Beating round ligament pain.
Hey there expecting mama! Has this ever happened to you?
You’re laying in bed, roll over and then ouch! You get this really sharp painful sensation in the side of your belly or groin area. You might be feeling a little concerned, because it was quite painful, and you might be wondering what this is and if you should talk to your prenatal care provider about it.
In this blog post we’ll take a closer look at what might be happening, and what you can do to help alleviate it.
First and foremost, it’s always a good idea to talk with your prenatal care provider when something new and concerning happens. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but this allows your provider to be fully aware of what you are experiencing, so they can better support you. Don’t be shy, ask those questions!
What is round ligament pain?
So what might these sharp painful sensations be? Most likely it is something called round ligament pain. Round ligament pain is an uncomfortable sensation in the abdomen, near the hips or into the groin area. Unfortunately this is a “growing pain” that’s pretty common and normal during pregnancy.
Your round ligaments are like two cords or ropes on each side of the uterus, and their job is to help anchor your uterus into the pelvis. Once you become pregnant and your baby starts to grow, your uterus grows and those ligaments start to stretch and expand, which can cause tension, spasms and sometimes pain with certain movements.
What does round ligament pain feel like?
Round ligament pain usually starts in the second trimester, though it is possible for it to happen earlier. The pain can feel like sharp, stabbing, or pulling sensations, cramps or you can even have an achy feeling. The pain can be on one or both sides of your belly, the lower belly and even into your groin. This usually lasts only a few seconds, but it is possible to have lingering dull, achy sensations afterword.
What causes round ligament pain?
Oftentimes you’ll feel this pain happen when you make quick, sudden, twisting or sharp movements. For example you might feel this when you get out of bed, reach for something, stand or sit quickly, cough, laugh, etc.
By now you might be thinking, “Well jeez, what the heck am I supposed to do, not move?!” And we get that frustration! So here are some tips for you to help prevent and help reduce the round ligament pain you might be feeling.
Tips to prevent and alleviate round ligament pain
One of the best things you can do is try to avoid those quick sudden movements and S L O W D O W N. As your baby bump grows, expecting mama’s need to try and be more body aware, and by slowing down your movements, you can really help reduce those uncomfortable sensations. Here are a few more tips to help prevent round ligament pain:
Avoid lifting heavy things and standing for long periods of time during pregnancy. This will help lessen the stress on the uterus and round ligaments.
If you think you’re about to laugh, sneeze or cough, try leaning forward first. Try placing your hands under your baby bump for support.
Stretch your hips gently every day.
Take your time changing positions. Try to avoid standing, sitting or rolling over suddenly.
Self massage
Self massage when you are feeling that round ligament pain can be a great way to give yourself some relief. To do this start by warming up your belly, using the pads of your fingers and gently press into the sides of your belly, creating small circles and working on a diagonal from belly button to the outer hip, and back up. Repeat this 2-3 times. Then place one hand near your belly button and the other near the outer hip, applying moderate pressure downwards, and pull your hands apart, stretching the tissues of the abdomen. Repeat this 4-5 times. This can feel really great after a hot shower, because all of your tissues are warm and relaxed.
Diaphragmatic Breathing and Core Stability
Another technique you can try is diaphragmatic breathing. Our friend Dr. Melissa Stendahl of Stendahl Physical Therapy shared a video with us explaining what diaphragmatic breathing is and how to do it. You can check it out on our Instagram HERE.
Another thing to consider is your core stability in pregnancy. The stronger your core muscles are, the more stability you’ll have, which means there will be less stress on your round ligaments, because those core muscles will be taking on that stress. Our friend and woman’s fitness coach, Blanche Schuchardt of Rooted Strength Coaching, is a wonderful resource for core engagement exercises. Be sure to check out her Instagram Reel specifically on core exercises for round ligament pain HERE.
Stretching
Lastly, you can try this simple stretch routine, specifically designed to help alleviate round ligament pain.
Hip Circles - sitting on a birth ball with your legs apart, sitting up tall, begin to circle your hips going in one direction 5-10 times, and then switch the direction of your circles 5-10 times
Side Body Stretch - sitting on your birth ball, or on a chair, place your forearm on your knee and gently send the opposite arm up and over head, opening through the chest and gazing up under the armpit, breathing deeply. Hold for 10-12 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.
Cat Cow - Move to your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Drop the belly and send your gaze up, reaching your tailbone up, taking a breath, and then releasing the gaze down to the floor, tucking the chin, rounding the spine and tucking the pelvis, taking a breath and repeating these movements 10-12 times.
Barrel Rolls - while on hands and knees, begin to create circles with your hips and pelvis, allowing your torso follow that movement going in one direction 10-12 times, and then reverse your circles in the opposite direction 10-12 times.
When should I be worried?
Round ligament pain isn’t a long lasting pain, so if this occurs, or if it feels like the pain is coming in a pattern, then you should contact your prenatal care provider. This could be a sign of labor or something else going on, and out of an abundance of caution, seeking the appropriate channels for help is highly recommended.
Having round ligament pain can be uncomfortable, but hopefully with the help of this blog post, you’ll feel more empowered and educated in how to beat that pain and continue on your pregnancy journey with a lot less discomfort.