On the evening of July 22, 2013, the fountains of Trafalger Square in London were gloriously illuminated by blue lights, signifying the heir to the British throne, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, had given birth to a prince. His Royal Highness, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, came into the world at a healthy weight of 8 pounds, 6 ounces and it seems the entire world took a collective breath.
In a time of 24-hour news cycles and second-by-second social network updates, the birth of the royal baby was the stuff of water-cooler discussions around the world. In fact, British bookmaker, Coral, noted that this birth was the biggest, non-sporting betting event in history. Everyone, it seems, is talking about babies and moms, royal and otherwise those of us at Texas Back Institute are no exceptions.
The spine specialists at Texas Back Institute treat many new mothers and mothers-to-be who are experiencing back pain associated with childbirth. While the world is fascinated with little Prince George, we chatted with Dr. Nayan Patel whose expertise in physical medicine and rehabilitation makes him an excellent source for analyzing the causes of back pain among pregnant and post-partum women. His insights shine some medical light on the back pain millions of mothers experience. However, before getting his thoughts, let’s take a look at the impact the newest prince has had already.
It’s a Boy!
With this much interest in the birth of Britain’s latest heir, one could predict some ripples running through the media and even the economy as a whole. However, very few could anticipate the tsunami of media coverage and economic impact transpiring immediately before and after the July 22nd birthdate.
On the economic front, the British birth has been very good for business – worldwide – resulting in a feel good bump in sales in a wide range of categories. The UK-based Centre for Retail Research estimates England will get a $373 million (US) boost, with $133 million in festivities, $123 million in souvenirs and toys and $117 million in books and DVDs. Because Americans and Australians can’t seem to get enough of the royal child, it expects exports to these two countries to exceed $57 million in sales.
Because of the popularity of the royal couple and their new baby, whatever choices they make in the way of “baby accoutrements” will likely drive big sales worldwide. Experts say the sales of prams and baby pushchairs should increase dramatically. They expect whatever baby clothes, cribs and toys the royals buy for little George will get the Baby Cambridge bounce.
Even US – based retailer, Target is celebrating the arrival of the royal baby. This company has been featuring Princess Kate’s maternity clothing throughout her pregnancy and is selling a special line of baby clothes in honor of the newest prince. Target’s campaign theme – “We may not know anything about being third in line to Britain’s throne, but we know about babies (and their first-time moms and dads)”- suggests a reason for our fascination with this event. More on that later.
A Royal Pain in the Back
When all the media noise dies down (if only for a few hours) and Princess Kate is left alone to enjoy some quiet time with her baby, there is a very good possibility she will be left to deal with the problem that new moms everywhere have to deal with – chronic back pain. This pain often accompanies pregnancy and continues in many post-partum women.
Dr. Nayan Patel of Texas Back Institute notes, “Back pain occurs in approximately 50 percent of pregnant women on some level. It can start as early at the first trimester and continue for as long as 18-months after delivery. It can be very painful and adds to the stress of being a new mom.”
What causes this pain? Dr. Patel says, “Many people feel the added weight of the baby strains the back muscles and causes pain. However, in most cases, the real culprit for the pain is the perfectly natural process of a hormone being released in a pregnant women’s system to allow for the muscle ligaments to expand and allow for the passage of the baby through the birth canal.”
Dr. Patel continued, “This can lead to a condition known as ligamentous laxity – basically loose ligaments – which can lead to sacroiliac joint dysfunction and pain. The sacroiliac joint is the joint in the bony pelvis between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis which are joined by strong ligaments. The sacrum supports the spine and is supported by an ilium on each side.”
How does Dr. Patel treat this condition? “With women who are pregnant, we are very careful to avoid anti-inflammatory medicines because the baby is receiving everything the mother is ingesting. So, for pregnant women, we often prescribe a visit to the chiropractor for adjustment therapy and physical therapy, especially aquatic therapy. As for post-partum back pain, we typically prescribe the anti-inflammatory medicines and if the pain continues, physical therapy,” he notes.
“Women who are pregnant are typically younger and this is case with Princess Kate. This youth allows the muscles and ligaments to rehabilitate quicker and if Prince George’s mom is experiencing any back pain, she will likely recover quickly.”
Why We are Fascinated by the Royal Baby
Whether Princess Kate has a royal pain in the back or not, she is without doubt the most high profile mom of the decade and perhaps in history. What is it about this event that fascinates people around the world? Child birth is the most common occurrence on the planet, and yet we can’t seem to get enough details about the royal birth.
Some of the more philosophical pundits and pop culture observers have suggested a reason for this fascination. The marriage of the British heir to the throne, Price William, to Kate Middleton a commoner was similar to a fairy tale to many people. The couple is charming and attractive and they are a real-life prince and princess. Their having a beautiful baby just enhances the fairy tale. And after all, most of us love happy endings in our fairy tales!