Seven of the best stretches for your pregnant back and neck pain. Feel better FAST with these spine stretches for pregnant and expecting women. Pregnancy back and neck pain relief stretching routine from a doctor of physical therapy.

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**I help women lose weight, rehab their core, and tone their stomachs after pregnancy. Get amazing results with the Mommy Tummy Fix program at MommyTummyFix.com**
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OTHER VIDEOS YOU MIGHT FIND USEFUL
Diastasis Recti Exercises And Postnatal Core Recovery: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT4Yite3Tx5la-8ZatdyNVw5kmMgsuEyi

Postpartum Workouts And Fitness: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT4Yite3Tx5nV9K2geZIg5oKRuL_X9Ph8

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One of the most common complaints I hear as a prenatal and postpartum specialist is about back and neck pain during pregnancy. Let’s be honest - growing a human being inside of you takes a toll on a woman and there’s bound to be some aches and pains along the way. Luckily the right stretches and the right exercises can go a long way in helping to alleviate some of this pain and help you to feel better.

Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite stretches for neck and back pain during your pregnancy and hopefully help you to alleviate pain in these areas.

BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY
Back pain is a common symptom of pregnancy because of the shift in your center of gravity. As you’re growing a “bowling ball” out in front of you, it pulls on your abdomen and spine. In order to “counterbalance” this weight, pregnant women tend to lean backwards as they stand or walk, thereby increasing the curve in their lower backs. Over time, this tends to cause pain in this area.

NECK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY
It’s typically the center of balance and weight shift transfer that I mentioned above that throws the neck out of proper alignment, also. Because of the increased curve of the lower back, a woman’s shoulders and neck tend to round forward just to keep everything balanced out. Over time this results in neck and upper back pain as well.

BEST STRETCHES FOR NECK AND BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY
The stretches presented in this video are the ones I share with my pregnant patients all day long. They’ve been proven to be a very effective means of safely and comfortably stretching your lower back and neck if you are pregnant and I hope they offer you some relief as well.

DISCLAIMER
Please consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program while you are pregnant. These exercises are meant for educational purposes only and in no way reflect specific care for your individual unique needs. You are encouraged to consult with your local doctor and/or physical therapist for a treatment plan that’s right for you.

**NECK STRETCHES FOR PREGNANCY**
(3:44) UPPER TRAPEZIUS STRETCH (Ear to shoulder): one of the most common places for soreness/stiffness in the neck.
(4:17) LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH (Smell your armpit): stretch the back of your neck to alleviate pain.

**UPPER BACK STRETCHES FOR PREGNANCY**
(5:11) THORACIC EXTENSION STRETCH (over a chair): mobilize your upper back into extension over the back of a sturdy chair.
(6:35) SEATED THORACIC ROTATION: We simply don’t rotate enough through our spines. This is a great stretch to get just below your shoulder blades.

**LOWER BACK STRETCHES FOR PREGNANCY**
(7:47) PELVIC TILTS: Great way to work in some normal range of motion into your lower back.
(8:57) CAT/CAMEL: Slightly more intense than the pelvic tilt, but a great stretch for your entire spine.
(10:39) CHILD’S POSE: Helps to offset the increased curve in your back that often comes from with progressing pregnancy.

Pregnant back and neck pain is often musculoskeletal in nature and can often be treated effectively with the right stretches and exercises. I hope the stretches demonstrated in this video help to alleviate some of your pain and help you to feel better fast!

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