NOW THAT AUNT JO' IS PREGNANT, WHAT NEXT?: PART 2

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For readers who stuck around after last week’s post – nice!  We hope you have been showering Aunt Jo' with all the love and care she deserves. And for the new readers, you might want to catch up by reading Part 1. It has got all the juicy details!

So, let’s dive in:

When a woman finds out she’s pregnant, reactions can vary. Some go into full-on celebration mode after waiting for ages, while others might be thinking - Oh great, another mouth to feed! Either way, one thing is for sure—Aunt Jo' is about to go through some wild body changes.


What Actually Happens to Aunt Jo' During Pregnancy?

Hold on, let us not rush it! Let us start from beginning…

The ‘Before Pregnancy' Phase

Most Aunt Jo's have no clue what pregnancy really involves until they are in the thick of it. Totally fair, right? But how about we help future Aunt Jo's out by cluing them in beforehand?


This phase is all about education. Sounds basic, we know, but what Aunt Jo' knows about pregnancy can be a game-changer over the next nine months. People love to bombard pregnant women with information—whether it’s helpful or not. It is because they understand what pregnant women go through. 


Let’s be real: Every former Aunt Jo’ loves to share her pregnancy saga, forgetting that no two bodies work the same. What Aunt Jo' in Pakistan deals with might be way different from what Aunt Jo' in Australia or Nigeria is going through.


Some advice is golden, sure. But get some facts from The Physio Diary.

Now that Aunt Jo' is pregnant…

This is where things start getting interesting!

According to Kesikburunet et al., 2018 and Bakilan et al., 2020, pregnancy brings all kinds of biomechanical, hormonal, and vascular changes. Translation? Aunt Jo' is about to face some body aches, like low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.


Hold up—medical jargon overload! Let us break it down: basically, pregnancy can lead to a lot of body aches, especially musculoskeletal problems (a fancy word for bones and muscles not playing nice).


Ever catch Aunt Jo' arching her back, belly sticking out, or slumping in a chair like she’s been hit by a truck? It is not that she is being dramatic—she is probably just trying to find a position that does not hurt. And if we ever had back pain and thought it was annoying, guess what? She is feeling it way worse.


Take a look at the diagram below. It will give a clear picture of how Aunt Jo's body changes and why her back feels like it's under siege.

 

Picture from Northern Beach Mums


Long story short, that low back pain is because her center of gravity is shifting, thanks to her growing uterus. It’s like trying to balance a watermelon on a toothpick—it’s bound to cause some stress!

Now WHAT NEXT?

Now that we know why Aunt Jo's back hurts, let’s ask the real question: Does she have to suffer through nine months of it?


NO!

Here at The Physio Diary, we have got the inside scoop on how Aunt Jo' can ease that pain. You have probably heard us mention it before, and you might even know the answer… but let’s keep it fun, shall we?

Your Turn

Take a guess! Email your answer to thephysiodiary@gmail.com or on any of our other platforms. 

For the first five correct guesses — you get to request a topic you would like to read about.


And remember:

Take those 30-minute stretch breaks! You (and Aunt Jo') deserve it.




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