smoking is harmful to your unborn baby and newborn.

How does a pleasant, relaxing Sunday afternoon lunch  turn into a frustrating, anxiety-provoking event in seconds?

Okay, since most of you are Richmond moms with young children, you’re probably laughing right now. You know it can happen in the blink of an eye with a toddler, older sibling, or even a teenager.

But my children are grown and I didn’t have any of my grandchildren with me.

My husband and I went out for lunch at one of our favorite places in Short Pump. We found a nice quiet seat by the window so we could enjoy the afternoon sun. It was cool and inviting outside and being able to enjoy lunch prepared by someone else was a nice treat since we typically eat at home most of the time.

As we were waiting to be served, I glanced out the window as I heard children giggling. Their happy faces and giggles were infectious and I smiled back. And that’s when it happened.

I looked behind them and there she stood. She was a young woman in her mid to late-20’s dressed very meticulously. Her hair was neatly groomed and she had excellent taste in accessories for sure — who wouldn’t love the designer purse she was carrying and the beautiful shoes she was wearing!

As I watched her walking across the parking lot and she turned my way, I suddenly realized that she was pregnant and she was so cute.

You know — one of those pregnant women who looks stylish even in maternity clothes. A neat skirt just above the knee and a cute shirt that gave a silhouetted outline of her tummy and a vision of the baby to come.  The only sign of pregnancy was her bulging belly with her hand resting on her stomach like pregnant women naturally do.  (There was none of that extra weight on the thighs, hips, and butt that I carried both times I was pregnant.)

When I looked a little closer and saw her stylish nails with the latest fall color of pewter glistening in the sunlight as she neared her vehicle — it hit me.

She was smoking!

Yes, smoking.

In seconds, my pleasant afternoon turned upside down. I was quickly seething with anger and frustration that in today’s world of information, any woman who was pregnant would even think about smoking! How could she do that to her unborn child and risk pregnancy complications or worse. What was she thinking – or was she thinking at all?

How does a woman who was obviously taking such immaculate care of herself and who looked so healthy and glowing be so irresponsible? She had to be a smart woman from all outward indications, but now I wasn’t sure.

I turned to get up out of my seat when my husband asked where I was going. “I’m going to tell that woman that smoking while she is pregnant can cause serious harm to her baby.”

Yes, you guessed it. He stared at me unbelievably and then, “You’re doing whatttttt?” was his response.

After 20+ years in healthcare with the majority of that time in prenatal education and preterm birth prevention, I couldn’t let this moment pass. But before I could make another move, the young woman and her partner had gotten in their car and were backing out of the parking lot. My moment had passed.

For the next 10 minutes I sat explaining to my husband about the hazards of smoking while pregnant. I cited statistics about the risk of preterm birth, underweight babies, and long-term complications. I explained how women need to be more aware of the hazards of their actions on their unborn child. I explained to him that it was like holding a tiny infant and breathing cigarette smoke into her tiny lungs.

And then, I told him we should track her down and I would snatch the cigarette right out of her hand when she reached out the window to flick her ashes.

By then, I think he had heard enough so he eventually steered the conversation to another topic. But I kept thinking about that tiny unborn baby struggling to breathe.

Risks of Smoking While Pregnant

That moment sticks with me still as I write this. I missed the opportunity to make a difference for that baby, but I hope that this article will reach pregnant women everywhere and help them understand the importance of not smoking while they are pregnant.

It’s harmful to you and your baby. Unborn babies are exposed to toxic chemicals including nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar. It decreases the available oxygen to the baby’s tiny, unformed lungs. It can lead to an ectopic pregnancy, bleeding, placental abruption, and even stillbirth.

Babies who are born to women who smoke are more likely to be low-birthweight, have cleft lip or palate, be born prematurely, or have other birth defects.

And even when women smoke after their babies are born, they should never smoke near or around a baby, and that means no smoking in the house. Babies who are around secondhand smoke are more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), are at greater risk for asthma, pneumonia, and ear infections, and may suffer other respiratory conditions. They can even experience slow lung growth for life-long problems.

Where to Get Help

If you or someone you know is pregnant and is still smoking, please seek help or ask her to get help to stop smoking immediately. She can talk to her obstetrician or contact the March of Dimes. Many health insurers offer healthy baby prenatal education programs and some even cover smoking cessation programs. Do whatever possible to give an unborn and newborn baby the best possible chance to survive — and to live a healthier life.

Tonight, my prayer is that the young woman I observed today will see that she is making a poor choice that could cause serious complications for her baby and she will stop smoking now.  And I’m taking this opportunity to make sure as many people as possible know about the dangers of smoking during pregnancy too.

Please, help me spread the word.

Doulas work to “mother the mother” by providing education before your birth, hands on support during labor, and breastfeeding support in the hospital and postpartum. Research has shown that the support of a doula significantly reduces the length of labor, the chance of cesarean sections, and postpartum depression.

This event is free! RSVP at richmondstore@franklingoose.com or call (804) 355-0595. Reserve your spot, space is limited! Refreshments will be provided by Birth Matters Virginia and Richmond Doulas.