Hi, I am 20 weeks pregnant with my first, and this weekend keep getting back ache in the side of my back...i was in agony saturday night, the only relief was from a hot water bottle. I haven't been lifting or doing anything strenuous and my baby bump i still barely noticeable...so its not from extra weight. Anyone else experience anything like this?? Any advise on how to help??

Hi Emma,

I had quite bad backache with my pregnancy and it used to hurt on side or upper back. I can't remember exactly when it started but I think it was around 5/6 months and I had it til the end. It used to hurt if I was standing or sitting and the only relief was if I was laying down and completely relaxing. I didn't put on a huge amount either, only about a stone and a half by the end of my 9 months, so I think mine was just because I was carrying all my weight up front and I have quite a small upper frame and slim waist and ribcage and this is where it hurt most so I think it must have been the extra strain that I just wasn't used to. It used to ache sitting at work and when I was 7 months I used to get to the end of the day at the end of my tether and in pain. I cut my hours to mornings only which helped because I could go home and relax and brought my maternity leave a week earlier and left 4 weeks before I was due.
Not sure if it's the same as you but maybe it's just the extra strain, do you have a small frame? you could check with your midwife though to see what she says?

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Sounds like it could be a water/kidney infection, I suffer from these quite a lot, more so when I was pregnant and they can be agony

Make an appointment with GP and take a water sample in with you.
Good luck!

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Thanks for the advice. I do have quite a small frame, but have never had back ache before, as am used to doing lots of gym and yoga. As the aching has carried on since the weekend, im starting to think its here until the end!

The aching definitely comes and goes throughout the day, and i find its worse when im in bed at night...i have to keep turning over which seems to relieve it a bit. The hot water bottle is definitely a godsend.

I will speak to my midwife and see what she advises.

Glad your managing to find some ease with the aching.

Hope you get some answers from your midwife.

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it could be stretching pains if its your first...or maybe the start of sciatica - does the pain follow down your leg??

Yeah i was reading that it could be stretching pains, i think that is what it is. Seems to be much better now.