Any Mothers Waitress While Being Pregnant and Having Sciatica? Can I Make It?

I cant recommend a maternity belt enough. I got one from motherhood maternity, it's just elastic and velcro, but it completely helped my sciatica. I wasnt a waitress but I was frequently on my feet in a warehouse, and it helped ALOT.

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I did. At barely 9 weeks along and my sciatic started hurting. And just got worse the whole pregnancy. Some days at work I would just be walking along and get "stuck". It was awful, I couldn't take another step. But I waited tables until about 8 months, then switched to hostessing (because they forced me to). I wouldn't say I was fine, but I did it.

Your sister needs to see if her doctor will send her to a physical therapist. Honestly, staying off my feet never really seemed to help me. If physical therapy isn't an option, there is chiropractic or prenatal massage. Physical therapy should be covered by insurance though, where the others probably won't be. I would insist the doc send her to PT. I never did PT, mine wasn't covered by insurance until I met my deductible, so I just suffered through it. I wish I hadn't. I assumed that mine would stop hurting once I had the baby. Wrong. It still hurts, not like while I was pregnant, but at least once a week I have to stop and correct my position or move off the nerve.

A few things she can do at home- pelvic tilts, sitting on a giant yoga ball with her legs apart, and some yoga stretches. You have to be careful of the yoga though. I got a pregger video for home use. I would not recommend anything that requires laying on your back and lifting your feet. At least for me, that was horribly painful for my sciatic. Thankfully my husband was home when I did that, because I couldn't move at all and he had to pick me up while I cried. But the yoga pose where you are on your hands and knees and arch your back like a cat and tuck your tailbone under, then release and straighten your back, that one helped a ton. I did it a couple times a day. You can get a yoga ball at any sporting goods place or even Target or Walmart. And the pelvic tilt thing I read about in the What to Expect When You're Expecting book. I think you can find a demo video on youtube though. Also, she should sleep with a pillow between her knees. For immediate relief of sharp pain, I would sit on a tennis ball on the spot that hurt. And a heating pad helped sometimes.

Sorry this is so long. I just figured I'd tell you my whole routine. I hope she is able to find something that helps. PT would really be the best, to make sure it isn't a cracked pelvis or dislocated hip or something else that feels like sciatica.

Good luck to her!

I had sciatica off and on during my pregnancy with my twins. I'm a teacher, so I was on my feet a lot. It did get better, and I was able to work until I was 36 weeks along. It might not stay with her the entire time. Have her ask her doctor about stretches. I also get sciatica occasionally since I'm a runner, and there are stretches we do to help with it.

I would recommend going to a chiropractor. I have had sciatica before and this has been a great help. the adjustment, ice, and aleve.

My cousin is a waitress and she had to quit when she was 6 months along; the carrying of the heavy trays, the non stop walking back and forth from table to table was too much for her. Also she was on her feet all day and got some varicose veins in her legs.
I'm not sure about sciatica but I know she can have sciatica pain with or without working, I stayed home during both of my pregnancies and had sciatica pain during and after the pregnancy. It goes away though,
good luck and if she cannot quit because of the economy, I mean who can quit their job these days, maybe her boss will acomodate more breaks for her so she can put her feet up and rest her back,
good luck and congrats on your new niece/nephew!

No sciatica + prego, but my sciatic nerve is bothering me right now. I find that it hurts worse in the morning after getting up. I read it is either pinched by a disc due to injury or the hips are out of place. I believe my hips are out of place. I stretch often in the same manner my doctor stretches me...flat on floor, left leg straight on floor and right knee and hip over the left...slowly stretch and hold. It usually makes it feel better, but prego with sciatic nerve, don't know if she will have the strength to get up. Also message from lower back across the butt cheek and I feel it relaxing. I couldn't imagine having to be on her feet all day with that pain. Thankfully I can sit and move into a position that doesn't irritate it. I don't recommend.

all you have to do is find a great chiro and it will be gone!

Yes to either a chiropractor or naprapath. Essential for healing. I have it off and on but getting it worked on helps enormously. If she has insurance it might cover it. In my experience doctors aren't much help with this sort of thing except to give you pain meds. Pregnancy does make it harder for sure. Also, maybe she should look for a new line of work...

I agree with posts that recommend chiropractic care and prenancy massage and a "belly belt". If her doctor is saying stay off her feet, she should be able to go to her employer and ask for accomodations. It's kind of the law. Also, if teh doctor says he wants her not to work, she may be able to get unemployment or short term disability (if her job offers it). I waited tables for years and it isn't just physically challenging, it's mentally challenging because there are always ignorant people who think just because your a waitress you must be stupid or it's free game to be rude and difficult.
I'd speak to her doctor and do some research on the Illinois Dept of Employment Security or go down to the IDES office. I think the closest one to New Lenox is in Joliet over on the west side.

I tried aYoga during your pregnancy video and it REALLY helped. good luck!

Ugh - yes, I made it. It was no a pleasant experience, though. Really good shoes, keep moving, heating pad at night... Good luck to her.

If she sees her chiropractor regularly, she may be able to. I would highly recommend her seeing a good chiropractor anyway. Even to not be pregnant and have sciatic pain is no fun at all! Regular adjustments and area specific exercises should fix her problem. I got over my sciatica in 2 weeks being treated by my chiropractor. It was SO WORTH IT!

In this tough economic time I know it is difficult to take off work, but when a doctor is telling someone specifically like stay off your feet, I think they mean it.If she absolutely cannot survive without this job, she should check continuously with her doctor. Perhaps she can lighten her workload a little, or ask for help carrying trays, etc. If there is any way she can take off more, she really should take it easy. But we need to eat. Many women have worked while pregnant. Recall the stories of women working in fields and having babies there? But the red flag was when you said the doctor wants her to stay off her feet. I am unused to doctors giving advice like this unless they really mean it. Perhaps there are some other ways to help her-such as making extra meals etc. while she has some time off if possible. Wish her luck.