Have pregnancy pillow but still waking up with stabbing back pain ...

[SkaterGrrrrl]

Im 22 weeks and just woke up yet again to stabbing back pain. Am I using my pillow right? Its a V shaped maternity pillow and Im putting one "arm" between my legs and the other "arm" under my boobs and bump.

Have you got a decent mattress?

We bought a new mattress after having dd1 and 2, and I am now pregnant with dc3, and have realised that the horrendous back pain I had when I was pregnant with dd's, must have been because our old mattress was so crappy, because I haven't had any back pain with this pregnancy (touches wood, keeps fingers crossed!)

Oooh, good point - matress is getting on a bit. Is it worth investing in a new matress now though? Am aware that my waters could break in bed plus have all the new-mum milk/blood leaks to look forward to.

Then again I need sleep and my back is killing me!

Have you had any back pain at other times? You could have PGP, which there are exercises and support belts for.

An old mattress won't help, that's true, but if it is PGP then a new one won't make all that much of a difference. It might be worth talking to your midwife about this pain, and telling her where it is and when you get it.

Thanks Tottwriter - no Ive never had back pain before, it seems to have appeared at the same time as my bump and cleavage got properly big.

Will chat to midwife just to rule it out though.

If I got a new matress now, would I need plastic sheets or something to protect it?

Sorry, didn't make that clear. Do you have back pain at any other time of day, or is it just at night? And whereabouts in your back is the pain, upper or lower?

PGP is (pregnancy related) Pelvic Girdle Pain - if you've only started getting this with your pregnancy, that would be my fisrt instinct. It can appear in your hips, at the front of your pelvis, or in your lower back. Or all of those. It might not be what you're experiencing, but it's worth looking into it, as there are things that the NHS can do to help alleviate it a bit if that's what the problem is.

WRT a new mattress, you can buy disposable sheets to lie on in the maternity section of boots, near the breast pads. Closer to date, you can sleep on those and they will absorb your waters if they go in the night. They're also a godsend post-labour incase your maternity pads leak. Wearing a crop top or bra with breast pads in it will reduce the risk of milk leaving, though if you really are worried, a plastic sheet under your undersheet will probably put your mind at rest completely. Ultimately it's up to you though. I don't think my mattress has fared too badly for having a few dobs of breast milk leak onto it and some of my waters. I was prepared for the rest and avoided spills. In the event, it was certainly no worse than non pregnancy-related fluids which can spill there!

I saw a physio when pg with dd2, and had a belly belt and exercises, but it didn't improve it greatly.

After dd2 I carried on having a really bad back for ages, which I'm (now) sure would have been improved by having a better mattress, especially, as there were often 4 of us in the bed!

I got a double waterproof sheet from the range which was about £15, and it is great, and will be useful when you have a potty training toddler climbing into bed with you too!

Really useful posts, thank you both so much! The back pain is only in the morning and eases a bit once I stand up, but its so bad lying down I make uncontrollable gasps of pain if I move while waking up (won't tell you what DH attributed the gasps to ).

I don't have pain anywhere else - occasionally an ache in my right shoulder if I spend hours online using a mouse.

Pain is mostly in the middle of my back - almost back to back with my boobs (which are ginormous - I was an F cup before I conceived!) Am wearing a bra to bed so think its the strain of being front-heavy generally on my back. Will talk to MW and consider mattress upgrade.

If the pain is worse lying down and better standing up then it may well be a problem with the joints of your ribs to your spine, rather than a purely back problem. I don't think a new mattress would necessarily resolve this. I think you need to see a Physio ASAP.

Hi I could not get comfortable in bed but I bought a memory foam topper for my bed and it is amazing. Its cheaper than buying a whole new mattress. Mine only cost £47 for a superking size from ebay. Cannopt reccomend it enough for any sort of pain in the night.

Thank you both for your suggestions. I will look into physio and memory foam!