Rachel- That lower back pain is a super good sign for you!!! A painful one, but a good one!! Go for it, use that heating pad.
Honestly you guys, I'll share something with you, about doing things that you 'shouldn't' do during pregnancy. It's all BS, I've come to learn that you can do it all wrong and everything turns out fine, and you can do it all right and for whatever reason, it doesn't. With my son, now before I say this put yourself in a 16 year olds shoes, I drank to excess, I smoked cigarettes (and other things), I slept around, I would go days without eating and when I did it was junk food or fast food, I never took a vitamin, my first visit to a doctor was at 7 months pg- and I had an 8lbs 3 oz 21.5 inches healthy baby boy who now at the age of 9 is one of the smartest, healthiest, most awesome normal kids I've ever met. With Kennedy, I didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't take anything other than a Tylenol once in awhile, regular doctor visits, prenatal vitamins, lots of rest and tons of water and all good healthy foods... and she's not here. So like I said I don't believe in all of these million things that you shouldn't do during pregnancy, obviously take care of yourself and be healthy but in experience, it doesn't really matter.
