Major Pelvic Pressure in Third Trimester

Sara and Kim are correct. Don't let one of the other posters scare you. With each pregnancy, there was more discomfort in the pelvic area. I was not able to walk or be on my feet as much for later babies as I could for the first one! I was going, going, going...for the first boy right up until the day he was born.

For subsequent pregnancies, I bought one of those belly bands! It helped so much! If you belong to a health club or fitness center or have access to a pool, go get in it and float / walk around a couple times a week. That also feels very good!
If pool not available to you, get in a nice full tub of water a few times a week and get some baby weight lifted!

Dear J.,

I would definitely check with your OB-GYN. Could be a number of things...including that your baby is riding lower than your first one and your pelvic muscles are more relaxed 2nd pregnancy. Any maternity store would carry a pregnancy "girdle", or even a Pregnancy waist band. Now, don't let the word GIRDLE fool you. They are incredible light and comfortable, and can offer just that little support so the tummy weight doesn't seem so heavy. Also, because it's not pulling on your skin, it can help with stretch marks too.

This can definitely happen...not out of the ordinary...but don't think it will happen with every subsequent pregnancy. Those pelvic muscles can get stretched and put more stress on other parts of the body. Try getting one of those bands that helps support baby by wrapping under the belly and around the back. Use the one made for pregnancy. It's worth the investment and may relieve the pressure some. This really helped me with baby 1 and 2, but didn't really use it much for the others. Rest and not over doing is also important.

Just know that ideas like: the baby will be bigger with each pregnancy, or once you've had a particular problem you will have that with each pregnancy is incorrect. Each pregnancy is unique.

With my 4th child I didn't think my hip joints would ever go back to normal, and that if we had any other children, I'd end up an invalid. I had such pain in my joints I could hardly walk to my mother-in-law's 3 doors down the road. NO problems of this nature in 5th or 6th. Baby 2 and 6 were my biggest, but #3 was the smallest and #4 and #5 were like my 1st: average weight. Ours are between 2 and 3 years apart.

Blessings on your growing family!

I would also suggest one of the pregnancy bands to wear. It will give your abdomen some extra support to take the pressure off your hips and pelvic bones.

I forgot about the "crotch pain"...ouch! They make belts/bands that you put around your belly and it holds it up, so the pain is not so bad. I never actually used one, but when I complained that was the advice I received. Ask your doctor. Good luck!

I had that majorly with my first around 26 weeks. I went into labor at 28 weeks and found out that all that pain CAN indicate pre term labor (and as it turned out it happened again with my next two pregnancies.) So, it COULD indicate that. But I found that sitting on the yoga ball offered much relief.

I did find with my fifth pregnancy that walking several days a week helped. I also used a belly band. Babies R Us has several versions. The one I went to did not have all of them next to each other, so look around but there were like 5 different kinds and various sizes. Some are more supportive then others. Although he was twice the size of my other babies I was in much less pain with my fifth. I don't know if that was the exercise or what but don't listen to the 'it gets worse with each pregnancy.'

Hi J.
I am sure there is nothing wrong- you are most likely just carrying your little one very, very low ....but I would advise that you do not try to hold your urine for extended periods of time- as that could possible cause some toxic back up in the future- all pregnancies are different but I amsure there is nothing to be concerned about at this point.
good luck and blessings

With every pregnancy, it gets worse. BY my fourth child, it felt like my privates were swollen to the size of grapefruits. I had to walk "funny" and delicately for the last month or so. The doctor said that it was nothing unusual, just that the ligaments were stretched out and that the weight of the baby was putting pressure on my nerves. It was the worst chronic uncomfortableness that I had ever felt. Laying down helped, but nothing else did. It is completely different from Braxton-Hicks contraction, which concerns the belly, not the vaginal area, so make sure to mention exactly where the pressure is to your doctor so that she can rule out pre-term labor.

Your muscles are not as strong as they were the first go round. With my 2nd and 3rd, I felt like they were going to fall out every time I stood up.

If you are really concerned, talk to your Dr. He can do a pelvic and make sure there is nothing going on.

Good luck and congrats!

Have they checked for twins? Sometimes the pressure you are talking about could be Braxton Hicks contractions - Practice Labor, but it is a way too early for that. It is good that you will be seeing the doctor tomorrow. Bless you and your family

NO this is not normal please tell your Dr. right away.

J. let us know what happens. i already asked my doctor about this. he said it was normal and would get worse the further along i was. ( 6 months now )this usually happens to me when i sit for a long period of time. i stand most of the day and it helps! i never lost the weight from my first pregnancy and i am thinking that isnt helping matters. not sure about the holding of urine. i wake up several times a night for a potty break :/ again let us know what the doctor said. i got alot more rest,naps with the first pregnancy than this one...with a toddler its not so easy!

Yikes!! This sounds like something I was going through at the end of my 24th week. I felt great up until I started feeling the low pelvic pressure. I called my doc and I was ordered to stop what I was doing and go to the hospital to get checked out.......long story short, I didn't go home until my babies *twins" were born two days later. The were born at 25 weeks gestation.

I don't say all this to scare you, but you need to listen to your body. Sit or lie down and rest. I would not go walking. Keep your baby in there as long as you can. Trust me. It's better for everyone if the baby does the developing "inside" the womb.

Happened to me the last time around Hurt so much/ couldn't walk... I even went to the hospital once for observation, but was fine. My doc said each pregnancy is more like that b/c your uterine muscles aren't as strong....

I am so sorry. This happened to me (not with first pregnancy but with second.) It was terrible. I got some great support pantyhose from Motherhood maternity store and wore them all the time except when I was asleep. It really helped. It was a little annoying because my baby was born in July, and I hated wearing hose in the summer. BUT it was better than the constant pressure. I hope this helps. Congrats on the baby!

Oh my gosh! I am sooo glad someone asked this question. I am 29 weeks pregnant and I feel the same pressures in the pocketbook/crouch area( the lil triangular front part of the vagina). And it's only bothersome when I get up from sitting or lying down or when I'm lying down and need to raise my leg to turn to the other side(TORTURE!).I quickly discovered that THIS is why pregnant women walk/waddle funny. Once I walk a few minutes,the pain is gone, fortunately. So, I guess my nurse was right in saying that this is normal due to the ligaments stretching in the uterus area. I didn't experience this with my first pregnancy either so this is very new to me. Geesh! And here I thought it was because I was and older mom-to-be (37)...lol, wow...