This may be a stupid question but I am just curious ... could it be that this baby is very low in my pelvis and causing this severe sciatic pain that makes it painful to even walk without wanting to cry? I have back and stomach pain too but I have had that for the last couple weeks on and off. Has anyone else dealt with this pain and then go into labor shortly after? Thanks for any info :)
Thanks girls! I called my doctor and she wanted me to go into the Labor and Delivery part of the hospital and get checked. She didn't think it was anything but just wanted to make sure that baby and I were doing ok still. I went and everything was just fine. I was having some contractions but not really enough for labor yet. I was just told to not lift, rest my leg, ice and heat it, and take some tylenol if the pain was really bad. So here I am ... resting :)
I had sciatic pain mostly at night later in pregnancy. I would just wake up screaming in pain. My Dr and midwife told me to eat lots of bananas as the potassium helps. You are pretty much at that time to go into labor, sciatic pain or not. Hang in there!
I have not. But I hope you have called your OB to discuss!
It sounds like the baby is in a little funky position putting pressure on that nerve. Try lots of hands and knees positions. This will take the pressure off of your back and stomach allowing baby to turn and get into the optimal birth position. Also, chiropractic adjustment can help even this late in pregnancy along with pregnancy massage. Depending on where you are located I can give some awesome referrals to each. My niece had experienced a lot of back discomfort as she approached her estimated due date. I took her to an awesome chiropractor who helped adjust her and less than 24 hrs later she gave birth! PM me if you need a good referral!
My daughter was very low in my pelvis the whole time. The Dr. at my first checkup thought I miscarried until I told him where I usually felt her move. Along with my sciatica, at the end, I had this feeling like two people were on either side of me trying to tear my pelvic bone apart like people do to a wishbone. It was horrible! That lasted for 3 weeks, and got really bad at the end. When I got to the hospital the morning I delivered I was shocked to find out they were actually contractions. Even seeing it on the little machine I was watching it and didn't really believe it, but once I got meds in my system, the pain was gone. My contractions with my son were NOTHING like that! But, it got worse at home, and I got sicker and sicker, and finally went to the hospital to make sure the baby was okay and two different people measured me about 2 hours apart. The first one-a nurse- said the dr. usually measured very generously so I might be there for a while, and they might try to induce or give me a c-section in a day or two. My daughter was born-without any of that- 6 hours later. If you think it could be labor, you really need to have a Dr. (or whoever is delivering) check you and see. My son was a textbook case and I didn't understand how anyone couldn't be sure, but with my daughter I really didn't expect to have her 8 hrs after I got to the hospital. I just thought I was sick and that it might be causing a miscarriage. It turned out I was sick for a week b/c of her. The moment I got an epidural I was perfect, and once she was out there were no problems at all.
Hi A.,
Also you can take two tennis balls in a nylon stocking...tie it closed and use this as a simple back tool...you can lean into the tennis balls while standing or sitting.
Do continue letting your doctor know if you have questions.
Be happy that you will have your baby soon!
C. L
prenatal yoga teacher
Firstly, let me say I'm so sorry you're going through this. I suffered terribly with sciatica with my second pregnancy, but I had it from about 24 weeks on... Since this is new for you and so close to your due date, you should probably go in and be checked for dilation etc... Hang in there!! You're almost done!
With my second pregnancy, I called my doctor one night to whine because I couldn't SLEEP. You would think that's normal when your preggers, and it was for me. I was honestly just SO tired from not sleeping due to my discomfort, that I called me doc that one time to b!tch about it... and he told me I was in labor. I was like 'no, I just can't sleep'... he said, NO, you're in labor, get your butt to the hospital. Sure enough, I was 6 cm!!!!!! If something is very different at 40 weeks, go get checked, just to be safe :)
I had some sciatic pain here and there with my pregnancy but nothing too bad, but then AFTER my daughter was born, I suddenly developed such horrible pain that I could not even walk and I was disabled for weeks. There is also a condition called piriformis syndrome that some people have. Normally the sciatic nerve runs beneath your piriformis muscle, which is a short muscle deep inside your butt, under your glutes. But some people have the sciatic nerve running through the muscle, and if the muscle spasms or tightens up in any way, the sciatic nerve is trapped in there, and the pain can be excruciating. It's often seen in runners (both of my cousins have been affected and they are both into running) and is sometimes called "Runner's Nerve". What might have happened with me is my muscles probably got more stretched out from being pregnant.
If you Google "piriformis syndrome" or "runner's nerve" you might be able to find some more info on it. There are certain stretches you can do that might be helpful. What ended up helping me was trigger point therapy. But you might want to check with your doctor first just to make sure you aren't going into labor.
I had horrible excruciating sciatic pain for between 2-3 weeks (at 32 to 34.5 weeks prego) -- it JUST went away this week after I took 4 days off exercising, devoted myself to the sciatic pain/hip stretches my OB gave me, and started wearing my maternity support belt from 7am to 7pm daily. For me, it wasn't a sign of labor -- I just think the baby was in a bad position and my glutes and hips were very tight from trying to hold appropriate posture (I REFUSE to have bad posture or waddle).
Here's to hoping you go into labor soon and the pain ceases for you!
I had some severe sciatic pain in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. Talk to your OB or midwife but if you are asking if it is labor - my midwife said to have a 1/2 a glass of wine or beer. If it is prodromal then it will stop. If it is real labor than it won't. Worked for me! When it was real, a whole glass of wine didn't stop it. Good luck
PS I did have a gush, everyone's water breaks different!
I had lower back pain during my second pregnancy. I visited a chiropractor to try and have my baby turned with the Webster technique b/c she was breech. It really helped my back pain as well. I used a chiro in Aurora who specializes in chiro for pregnant women. Feel free to message me if you would like her contact info. I would only go to someone who is certified for dealing with pregnant women.
Could be how your pains are starting. Just call the doc.. Put on a fem pad, in case your water breaks.. It is not like a gush.
