New baby back pain may be one of the less auspicious results of a new addition to the family. Having a baby is one of the greatest joys in life, but is also a tremendous physical strain on the mother and a significant emotional strain on both parents. The start of a chronic back pain syndrome after the birth of a baby can be linked to physical or psychological causes and contributors. It is important to receive a proper diagnosis in order to end the suffering and enjoy the precious time with your new infant.
Unfortunately, curing postpartum pain syndromes is a very complicated matter when an obvious cause for the symptoms is lacking. The scope of this article will focus on the psychoemotional explanations for physical pain after the birth of a baby.
Physical New Baby Back Pain
Mom can have minor to moderate birth-related pain for several days to several weeks after the delivery. Often, this pain affects the back muscles and can create aches and symptoms throughout the lower body. This pain is normal and nothing to be alarmed about. Severe pain in the back or abdomen may be an indicator of a serious health problem and should be evaluated by a doctor immediately.
Pain due to a birth-related coccyx injury can last for a long time. At least once diagnosed, the injury can be properly treated and should heal in a few weeks to a few months.
A commonly misdiagnosed form of muscular back pain is often blamed on carrying or holding the new baby. While this is possible to experience, it is not likely and is an incorrect diagnosis in the majority of patient complaints. In some cases of back muscle pain blamed on carrying a newborn, the actual source process is caused by repressed emotional and psychological issues stirred up by the birth of the child.
Psychogenic New Baby Back Pain
Psychogenic back pain is extremely common for both parents around the time of a baby’s birth. Mom might develop a number of physical and emotional disorders in reaction to the delivery of the baby. These conditions can be minor and temporary or can be severe and chronic. They might include depression, flu-like symptoms, muscular pain and other psychologically-induced pain symptoms.
Mom or dad can experience bouts of psychosomatic back pain for a number of possible reasons. The birth of a baby brings added pressure and responsibility that can create conscious and subconscious stress. This stress might be a direct result of repressed feelings concerning the addition to the family or might remind the parent of hidden painful issues from their own childhood.
The early time of life is called the formative period for a good reason. It is this time that leaves such permanent and indelible impressions on our personality and self image. These childhood issues stay with us till the day we die and are often responsible for the development of emotionally-based physical symptoms. The birth of a new baby often awakens these repressed and deeply buried feelings in a new parent, causing the start of pain.
Baby-Related Back Pain
Short bouts of back ache and other physical symptoms are normal after a birth. However, be vigilant that these do not become long-term chronic problems. Some women develop fibromyalgia after giving birth, proving that they have serious emotional issues tied to the pregnancy, birth and/or raising of the new child.
These subtle emotional forms of back pain are rarely diagnosed by a medical doctor. The patient and their partner must be responsible for learning the facts about the mindbody processes and taking the necessary steps to treat the condition before it becomes a life-altering problem.
Knowledge therapy is the simple and effective path towards uncovering psychoemotional issues which may be linked to the pain generating mechanism. It might be wise to include this type of reading along with the baby’s bedtime stories. This way, baby gets some sleep and mom or dad receive some much needed pain relief.
