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Paul Dempsey's avatar

I was listening to a story today about a 30 something woman who had terrible back pain that went away when she got pregnant only to return as soon as her child was born. Gravity too?

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Deborah Campbell's avatar

Thank you for the great question Paul! This is a phenomenon that surprises a lot of people. Pregnancy does all sorts of things to protect the body, and sometimes those changes end up easing discomfort rather than adding to it.

Hormones like relaxin soften the ligaments, especially around the pelvis and spine, which can temporarily relieve pressure or tension that was locked in before. Blood volume increases dramatically, which improves circulation and can reduce inflammation. Posture shifts, the center of gravity adjusts, and often, without realizing it, movement becomes more conscious. The body is also flooded with endorphins and other natural pain modulators that quiet the nervous system.

It’s a rare window, one where the body adapts so fully that some preexisting imbalances temporarily lift. But once the hormones drop and the old habits, movements, and stress patterns return, without the cushion of pregnancy’s chemistry, the pain does too. It’s not just structural, it’s systemic, and gravity affects it all!

So long answer to a short question, yes and ….

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