Help with Sciatica During Pregnancy

Hi C.,

Congratulations on your second baby! While I haven't any advice for a better chair, I do have a few suggestions for pain relief. I am a labor doula and I offer this to my client's who suffer from sciatica.

First get yourself to a great chiropractor. I recommend Dr. Neil Mennell at Back 2 Back Chiropractic. He is in the Tanasbourne area next to The Old Spaghetti Factory. His office number is 5053.###-###-#### and you can get more information on him at www.b2bchiroclinic.com

Secondly, I recommend that when you sleep at night you put a pillow between your legs when you lie on your side as it helps prevent the torsion normally associated with the side lying position.

Some mothers find alternating moist heat and cold while resting beneficial.

Also, I have a TENS unit which short circuits the pain response to the brain so that might be most helpful.

It is normal by the way to have an easier pregnancy with a more difficult labor with your first baby. Your body is just learning how do the whole childbirth thing. But, take heart, while second pregnancies are more difficult, by and large the labor is considerably easier.

I hope my suggestions prove beneficial to you and again congratulations on your second baby!

Kind regards,
T. Nelson CD

Have you tried a pillow or rolled up blanket. They seemed to work wonders for me when I was stuck at my desk all day. Or even elevating my feet on a box, helped. You could also talk to your boss about a better chair one with lumbar support.

Good Luck!

Hi, C.! I had amazing success during my third pregnancy with going to a chiropractor for sciatic pain. You could ask your OB for a recommendation for a chiro who is trained and equipped to work on pregnant women. good luck!

Dr. Amy Watson is a chiropractor in NE Portland who really knows her stuff when it comes to sciatica of pregnancy. Her office is called Whole Mama, Whole Child. I definitely agree with the other suggestions of sleeping and working ergonomically. Massage and chiropractic are the way to go if there is some kind of structural issue.

I had sciatica problems with my second. It was so bad I would walk backwards to get by.

Accupuncture worked for me. The place I go is Working Class Accupuncture ###-###-####. They are a sliding scale place in NW Portland and appointments are as little as $15. It is my favorite place to go for a nap!!! Hang in there Momma!!

C.,
It just makes me hurt to hear stories like yours. I do know of a natural product that is a pain reliever (works similar to ibprophin), anti-inflammitory as well as other natural benifits. I take it for my joint pain, not the same as sciatica, but I know others in your situation have found relief using it. I would love to share this blessing with you, if you are interested. my email is ____@____.com.
smiles,
Jen

HI C.,

I would suggest seeing a Chiropractor. Massage can also help greatly to relieve those tight muscles.
I hope all goes well!

Ideally, you would have a full ergonomic assessment. As pregnancy progresses, our joints get more flexible for the BIG flex our hip area needs to make! This makes us more susceptible to many conditions, and we need to be careful not to cause damage. Here is a firm that does ergo consults in Portland. They also have some tips online.
http://www.workforce-dynamics.com/ergo_consult.html

As for specific chairs, I found an inexpensive model (about $120) at Office Max with adjustable lumbar support. It is height-adjustable so that you can keep your feet on the floor and knees at the right angle. There are many other parts of correct ergonomics, but the chair and the online tips should help. I'd suggest calling your local Office Max first. I checked online and didn't see my chair.

What helped me the best was lying on the floor with my feet up on the couch and doing some gentle streches, Lay flat on the floor with your feet on the couch or chair. Then very gently press your lower back into the floor, releax and repeat. I would do this while reading stories to my older child who thought it was very funny to have mommy reading upside down...
He would sit at the top of my head and turn the pages while I held the book over my head.
Good luck
C.

Hi C.! I had sciatica with my first child and it's no fun! I tried prenatal yoga and prenatal massage therapy and it seemed to ease the pain. Good luck!