Pregnancy back pain is one of the most common complaints I hear – and one of the least well-addressed. Here’s what’s actually happening in your body, and what you can do about it.

Picture this: You roll over in bed at 3am, and just getting to your feet takes more effort than it should. That’s pregnancy back pain talking to you – loudly – and nobody at your last appointment quite prepared you for this part.

This is usually where someone says it’s normal, it’s just part of pregnancy, try to rest.

That’s true. And it’s also not very useful.

So here’s what’s actually happening in your back – and four stretches that can start helping today.

Why Pregnancy Back Pain Happens

Your body is doing something remarkable right now, and your back is carrying a significant part of the load.

As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts forward. To compensate, your lower back begins to arch more than it usually does – a position called anterior pelvic tilt. This compresses the joints and muscles in your lumbar spine, which is why that deep, achy tension tends to build as pregnancy progresses and often feels worst at the end of the day.

At the same time, a hormone called relaxin is loosening the ligaments throughout your pelvis to prepare for birth. That’s a good thing – but it also means your joints have less passive stability than they’re used to. Your muscles work harder to make up the difference.

The result: your back gets tired.

The misconception: that you just have to wait it out.

4 Stretches That Actually Help

These aren’t generic. Each one has a specific job to do in the pregnant body.

1. Hip Flexor Stretch (Supported Lunge)

Why it helps: When you sit for long periods – or even just walk with a forward-leaning belly – your hip flexors shorten and tighten. Tight hip flexors pull your pelvis forward, which increases the compression in your lower back. Releasing them is often the fastest path to relief.

How to do it:

1. Start in a half-kneeling position with one knee on the floor. Put a folded blanket under your knee for comfort.
2. Keep your torso upright — don’t lean forward.
3. Gently shift your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of the hip that’s behind you.
4. Hold 30–45 seconds, breathing steadily. Repeat on both sides.

Do this once or twice daily, especially if you sit for most of the day.

---

2. Cat-Cow (With an Important Focus)

Why it helps: This keeps your lumbar spine mobile, reduces muscle guarding, and – if you do it with intention – begins to train the breathing pattern you’ll use in early labor. Most women rush through it. Slow it down.

How to do it:

1. Come to your hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips.
2. On an inhale, let your belly drop gently and lift your gaze.
3. On an exhale, round your back slowly toward the ceiling and tuck your chin.
4. Pay particular attention to the exhale. That slow, controlled breath out is something your body will come back to when labor starts.
5. 8–10 repetitions, moving with your breath.

---

3. Child’s Pose (Modified for Pregnancy)

Why it helps: This gently decompresses the lumbar spine and gives your lower back muscles permission to let go. It’s also a position that naturally encourages baby into a good alignment – a bonus in the third trimester.

How to do it:

1. Start on your hands and knees, then widen your knees to make room for your belly.
2. Walk your hands forward and let your chest drop toward the floor. You won’t go all the way down – that’s fine.
3. Rest your forehead on the mat or your stacked fists.
4. Breathe into your back and hold for 45–60 seconds.

---

4. Seated Figure Four

Why it helps: Tight glutes and a tight piriformis muscle contribute significantly to low back and sacral pain in pregnancy. Most women don’t realize how much their hips have to do with their back pain. This stretch targets them without any pressure on your belly.

How to do it:

1. Sit in a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor.
2. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
3. Sit tall and gently lean forward until you feel a stretch deep in the outer hip.
4. Hold 30–45 seconds each side.

One Thing to Avoid

Avoid lying flat on your back for extended stretching after your first trimester. The weight of the uterus can compress a major blood vessel and reduce blood flow to both you and baby. Side-lying versions of most stretches work just as well – and are often more comfortable anyway.

---

When to Talk to Someone

Back pain is extremely common in pregnancy. But certain kinds of pain are worth a conversation with your provider: anything sharp or shooting down your leg, numbness or tingling, pain that consistently wakes you from sleep, or pain that feels neurological rather than muscular.

Common pregnancy back pain is achy, dull, and worse after activity. Pain that feels different from that is worth investigating.

---

This Is a Starting Point, Not a Complete Plan

Your body was built for this. But it wasn’t built to do it without support.

The four stretches above can start making a difference this week. A consistent, intentional movement practice – one that’s built around how your body is actually changing – makes a real difference in how you feel through each trimester and how prepared your body is for birth.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you want a structured daily movement practice, I built the [7-Day Pregnancy Stretch Challenge →] for exactly this. It’s free, it takes 10–15 minutes a day, and each day has a specific focus so you’re not just guessing.

And if you want to understand not just how to move, but what your body is doing trimester by trimester – what’s changing, what to prepare for, and how to actually get ready for birth — my [Trimester Workbooks →] are where I’d start. Each one is written for where you are right now.

You deserve more than it’s just part of pregnancy.