Pregnancy Pain

There's many reasons why you might need pain relief during pregnancy! There's plenty of hormonal changes, stretched ligaments, changed posture, increasing weight and more blood flow.

You might experience pain in your ribs, pelvis, back, neck, shoulders, wrists, ankles, feet, head... yep - pretty much all over!

If you feel any pain over your belly or experience other symptoms such as vaginal bleeding, cramps or spots in your vision, seek assistance urgently from your OB, midwife or hospital.

Benefits of Heat Packs During Pregnancy

• Medication-free pain relief

• Relieve muscle tension and stiffness

• Improve flexibility

• Paired with ice packs, your OB or midwife may recommend to help spin breech or transverse babies

• Heat packs

• Chiro

• Osteo

• Acupuncture

• Massage

• Spinning Babies exercises

• Magnesium salts in a bath but not too hot

• Sticky pads

• Wheat bags

• Hot water bottles

• Electric heat packs

• Hot shower

• Electric blankets

• Hot bath / hot tub
  * caution with hot tubs with overheating

Heat packs can safely be used throughout the body, except over the belly.

With all the extra blood pumping around the body and energy used, you can naturally already feel warmer during pregnancy. That "pregnancy glow" might be more sweat than anything else. If you are already hot, don't use a heat pack. You will need to watch for overheating, just the same as you do when you exercise.

To avoid overheating, it's best to avoid sleeping with a heat pack unless it's a wheat bag or hot water bottle that will naturally cool down. Stick on heat pads can stay warm for 12 hours so these are best left to the daytime when you can monitor how you feel and take breaks as needed. Use your electric blanket to warm up the bed, but turn it off before falling asleep.