Q: Any suggestions for relieving tail bone pain? My coccyx curves sideways and is really acting up now that I am pregnant.

A: Tailbone pain unfortunately is not uncommon. There are several things that can help to ease it. Sitting on a birth or exercise ball can be helpful, the cat pose is always good and some massage on the area while in the cat pose can sometimes help (massage sometimes doesn’t feel good so listen to your body.) The pelvic tilt in the cat pose can help get the baby into a more comfortable position and off of the tail bone, though that is not usually the cause of tail bone pain, it can help alleviate some stress in the area and generally feels good.  (Practice Prenatal yoga with Jennifer Wolfe’s Prenatal Yoga DVD) Also sitting on softer surfaces maybe even a coccyx pillow can help.

See Cat Pose Post here

One of the best poses for pregnant women is the cat pose or cat-cow. This pose is done by placing the hands and knees on the ground, hands directly under the shoulders and knees and feet hip width apart. As you inhale lift the head up gazing up to the ceiling (swaying or arching the back is fine in the first trimester, after that just lift the head if swaying the back is uncomfortable) as you exhale round your back like a cat, pressing the center of the back up to the ceiling as far as possible and pressing your hands into the ground. The pelvic tilting that happens with this pose helps to move the baby into a more comfortable position when experiencing back pain or discomfort from the baby’s position during pregnancy. This position is also one of the best for moving a baby into a more favorable position for birthing and can help move a baby from a posterior position (the one that causes back labor) to an anterior position which is much easier for the baby to move through the pelvis.