What are the normal aches and pains of pregnancy?

There are so many aches and pains associated with pregnancy, and it's hard to know what's normal, what's not, when you should get checked out. So I want to talk about 3 specific types of discomforts that are normal for pregnant women to feel. The first is lower back pain. When you're pregnant, your belly starts to grow outward, and so your center of gravity shifts back, and you start to waddle, and you carry things funny, and you do all sorts of things that put strain on your back. In addition, your abs are shot as your belly starts to grow, so your back is bearing the brunt of most of what you do, so you may have lower back pain. Another thing to consider, though, is that lower back pain can be a symptom of contractions. So if you're having lower abdominal cramping, lower back ache, feeling abdominal tightening, pressure, pain in your thighs, or you have leaking of fluid, vaginal bleeding, or an increase in discharge associated with the pain, then think more along the lines of preterm labor, and that's when you should get checked out. If it just feels like it's due to the fact that you've sat too long, or you've stood up too long, or you just need to change positions, it's probably just because you're pregnant.

Another normal type of discomfort is round ligament pain. Your uterus is not just hanging out in your belly. It's supported and anchored by ligaments, and one of the most prominent is called the round ligament. It attaches on the side of your uterus at about the level of your belly button, and then runs down and attaches to the pubic bone. So if you have pain in your groin area, like from the side of your belly down into the groin on one side or the other, especially if it came on with a sudden change in movement, it's probably round ligament pain. It usually comes on suddenly and is sharp. Although for some people, it's dull and long-lasting. Sometimes it just feels a little bit achey on one side, and you just want to massage it a little bit. If you're experiencing this type of pain, it's probably round ligament pain.

Another type of pain that people commonly feel is pubic pain, or just generalized pelvic pain. In pregnancy, your body starts to release a hormone called relaxin. And the name makes sense, because it acts on the joint of your pelvis and it relaxes it. It actually happens to increase the internal diameter of your pelvis so that the baby can fit through and is more likely to be born vaginally instead of you needing a C-section. So just tell yourself that it's all for good reason. Some women do, though, have an abnormally large separation of the pelvic joint, and this is called synthesis pubis disfunction. So if you have any questions or concerns about that, talk with your doctor.

So what do you do about lower back pain, round ligament pain, and generalized pelvic pain? Positioning can help with this. Avoid standing for too long or sitting for too long. Position yourself properly at night when you're sleeping. Sleep on your side after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and just get a rolled up blanket or a pillow and prop yourself to the side by putting one behind your hip and then put one beneath your belly on the other side so that the weight isn't just pulling, because that can be uncomfortable. And it also helps to put a pillow in between your knees. You can also try using a heating pack on your lower back for 10 to 15 minutes if you don't feel like it's due to preterm labor. Try taking a warm bath before bedtime. And call your doctor and talk to them about over-the-counter pain relievers that are safe to take during pregnancy.

My motto at the end of the day is "When in doubt, get checked out". If you're not sure what you're experiencing or you're worried about it being related to preterm labor, then don't hesitate to get seen. After being examined, your doctor will decide if further investigation or treatment is warranted for you. Good luck with everything, and if you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IntermountainMoms, and recommend us to your friends and family too.

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