32 Weeks- Pubic Bone Pain... What Can I Do??

Hi K.,
I had this same problem while pregnant with my 2nd child. My doctor told me it was normal and that my body was just preparing itself for the baby's birth. The only thing I can tell you is to just take it easy when getting up from laying or sitting down a long time. Once you begin moving around it will go away. I know it is painful but it will pass. I also slept with many pillows that helped somewhat while sleeping. I wish you the best!

yes, it is normal, i had this with my daughter, and quite a bit through my pregnancy. It is not comfortable by any means, but you will get through it.

i just went through the same thing with my 2nd pregnancy. the key is not to sit or be in the same position for too long. the girl at your doctors office was right. it is very normal. i was actually told that it gets worse with every pregnancy. it is just your bones stretching to make room for the coming labor. not really much you can do, but i will tell you that it gets a little easier towards the end.

Hi! I've had the same issue in both of my pregnancies and while it isn't comforting to hear, it is normal. Ask your doctor about a support belt. They strap all the way around and under your bump, which takes the weight/pressure off of your pelvis. There are other things you have to do so as not to aggravate the pain: When you get in and out of the car, swivel in the seat to keep your legs together and push on both legs to get up or sit down. (it takes some practice) When you go up the stairs you have to put both feet on the same step before moving up to the next. When you sleep at night, put a pillow between your knees/thighs to keep your pelvis aligned properly. I'm sorry, but at least you are experiencing this towards the end of your pregnancy. Some people get it from the second trimester and apparently, the more pregnancies you have the worse it gets. I hope this helps!! S.

Ouch! I can remember that pain.... it was killer to get out of bed in the morning and roll over at night. I think its due to your pelvic bones separating! I know that doesn't sound fun but like the girl said it is supposedly normal. I didn't find any 'cures' for it or anything. I think I just babied it, like I made sure that I leaned on the railing coming up stairs or asked my husband to help me do things when it hurt. I know that doesn't help much but, I feel your pain girl, I had the same problem!

Just take lots of Tylenol and stay off your feet as much as possible. It will be over soon.

I had the same exact problem. I was convinced I had broken my pelvis and was so worried about it. The problem, as the my dr described it, was that it is the loosening of the pelvic structure that naturally happens as our body prepares for the delivery. I found that a 'belly belt' helped when I was going to be on my feet and I would quite literally 'hold' my belly when I was getting up from the couch or chairs. Hot baths helped to sooth all my aching and after her birth, things went back to nortmal. Nothing broken :-)

I had a similar pain when pregnant, and I know lots of women get it. It is your pubic bones shifting preparing for delivery. I really don't think there is much to help to make you more comfortable other than delivering the baby LOL I know it doesnt help much, but at least you know you are not alone!

Hi K.,
I'm sure this doesn't exactly help you, but I know exactly what pain you're talking about -- I had it with my last pregnancy and it was killer! I don't remember anything really helping with the pain, but I don't think I tried anything in particular. Only 8 weeks or so to go and I wish you the best!
Renee

Try sitting on one of those really big exercise balls and kind of bounce. It helps your pubic bone spread and eases the pain a bit.

I had the pelvic pain with my second pregnancy also. She was my biggest baby. By the time I told my doctor about it, he said it was too late to do anything about it. If there was enough time, he would have sent me to physical therapy to teach me how to walk a certain way to lessen the pain. I was told to take Tylenol when it became overwhelming. And I am not the kind of person who likes to take meds during pregnancy or anytime for that fact, but it did come to that several times where I had to take something for the pain. My pain was worse at night when I would lay down. I did go to a chiropractor and the first time I thought it helped, but after that not much. They did have a lumbar machine that felt really good. I also would lay down on my concrete front porch! It felt good to me! It does go away when you deliver! Good Luck!

Bless your heart, you've got my sympathy! I had the exact same type of pain, rolling over in bed was excruciating and as soon as I stood up from getting out of bed I felt like my legs wouldn't support me for a few seconds and then it would go away. Unfortunately I never figured out anything that helped, but it did go away right after my daughter was born.

Same thing happened with me...I'm 38 weeks now. Still having pain once in a while. I went to the chiropractor. He did some exercises and showed me how to do them at home. And he suggested that if it's really bad, dig your fingers into where it really hurts, find the tender spot, and massage the area. Also, whatever helps, do it. I was getting pain depending how long I was motionless at one spot. 10 min in the car, I was in pain when I moved, but then it went away. Sitting at the computer, in pain when I got up, but then went away a few min. later. So I basically kept moving. How exhausting, yes, but it was better than the pain.

However, if you start having trouble urinating, or pain when you urinate, go into your doctor. You might have a bladder infection. They do a very simple check...no biggie.

Hope that helps! -A.

I am sorry to learn of your pain! I am a massage therapist, and in some of the pregnancy massage training I have had, I have become aware that (no surprise) the changes that are going on inside your body when you are pregnant cause almost every woman to develop alignment issues in the pelvic girdle (pelvic bones)and this can cause extreme referred pain in the area. I would suggest going to a chiropractor or osteopathic doctor. They are trained to work with Moms throughout pregnancy and can help you get things back where they are supposed to be. A traditional doctor may not think to refer you to a chiropractor. As women, we should never accept, "That is just the way it is supposed to be!" It can be treated!

I have this pain too and am 30 weeks along. I had it with my first pregnancy as well and actually, it didn't seem to go away too much after she was born ... Just change seating positions when you can and try and stretch (like getting on all fours and leaning back and forward, etc.) ... sit on things that are more comfortable. You might also want to try a chiropracter. I've been going to one during this entire pregnancy and it's been so much better than the last one. As my bones adjust and expand from the pregnancy, she helps keep them aligned correctly, etc. Good luck.

It sounds like it's very normal reading the rest of the responses, however - a couple of thoughts:

If you work out, have the OB check out the symphatic tissue at all if he can. It's the tissue that binds the pelvis together in the front. Mine popped three months into my last pregnancy due to excessive weight training and I had to have my hips bound for quite awhile. You may what to try that. It helped significantly. I just used a maternity belt....

Also, instead of sitting in chairs, sit indian style on the floor, or yoga style. That takes the pressure off that area of your body and rolls your uterus forward so it doesn't prolapse.

Also, try to work up to about 300 Kegels a day. that REALLY REALLY helps! Anytime I start hurting down there I consider if I've been sitting too long, move to the floor if I can but have to continue sitting, and do kegels.

Good luck! Congratulations on #3!!!

Is it like a heavy ache in your pubic bone? I had this also with my second pregnancy. The weird thing is that now, when I get my period, I get that same aching rather than the typical lower abdominal menstrual cramping I used to get until that pregancy. Very strange. The only thing that helped me was applying pressure to the area--just sitting did the trick, but that is not something you can do all day with two kids! A friend of mine had this also and purchased some sort of a strap online that applied pressure to the area. I'm not sure what it was called or how it worked, but maybe you can find something like that online. Good luck. You're entering the home stretch!

Congrats on # 3!! I had the exact same thing with my second pregnancy and it was agony, to the point where sometimes I could not move (it was also waking me up at night everytime I moved) which was not great when I needed to be chasing after an 18month old! I talked to my doctor about it several times and unfortunately, they said the same thing. It was just bones adjusting and also the baby was quite low so she was putting pressure on my pelvis. They said to ride it out. Easier said than done but I did and the minute my daughter popped out, all the pain was gone. I found moving around helped. If I sat for too long then it was painful to get moving again. I did some reserach on the net and found some sites recommended seeing a chiropractor to see if the bones could be realigned but by the time I got organised and found one, my baby arrived!! Sorry I can't be more help. Good luck with the birth :)

I have the exact same problem...I'm around 7 months along. there was about a 3 day period where it hurt pretty bad to walk. At least we know it'll disappear when the baby comes, right?

I had the same problem with #2! The doctors told me it was normal and that it's the baby getting settled in my pelvs. It's "pressure" from the baby and because he/she is getting larger, the pressure will get sligtly moreso until the baby is born. My only solution is to move around and rub around your pelvis bone!

I remember those days! Good luck and take it easy!!

The girl at the dr's office is right, it is normal. It is due to a hormone released in late pregnancy called Relaxin. I say that lightly because it is anything but relaxing. But it does relax the bones in the pelvis and makes them 'plyable' if you will, for delivery. I am sorry I don't have any suggestions for you, I went through it twice with both of my daughters. But perhaps now that you know what is causing it, maybe you can Google Relaxin.

ok you have 2 other kids so its not like you dont know whats normal. i have a child and i never had that problem. im sorry i dont know what you can do. for sure when you go see your doctor, tell him what your feeling and what the girl said and maybe why. have you tryed putting a pillow under your tummy, to help hold it up? i know i had to do that! not for the same reason but it just made me feel more comfortable. well i wish you the best of luck!! sorry if i couldnt help to much.

I had the same thing with my third pregnancy starting at 16 weeks, and only found relief from a chiropractor. You can see www.icpa4kids.com for a listing of chirpractors that specialize in pregnant women.

I felt better at the end of my pregnancy than I did at the beginning due to regular chiro visits. But I could certainly tell when I was overdue for a visit, because the pain would return with a vengence!

Hi K.!

Isn't it the WORST pain ever?! I had that pain starting at 20 weeks and did not stop until my son was born. The doctor first said it was because my baby was lying horizontally, and when he turned, it would go away. Well, it did not go away AT ALL! My doctor said it was completely normal; just my body adjusting to the new ever increasing weight and getting ready for labor.

I had a horrible time sleeping. I woke up every time I turned over because it hurt so bad. I basically starting sleeping half upright so I wouldn't turn, and when I couldn't fall asleep that way, I used this huge spiral body pillow that support everywhere. My friend found it at Target. They still have them. I believe it's called a Snuggli? They'd be with the Boppi pillows.

I know one repsonse said it wasn't bad once she got moving, but for me it was the opposite. I was a retail manager when I was pregnant. So I was on my feet all day. The pain never really went away, but it did subside once my doctor took me out of work for the last month (for other reasons, not the pubic bone pain!). Resting helped a lot.

Good luck!