mornings with rounds ligament pain... ugh.

[dormilona]

hiyah mommas,
i'm wondering if any of you had this and what you do about it. some mornings the pain is so bad that it wakes me up around three am and i literally cry myself back to sleep. i've been using a body pillow between my legs and it's helped a little, but the pain is still getting worse. today was really bad. it's probably annoying the crap out of husband too because i start tossing and turning trying to find a place that doesn't hurt. any advice?
-me


[voodoo] <---that's how my body feels

[courey]

I had them really bad with my last two.. my heating pad and I were inseperable. And even then, it was only a consolation prize - I never found anything that would truly take it away.

[terriblyvexed]

Gosh I'm sorry you are in such pain, that really sucks. Have you tried some tylenol before bed? That is the only thing I can think might help.

Fortunately I'm like Sauceboxxx and have only had the pains when I move too quickly.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

[garoux]

I've had a lot of round ligament pain, and nothing seems to make it totally feel better. I sleep on my left side and am careful that I don't get up too fast. Sometimes I take a warm shower, and that seems to ease the ache. Have you tried getting a body pillow or a memory foam mattress cover (sits on top of your mattress and under your sheets)? The memory foam stuff is awesome because it cushions every curve of your body, including the belly bump. I wish I had more help to offer! I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[PotatoFace]

ohh honey, i got it really bad right now.

i would love to say it gets better, but honestly it doesnt. mine are soo bad that i cant stand up or sit down or lay down.

best thing that i have found is that when you get them, to bend into the pain. stretch during the day. the stretching helps me out, because they come on less frequently.

but unfortunatly, tylenol is the only thing you can take. also i found that warm olive oil massaged into your belly before a nice warm bath helps alot. its just something you have to bear through dear.

god i hate saying that.

[dormilona]

is the heating pad really safe? i thought it was dangerous to raise my body temperature... which has been hard for me thus far ( i actually take showers without cold water because i get soo cold! i've had to re-learn how to use the cold water for pregnancy). i'm going to try the olive oil thing tonight, unfortunately the tylenol is not an option-- i'm literally deathly allergic to it. the weird thing is, the pain doesn't come on when i get up too fast... it actually wakes me up at night. my body pillow and sleeping on the left side have helped, but the pain as kristin said doesn't seem to be going anywhere. it's the worst just before my right hip, and it reminds me of how my hips felt when they began expanding again. thanks for your advice gals and i appreciate the honesty, otherwise i'd just be finding out the hard way that i need to keep looking. in the meantime i'll investigate the foam memory mattress.

[PotatoFace]

heating pad is a no no!! its cause it stays at a constant heat. fill a sock with rice and microwave it is better because it gradually cools down.

[dormilona]

you're a smarty every day! that's a great idea. *muah*

[courey]

Raw rice :p

And yes, I don't actually own an electric one, but that's what I call them all anyway - and I just mainly used it on my hips and back. No problems. :)

[Rose Bud]

I've started getting it again already, though it's just when I move too quickly like getting up too quick. Not too bad though, it didn't get bad last time until 16 weeks or so.

[sweetleaf]

I heard round ligament pain is usually worse for women who are pregnant for the first time. Makes sense, as the uterus has never grown and stretched like that before. Sorry you are experiencing such pain.

Do some of you have the pain not just pulling from the sides, but also from the pubic bone area? Lately I'm having a pulling discomfort (mild cramping) coming from just above the pubic bone. I'm almost 12 weeks now and from what I've read the uterus and fetus really begin to grow and move now. So I'm attributing this pain to the changes my uterus is going through.

I'm just wanting to be reassured that what I'm feeling is normal.

[PotatoFace]

perfectly normal sweetleaf.

you are in a growth spurt and those muscles get stretched to bits.

cramping is normal, cramping with bleeding or spotting is when to call the doc.

[dormilona]

sweetleaf... when i was between 11 and 13 weeks i went through the same thing. i had lots of low cramping, but it was like you said pretty mild. have your hips started to flex yet? that hurt. yipes! i didn't realize it was happening because i have a pretty high pain tolerance, until i was lying on my right side and husband put his hand gently on my left hip. i let out the biggest yelp and nearly swatted his head off. poor guy, he had no idea what happened. i could feel them flex back in with light pressure. it only went on for 2 days but if ever i bumped into anything, i could feel my bones moving back inward and it was NOT plesant. the rest of the time, i didn't feel it at all. weird. the last 2 nights have been better with the round liggies. i hope it stays that way. i want to keep sleeping through the night while i still have the chance. sometimes i feel it would be more effective birth control to tell young girls *all* the side effects of pregnancy: no pooping, excessive peeing, cramping, post nasal drip, round ligament pain, acne and dry patches in the same damn place... you get the picture.

[sweetleaf]

thanks stupidgirl, that makes me feel better. i felt like it was probably nothing to worry about, but your words reassured me.

dormilona, no my hips haven't started to flex yet. that sounds painful, thanks for the warning.
the body really does go through some pretty strange stuff while pregnant doesn't it. sure some of it sucks, but so far despite the headaches and morning sickness and moodiness, i'm really enjoying being pregnant. the feeling that something so amazing is developing inside you, a whole other person, is really cool.

[garoux]

Yup, the hips flexing is pretty gnarly pain. I routinely see a chiropractor help with sciatic nerve pain. I was always freakishly flexible, but my ligaments have gotten so loose that my chiropractor can practically wrap me all the way around the table before my spine cracks.

Today is a bad round ligament day. Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions yesterday and today (induced by the godawful heatwave we're experiencing). My uterus is so tired of contracting that I am just out and out sore. So much pressure. My baby feels like she could just fall out. Thank God I see a doctor tomorrow.