Pains - Riverhead,NY

As a new mom and physical therapist (specializing in pregnany and postpartum related issues, I can say there is relief out there. You can definitely see a physical therapist who specializes in Prenatal and Postpartum care. Pillows can definitely be your friends for sleeping. I know prenatal yoga and core strengthening got me by the pregnancy and delivery!

It sounds like round ligament pain. There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that it sucks. I had such severe hip pain with my twins (I was on bedrest for 12 weeks so the pain was exacerbated) that I literally felt like someone was taking a mallet to my hips and smashing them. I could sleep only 5 minutes on each side and would get no sleep. My doctor finally prescribed Ambien so I did that 3 nights a week and Tylenol PM the other nights (and yes, this was approved by my OB and, in fact, in the hospital where I spent the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy, they gave me Ambien every night). The GOOD news is that as soon as I delivered, the pain went away. I remember lying in the hospital bed a few hours after delivering. I was sore, stitched, exhausted, bleeding, but just remember thinking "Oh, thank goodness, my hips feel SOOOOO good!"

As a chiropractor who is also 38 weeks pregnant, I can tell you that chiropractic care does help! I have been getting adjusted my entire pregnancy and my hips just started to ache within the last couple of weeks. I notice a slight burning in my hips when I sleep, but I am still able to get a decent night's sleep. Hope you find some help!

Have you tried speaking with a chiropractor? You might have a subluxation that is causing the pains. It could have been there for a long time but is now worse because of all the added pressure. It's worth a shot!

I had the same pains w/ my 2nd. I wanted to die! Sleeping, well there was no sleeping. I would lay on my back regardless of what they say about it because I just couldn't lay on my sides at all. There were times I could not walk, and my midwife told me it is NORMAL! It sucks but it is normal. It's not easy but hang in there, it will all be over soon! The only way I survived the pain is knowing that soon there would be a little bundle of joy coming, and I had no choice. But it helps to have someone to vent to. Even if they can't take the pain away! Good luck!

Well, hopefully you are already home with a beautiful baby boy, but I wanted to add one more bit of information. I had the same pain with my first pregnancy and never even thought to mention it to my doctor, but the last two months of my pregnancy were excrutiating. Recently I came across this article on the internet that perfectly describes what I went through.
http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/pubicpain.htm
With my second pregnancy I didn't have the same pain, but I did see a chiropractor for help with sciatic nerve pain. I am not usually a person who goes to a chiropractor, but it really did help. With my first pregnancy that pubic and hip pain did not go away right away when the baby was born, so if that is true for you also you might still want to go see a chiropractor.

J.,,I too had that ,, when I was PG,,my Dr told me it was because I have scoliosis and bad hips,, maybe you can ask your Dr if you have scoliosis,,?? just a thought,, good luck,,oh,, and it could be you are already starting to spread,, your pelvic and that,, getting ready to have the baby move down ,, towards the birth canal,, could be don't you think??? also your cyoutic nerve{ sp } ??D.

J.,

HANG IN THERE!! you are so close! If it helps, see if you can get a massage - but see your doctor FIRST.

The only other thing I can think of is - are you getting really, enough water, and what kind of pregnancy vitamins are you taking? Are you taking an all-in-one? Maybe switching to one that gives a lower dose over 4 pills might be better - and spread them out 4 hours apart so your body can utilize them better.

Also, maybe you need to get more squishy pillows to sleep with.

My first thought is that it is diet-related, but IANAD (I am not a doctor).

My second thought is: get a second opinion!

Good luck, focus on the good, and congratulations!
M.

J.,

I know exactly what kind of pain you're talking about, and its excrutiating! I planned to continue to work until I was nearly due to have my baby, but instead I spent the last 2-1/2 months of my pregnancy either in bed or on my couch, since walking was simply out of the question, because it was so painful! My husband actually had to sleep in a separate bed, because even his turning over in bed during the night would cause me terrible pain!

What is happening is probably that your baby is positioned in such a way that he or she is laying with their weight pressing on your Sciatic Nerve, which is why the pain is so bad when you move in a certain way.

The good news is that there's nothing wrong with you, or with your baby. The bad news is that your baby isn't going to move off of that nerve until he or she is good and ready! My pain was all on my left side, for most of that time period, and it never let up. Then, one morning, I got up and the pain was completely gone. My relief lasted for only 2 days, and then I got the same terrible pain on my right side, when the baby decided to lay on that same nerve, on the other side, until I went into labor.

This may not happen to you though, if your baby decides to move and stays away from your Sciatic nerves on both sides. You may just get up one morning and the pain will be gone.....there's no way to tell.

I know that this is extremely unpleasant for you, but it will all be worth it, once you hold your baby in your arms. Also, on a lighter note, it makes a great joke for later on in their lives when they become teenagers. My son is now 28 years old, and I still tell him that he was a pain in the butt when I carried him, and that he still is! LOL

Try to hang in there....once you deliver, the pain will stop, and you will feel like your old self again, or maybe a lot sooner, if you're lucky!

I'll keep you in my prayers, and hopefully your little one will get comfortable elsewhere inside you, and stop making you feel so miserable....

D.

The pain that you're having is probably being caused by your baby being positioned in such a way that his or her weight is pressing on your sciatic nerve

J.,

I'm about two weeks behind you... I just hit this same issue. I'm used to the sciatic nerve "sparks," but this 2nd round this past Thursday and Friday the baby changed position from laying sideways to what I'm assuming was head down. My right leg (groin area) felt so sore and to lift my leg to walk was nearly getting impossible by the end of my "desk job." I had to call my husband to pick up our son at the sitters. Then on day 3, I then proceeded to work a full retail shift on by feet w/o this odd pain (my sciatic nerve had a nice hit around lunch time - but thankfully didn't stay locked for long).

Nights are the worst aren't they? You have to make the trips to pee and getting to a sitting THEN standing position at times can be excrutiating! (Thankfully I only had one instance when I couldn't get up and gimp walk to the bathroom... I've been sleeping on our couch-more comfy for me- I had to pee and couldn't even get to a sitting position, so I rolled off onto all fours and doggied to the bathroom... somehow the "walk" to the bathroom must have moved the baby (girl) off my sciatic nerve and I was able to get up to the toilet!)

Talk about an adventure! I had been counting UP to 40...now all I'm doing is counting down from 10 weeks left, to 9, to 8, to 7...etc.

Keep hanging in there!
J.

I had the same pains. THey were terrible! I couldn't sleep at night and it hurt so much to roll over or get out of bed and go to the bathroom, I would literally cry! I too told my doctor throughout my pregnancy but they kept telling me it was pelvic pain due to the pressure ( I had twins). After having the babies it was still really bad. Not as terrible but still really bothered me. I finally went to a chiropracter and he said it was a problem with my SI joints. He gave me exercises to do and they helped a lot. I would maybe look into seeing a chiropracter and maybe they can help you get through these last weeks of pregnancy. Good luck, I know it's uncomfortable.

I think it's just part of the pains of being older and still having babies. I had my 4th child at 35, and remember the same pain you are experiencing. I can't even explain how my hips felt, and I definitely could barely lift my legs to get dressed. It was horrible. It lasted several months after the birth too. One day it seemed like it just stopped. No more pain when I woke up, and I could lift my legs again like normal. During that pregnancy I slept on my stomach mostly. I know, not good, but my son was born perfect anyway. :) Maybe try Tylenol and sleeping with a heating pad under your hip. I never thought of that when I was pregnant. Hope it works for you.

I didn't have this specific problem but I had to get a memory foam mattress topper and a body pillow when I was pregnant to help with hip pain (too much weight made a very sore pressure point on each hip). A few of my friends had siatica during pregnancy and one swore that acupressure/accupuncture helped a lot with the pain. She also used a TENS unit for pain relief--it is a kind of electrical stimulation used by physical therapists and chiropractors. It is not approved for use with pregnancy/labor pain in the USA but is used in other countries. My friend was able to get one through another friend in England. I used it during labor and it made a big diference. Other than the difficulty getting one here they also warn you not to use it before 36 or 37 weeks.

I am 35 weeks pregnant and at 32 weeks, we discovered the baby was breech- so I started seeing a chiropractor in Palatine (Grundy Family Chiropractic) at my midwife's recommendation. Not only did the baby flip after the first adjustment, but my minor inner pelvic pain is much better! My pelvis was so out of alignment that my right leg was 1/2 inch higher than my left!!! I'd say give chiropractic a try, it's very non-invasive and conservative treatment and what have you got to lose? Best wishes...

this is called round ligament pain. I had it with my son and the Dr. basically said that the ligaments that curve around the bottom of your belly and your hips are stretching to accommodate the baby's weight, since it is rapidly gaining weight at this point. I see you are having a boy- boys are generally bigger than girls, and with each pregnancy, the baby tends to be bigger, and you tend to carry your weight all up front. So maybe you didn't get this with your girls because they were smaller and the weight was distributed more evenly all around your torso and hips with them. I'm guessing you look like you swallowed a basketball- this is how I was when I was pregnant with my son. I know it's tough. The thing that seemed to help me was doing some stretching. I rented a prenatal yoga dvd from Netflix which really helped me and I think it helped prepare me for labor. At night, surround yourself with lots of pillows. Sure, your husband might complain that he is falling off the bed, but oh well. I slept with one of those huge body pillows behind me supporting my back and another pillow between my knees and another supporting my belly, in addition to the one for my head.

Dear J.,
I am 16 weeks and feel pain in my hips sleeping on my sides. I felt the same when I had my 2nd child as well. I used a body pillow for her and with this one I surround myself with pillows. I try not to sleep on my back but end up there anyway. When I go to sleep I tuck one of the pillows as far underneath my belly as I could and sleep on it. That way it takes the pressure off my hip bones, but I am not crushing my baby at the same time. You are in your third trimester, so it is going to be rough, but hang in there. It will be over sooner than you know it.

I am 30 weeks pregnant with my first and I've had the pains you are talking about a little bit, but not nearly to the extent that you seem to. A couple of things have helped me, though and maybe they will help you too. As a few others have mentioned prenatal yoga has been very helpful and I would recommend it. After talking to my instructor about my pain there were two poses that she recommended that I have found very helpful and do at home too. Pigeon pose, with a blanket supporting my hips is one (there is a video here http://video.about.com/pregnancy/Prenatal-Yoga-Pigeon-Pos.... The other pose that I really like for many things is a supported version of supta baddha konasana (if you scroll about 1/3 of the way down the page here http://www.ommama.com/newsletters/newsletter0807.html there is a description of how to do this and I just use pillows or blankets at home instead of bolsters and blocks). I find that it is not only good for my hips, but it also is great at relieving heartburn. I can actually sleep in this position too, and you aren't flat on your back so it isn't dangerous to you or your baby.

The other thing I have found helpful when trying to sleep on my side is to put a heating pad under my bottom hip. I use one that you heat in the microwave and stays hot for a couple of hours rather than one that you plug in.

Good luck, I hope this helps!

i am going thru the same exact thing!! and my doc tells me the same exact thing. im 35 weeks preg with #2 and been dealing with this since about 27 weeks. it just keeps getting worse.from what i understand its normal especially if its not ur first. the baby is sitting much lower and causes more pressure.it affects ur ligaments and muscles. when i was younger i blew out my knee while playing sports and needed surgery to repair. the pain i felt then is the only way i can describe the pain i feel now!there is nothing we can do about it! we dont have too much longer, hang in there!good luck

A chiropractor may be able to help with the round ligament pain... You (and all of you other Mamas who responded) should not have to "just hang in there" with pain that effects your ability to function. You might also get a referral to a physical therapist...

I can't help wondering if one of those belly bands/slings that hold the weight of your belly up might help relieve some of your pain...

Good luck!

Call your doctor and get permission to go to a chiropractor. Then find one you like that works on pregnant women and setup an appointment ASAP. I have had problems with my back and hips since I was 11 years old and had a snowmobile accident. With both my previous pregnancies I had to go a few times during pregnancy and multiple times after delivery. I today will be setting up an appointment because I have pain and numbing in one leg. (I'm 16 weeks pregnantwith my 3rd child.) I know it is from my back and a pinched nerve. My chiropractor will check and see what he can work on and be honest if he can't. I know many think it is a joke but it has worked for me. Just after I had my 2nd child I was in so much pain I couldn't get out of bed, sleep, get off the couch or basicaly anything. I went and after the 1st visit he put my hip back in place and I could stand up without crying. It took him about 4 more visits and I felt great and didn't have to go back for almost a year (when I fell)! Even if your sceptical PLEASE try one. You may get the help you need and at worse they can't help you. Congratulations!! alberat

I felt your pain literally! I had two babies very close together- well they were a total of 15 months apart, and it was so hard on my body. I realize your little one is a little father apart in age, but this leads me to wonder if part of it is just a subsequent pregnancy thing. My hips hurt, my groin actually separated a little making moving my legs in anyway other than parallel to each other excruciating. All this and my pregnancy was fine, it was indeed normal, and with in two days of having her I felt great! Take your Tylenol, get your rest and consider Prenatal Yoga, it made me feel a lot better, all the gentle stretching. Hang in there, you can do this! Good luck!

i went to a chiropracter, dr warren ###-###-####. he helped a lot, gave me a couple of stretches that were supposed to help with delivery, plus he has three kids and really sympathized.
he's off glades road in boca.

Hi J., I'm so sorry you're going through this! I had terrible groin and inner thigh pain from about 26 weeks on, and it made walking and sleeping just impossible. It was really excruciating, and there is almost nothing you can do about it other than a hot sitz bath. (a really hot, really shallow bath) I had to take baths 2-3 times a night, by the end, because I was in so much pain! My midwife said that this was not a common problem, but that it was simply extreme round ligament pain. (Most women just have these pains in their belly, earlier in the pregnancy. We're the lucky ones who have it more!)

It's nothing dangerous, in terms of pregnancy. But it's just so awful for you! Take a couple of tylenol (they won't do much, but they take a slight edge off) and do the bath thing. You can't take hot baths that cover your whole body, because they'll raise your core temperature too much. So I alternated between full, warm baths and very hot, shallow ones.

I took the last 3 weeks off work, too. And just rested as much as possible.

Good luck, hon. I feel your pain, and I wish I could give you better advice. But your baby will be great, and you'll feel MUCH better once he's born! You'll still have some twinges, but they'll be all gone within a couple of months!

Find a physical therapist who specializes in women's health issues, then get a prescription from your OB. Insurance will cover your visits.

Have you tried getting a professional pregnancy massage or doing some prenatal yoga? I was pretty uncomfortable with my first and found those things helpful and there were women I met who were in loads of pain and found relief too. You could try to slightly raise one side and sleep on your back.

I had the same problem with both my pregnancies. It felt like my legs were being ripped off my body. It hrut to move. One of the things that helped was to sleep with a pillow between my knees. But it's just from everything lossening up. I use to get massages once a month too. That use to help. But the only thing that is going to make this go away is delivery, so you have to tough it out. Good luck.

I'm sorry to hear about your pains. I had the similar pains towards the end of my pregnancy. My doc thought it was related to the loosening of the joints in preparation for delivery. I could hardly walk. The hardest was changing positions, e.g. getting up to walk, rolling over. Once I took a few steps, the pain would improve but was still present. I was most comfortable lounged on my back with my head up about 45 degrees. I tried Tylenol, Tylenol with codeine with no help. I ended up just bearing it. Working half days helped too. I eventually slept with a pillow or two between my legs while on my side. I thought it would get better after delivery but I still had the pains but not nearly as bad. An MRI proved osteitis pubis. Congrats on the baby, btw.

I had a lot of low pain in my first pregnancy. I used one of those elasticated support belts which goes under the bump and round the back. That helped quite a lot as it transferred the weight from the lower belly to your back.
Hope you feel better soon

I had similar problems in my 3rd trimester. I was able to get a referral to a chiropractor, which really helped. I also bought a prenatal yoga video which was great. none of these things helped much with the hip pain while in bed unfortunately, but it did help with walking and pain during the day. Can you sleep in a recliner?

My second child had a foot firmly in my rib for a solid month and a half at the end, and let me tell you, it burned and hurt and ached and I coulnd't sleep on my sides either!
I broke 3 ribs about 4 years ago and that child was intent on breaking them all over for me!

I also had alot of hip pain, and rolling over was terrible. What I did to help he pain was sleep on my back ("incorrect" sleep is better then no sleep, you and your baby need it!)with a thin pillow under the small of my back and a big one under my knees. This helped me not roll, and also supported my back and hips better. I am a big-butted women and I kinda figured that was the root of this problem for me.

Good luck...it sucks, but you'll forget all about it soon!

I had similiar pains and to help sleep on my side and deal with the pain of the hips I did some research and found that an "egg crate" will help. No - not the kind you put eggs in...the kind that goes on top of your mattress. I was able to find a memory foam egg crate mattress topper online. I think I found it on Overstock.com. I also had the same pain when walking and the last few weeks was really bad but the only way to get around it is to walk really slow and if you feel the pain coming on - stop and rest until the pain subsides. I hope this helps for you.

I am so sorry that you are having such a hard time; however, I feel that you are having issues with your round ligaments. These ligaments are what keeps your uterus in it's place and they have to stretch with the pregnancy. This is my 3rd pregnancy as well and I am having issues as well, not as bad yet but I am only 19 weeks. I feel that the 3 pregnancies have worn these ligaments so they are more sensitive. I do not have any recommendations. I can only suggest you asking the doctor for an induction early, the earliest they will willing do this is usually 39 weeks. i am sorry I know that is not much of a consulation, but it is 1 week less than normal. I hope things get tolerable.

I am having the same issues. I thought it was sciatica but after seeing an orthopedist and and a chiropractor I was diagnosed with bursitis. I am being treated regularly by the chiropractor, I see a massage therapist once a week and do physical therapy twice a week. I am already seeing a huge difference.
I also got fitted with a pregnancy support belt.
What helps me at work is icing the hip/thigh area.
Best of luck!

You've probably already had your baby (and if so, congrats!) and I hope you're feeling better, but I just wanted to mention something I didn't see mentioned in your other comments. I had this pain with #2 and #3, and this last time I was diagnosed with "pubic symphasis dysfunction" -- basically you have a joint at the front middle of your pubic bone, and the pregnancies stretch out and even tear those ligaments holding your pelvis together. These ligaments will remain loose even after you give birth and as long as you are breastfeeding. My son is 18 months old and still nursing, and so I still have to be careful doing any unilateral movement (that is, anything one leg to the other - like walking long distances, lunging, stepping to the side and bending to pick something up). When pregnant this last time, I could barely walk from 5 mos on, had to sit down to get dressed, and I painfully recall getting momentarily stuck on the stairs: I couldn't lift my right leg to the next stair but couldn't stand on it to get to lift the other leg. Yikes! Since the birth, I have seen a chiro several times to adjust my sacrum - since this will shift with your whole pelvis being loose. A physical therapist also recommended use of a SI belt, and suggested I cinch myself in with this for a month straight after I stop breastfeeding in order to get everything to lock back together; scar tissue will form and hold the bones more tightly. It's definitely a drag, but it's nice sometimes to have an answer for what you're experiencing instead of being told just to hang in there. Good luck!
H.

Does the pain seem to be muscular, or does it feel like your bones, or nerves? I had a lot of sciatic pain with my current pregnancy, which is nerve pain. Chiropractic really helped me. You could call a chiropractor and see if they practice on pregnant women (most do, and mine has a special table to make room for you tummy while they adjust you). They are also very gentle. I'm not sure where you're located, but my chiro is in Denville, NJ. Let me know if you want their contact info. Good luck, and I hope you can find some relief soon!

Hi J. and all: I am 34 weeks with # 2 (a boy) and have had generalized lower backache for the past couple months. This has been annoying but generally bearable, until the past week, when I think this kid has decided to sit right on my sciatic nerve which is totally excruciating and UNbearable. So I now have shooting pains up my back and down my right leg with every step. I'm seeing a chiro tomorrow and I definitely agree with the recommendations for yoga and massage. To those recommendations, I would add the following- if you have a desk job that forces you to sit for hours on end, bring a big exercise ball into work to use as your chair. It may look funny but it really helps me to not stiffen up if I am able to sort of wiggle around (using a hula-hoop or back-and forth motion, or whatever feels comfortable) on the ball all day instead of my very uncomfortable work chair. I would also suggest, if you can, get yourself into a pool a few times a week. With the water supporting your baby and spine, you feel almost normal when you're submerged. The only trouble is getting out of the pool almost feels worse because you realize how nice it was in the water, but at least for an hour or two you can have some relief. Good luck. I too am trying to 'hang in there' but i am getting sick of that advice. best wishes for a happy and healthy baby...T.

It could be just round ligament pain, as others have said, but you might also have a separated pubic bone. In that case, you might still be in pain for a while after giving birth and you will want to talk to your doctor, possibly have an x-ray, and possibly see a physical therapist.

In the meantime, get one of those belly support belts and sleep with pillows between your knees when you sleep on your side. If you have a body pillow you could try to sort of lean forward so you are almost sleeping on your stomach but really you are resting on the pillow. There's not much help for the turning over part, it just hurts. If you have trouble putting weight on your feet when you first get out of bed, and trouble spreading your legs and shutting them, then it could be a separated pubic bone.

Go to a chiropractor that has experience treating pregnant patients. You do not have to spend the rest of your pregnancy in pain like this. There are stretches and adjustments that can make your pregnancy much more comfortable. Go see a chiropractor and see what they say about your specific case.

Try prenatal yoga. A good teacher will show you positions to alleviate the pain! If dr is.not alarmed, then at least don't worry. Could be a big baby or just position of baby.
I had pain last month...baby had a shoulder on my bladder. I barely slept...anyway. I did yoga w Jane thru Valley Hospital. She teaches at studio in destination maternity on route 4 in paramus. Excellent teacher. Delivery was my ideal birth!!!

Good luck sweetie.

I had very similar pains with my second son, born this past September. It was excruciating! I especially can relate to the sleeping thing. The only thing that helped me cope (especially towards the end when it got worse) was to get fitted for a maternity support belt. It made a world of difference and I could tell the difference ten fold when I took the belt off or tried not to wear it for any length of time. My doctor wrote a prescription for it and I went to a medical supply place to get fitted for it. Insurance covered most of the cost so it was well worth the effort! It's worth as shot! Good luck and hang in there!!!

J.:

You should never be in that much pain ... I don't understand your doctor at all.

That said, several of my friends could never get comfortable in a prone position and spent the last month or so of their pregnancy sleeping partially sitting up on the couch ... or all the way up on a glider with a footstool.

Hope you feel better quickly.

G Bless!!