Getting Comfortable:

Natural Ways to Reduce Rib Pain During Pregnancy

Rib pain is a common complaint of pregnant women, especially in the later weeks as your growing baby starts placing more and more pressure upwards. This pain typically presents in the lower ribs at the front of your body, but some women do report discomfort on their side or mid back.

The discomfort tends to worsen when a woman is in a seated position, as this posture minimizes the amount of space the baby has to move around. Sitting also brings the baby up closer to your ribs. Any movements can be painful and even breathing can be extremely uncomfortable!

Although most cases seem to be fairly mild, some women report a tremendous amount of pain and have a difficult time getting through the day. This is especially true if you have little ones around who require care and frequent lifting.

This complaint typically resolves itself immediately after the birth of your baby, although there can be some lingering soreness. Listed below are some tips to help you minimize discomfort leading up to your baby's birth:

Reach for the sky: Lift your arms overhead or even better, find something to grab onto overhead so that your ribcage is lifted. This will relieve a lot of pressure. If you can't find something safe to grab onto overhead around your house, why not use the monkey bars at the park! It's best to stretch upward with your feet firmly on the ground.

Room to grow: It's best to wear loose clothing. In fact, some women who have intense rib discomfort cannot even stand to wear a bra. Loose clothing also helps you find comfortable positions if there is minimal compression on your ribs.

On the move: It's also a good idea to avoid sitting as much as possible. If you have a desk job that requires you to sit for prolonged periods of time, set yourself a timer that prompts you to get up and walk around every 15 minutes or so. You don't have to walk around for a long time – a couple of minutes are often enough. Taking frequent breaks may appear to have a negative impact on your productivity, but you will get more done throughout your day if you are able to minimize discomfort.

Get it straight: When you absolutely have to sit, it's important to practice good posture. Try to sit up as straight as possible so that the pressure on your the ribs is minimized. Your rib pain will be worse if you tend to slump forward when you are seated. A supportive chair with proper back support is very important. Also, try to use a lumbar support behind you because this support will make it easier to assume a good seated posture. If you have a reclining chair around the house you might want to consider using that as much as possible. A reclined position causes much less strain on the lower back than an upright seated position, and it also allows the front of the ribcage to open up.

Healthy choice: Supplementing with Omega-3 fats is important during pregnancy for many reasons. In fact, I could write an entire article on this topic! One of the benefits of consuming enough Omega-3 fats is that it can act as a natural anti-inflammatory and it can help you relieve discomfort.

In Summary, there are a number of factors that can produce rib pain in pregnancy, and many of these above tips can be used to help you cope. If you find that your rib pain continues, see your chiropractor for care and to feel better!