pain sleeping on side

[glitternanny]

does anyone wake up with their side/hip hurting??

I keep doing it and it was really rather sore this morning I had to get outta bed at 8:30 :(

[JenniL1977]

How pregnant are you?
My short answer is yes.
Long answer is I've got SPD, and not wanting to scare you or anything but I'm awake 4 times a night having to shift myself over as I can't just turn as it's too painful, and I've not slept past 6.30 in 3 months. And I love sleeping :(
I'm nearly 32 weeks.

[glitternanny]

I'm only 18weeks, but I'm not skinny - l was 12stone when I fell pregnant/size 16.

[JenniL1977]

I don't know it'll have anything to do with your size pet, and size 16 isn't big! Ask your midwife or doctor - it might just be stretching pains, or maybe you're sleeping a bit heavier than usual and not turning in your sleep so you're getting a bit stiff (and that might be why you're waking up earlier). If you're starting with SPD you want to know earlier than later so you can see a physio and get some exercises sorted with him/her. And do your pelvic floor exercises!
Hope you feel better soon though.

[elgoldenflower]

I have SPD too and I'm 21 weeks. Get a similar thing (along with a load of other aches and pains) and find that a folded over duvet underneath my sheet helps a lot with achy hip pain.

If it's really interfering with sleep/life then do speak to MW or GP who can refer you to a physio.

[glitternanny]

Thank you Jenni - I'll mention it when I see someone - ohh in another 7 weeks!!!

[ToriaPumpkin]

I'm 21 weeks and mentioned it to my MW at 12 weeks, she basically fobbed me off. It's now getting to the stage where I wake up multiple times a night to roll over and sit up to let it pass, and the only position I can sleep in for more than an hour or so is on my back, but I'm forcing myself not to. Seeing her again Wed so will bring it up again as it's getting ridiculous! Have bought a Dream Genii which is about as much good as putting peas under my mattress and have tried sleeping on folded blankets etc, nothing is helping.

[dribbleface]

yep same here (25 weeks) hips are agony at night, have been laying on a folded over double duvet which has eased it a little. Seeing midwife tuesday so will what she says, she seems very good so hoping i'll not get fobbed off!

[Boos75]

Me too! Am a few days off 32 weeks with DC1 and not been able to sleep longer than 2 hours at a time since 24 weeks. I wake up in agony as am at the stage where I am only allowed to sleep on my left side now. I end up propping myself up with pillows around 4am and sitting upright to sleep. I now dread going to bed and feel really miserable about it as reckon I only get a total of 6 hours sleep on a good night but trying so hard to stay positive (failing today though!) as I know it's all for a worthwhile cause (and when the baby is born I can sleep on my back -yay!!).

Was told it was pelvic girdle pain and read that that is what they now call SPD. I don't think it's a weight thing as although have put on almost 3 stone so far I was a size 12 before falling pregnant - it's all down to the hormone relaxin streching your ligaments. I've seen a physio at the hospital (who was useless) and paid to see an osteopath who was great and advised on strengthening our old friend the pelvic floor as you need as much inner core support as possible. I've not been as good as I should have been at doing the exercises and I think it's a little late for me now but at 18 weeks I'd urge you to do them as much as possible whilst you're still more mobile! Other than that I'd recommend resting and grabbing sleep when you can during the day - hard I know if you have DCs and with work as well but try as much as you can on the weekend.

Thinking of you all x

[icravecheese]

I have had this type of pain with all 3 pregs.... unfortunately I think its just one of those pregnancy things us lovely ladies have to put up with. I've never had SPD, am not heavy (normally a size 10 & only put on 2stone max each preg) so don't think its a weight thing or a dead cert that its going to develop into spd.
All the advice above is fab - lots of pillows / padding / duvets etc (which makes turning over onto the other side a military operation in the middle of the night!! but does help relieve some pain).

[sebs71]

Toria... I got one of those Dream Genii pillows too, based on the rave reviews, but have also found it useless... as well as still getting really bad hip pain, with it comes neck and shoulder pain too, so have gone back to ordinary pillow between the legs and trying to cope with bad hips. Still all in a good cause, and maybe it's nature's way of getting us ready for lack of sleep once babies are born?!?

[GemmaReeto]

Im 19 weeks tomorrow and for the last 3 nights this has started happening to me too! It seems to have co-incided with a growth spurt of my bump as literrally 3 days ago I could still fasten my trousers but now I have to put a bobble around the button. I've also been feeling a bit achy around the bump area which feels like growing pains.

I have woken up with really achy hips (on the side that I have lay on). When I walk around in the day afterwards my hips/tops of my legs hurt. It almost feels like when you do too much excercise and your muscles hurt the day after and I feel stiff after I have sat down for a bit. Its really annoying.

Im also finding that im waking a couple of times in the night with numb hands as if I'm lying on them funny and then I get pins and needles as the feeling comes back!

Think Im going to try out the padding with pillows and duvet thing you have mentioned and see if it helps!

[fairy1978]

Hi,
I had this and now sleep on a double duvet folded up. It is much better for me - maybe try that.
Good luck

[urbandaisy]

I've got the Dream Genii which I use with an absolutely huge square pillow (60cm one I think, plus it's thick) which I shove between my knees and down to between my feet. Between the two there's not much that isn't supported. Without it, I wake up in agony. I find the Dream Genii especially good for the support at your back. Without that I really struggle with aches and pains.

Just back from Paris where on our first night in the hotel they told us they had no extra pillows anywhere in the hotel. Cue a lot of improvisation (rolled up towels, clothes, etc) to try to get a few hours' sleep.

The next morning at 8am, they showed up with four pillows, which got me through the rest of the trip.

[ToriaPumpkin]

It doesn't matter which side I sleep on, and what position, my right hip starts to ache about ten minutes after lying down.

Sebs definitely a good cause, and I've been lucky WRT MS etc, but oh for a good night's sleep!

[sebs71]

Yes, don't get me wrong, a good night's sleep without waking up with pins and needles, hips aching and even my ear aching would be bliss :-)

[nicolamumof3]

yep been in agony for months! Am now 36+1 dont' sleep longer than a couple hours at a time and am in agony repositioning. I have spd and my pelvis and hips very sore particularly at end of day. Had physio, had support belt tried variations of pillows. Just hoping that end is now in sight. And look forward to the comfort of my body slowly returning to normal. Tho sleep obviously will not for some time yet!

[Rootatoot]

I'm just back from weekend away and mattress was v hard and have woken up with very sore hips every day. I get it at home too but not as bad as I have a lovely comfy bed here. I don't think it's SPD though have routine appointment with GP tomorrow so I'll mention it.

[JenniL1977]

Don't wait till your next mw appt if it's not till 25 wks, glitternanny, ring your doctor and get in there.
Try sleeping with a pillow between your legs though, that really does help.

[buttonmoon78]

Don't wait glitter. Go to your gp now, as in today. If it is spd, then the earlier it is treated the better.

I've not read the whole thread so these may have been mentioned, but do try putting a duvet under the sheet, like a mattress topper. A duvet (or a proper topper) is better than memory foam contrary to what the manufacturers will have you believe!

Sleep with a pillow between your knees - ensure that it extends down to your feet so your legs are evenly spaced all the way down.

Try not to move your legs separately - sit down to put pants and trousers on etc.

Try to engage your pelvic floor muscles and stomach muscles before standing up.

The list is endless, but it's all I can think of for now! Do see your gp though, don't wait.

In my case, early treatment this time has made all the difference.

[glitternanny]

If it carries on or gets worse I will speak to someone earlier I promise, I'm hoping it'll go away or like you say sleeping witha duvet/pillows will help.

I goggled SPD and I'm not quite sure I 'tick' many of the boxes.

[candr]

I have a pillow on either side for back or between legs, strangely I seem to only be able to sleep for any time on my right which I know is bad or a bit on my back but then hips ache, if I try to sleep on left baby kicks so hard it really hurts so don't know what to do now. Am getting 2-3 hours a night and am sooooo tired. Am only 26 weeks so slightly scared I will crack up before 40 weeks. Hope others get a bit of respite

[buttonmoon78]

Sleeping on your right is not really bad. It's far better for the baby that you stay sane and well rested than a tiny difference in blood flow.

Have put another duvet under my sheet, so tonight I shall be sleeping (I hope) on 9togs worth!

[AnotherMuesliPleaseBarman]

I have the same thing. Not SDP. More like hip / upper buttock pain! Last pregnancy I had it in the last month or so and it got to the point where I was waking up every 20 mins with the pain, and needing to turn over. This time I'm only 28 wks and it has started. Can't sleep after 5am. Argh! Only thing that really helped last time was sleeping on the sofa, for some reason.

[mpops]

Yup, same here, at nearly 27 weeks. I've had strained muscles issues which got sorted by an osteopath but the sleeping on my left-hand side thing is causing me no end of pain, soreness and ultimately sleeplessness. It helps having a lot of pillows around but it's not very useful for when you want to move.

I've been thinking about the Dream Genii. Is it really making a lot of difference? It seems so expensive...

[MissusTulip]

anothermuseli - SPD is an outmoded term - it's now PGD (Pelvic girdle dysfunction), as it sure don't just affect the symphysis pubis

Mine started as pain in the right hip and lower back (sacro illiac joints) at 8 weeks. Really awful pain in right hip and buttock, so nowhere near the front lady parts then - but still same management plan as SPD as it used to be known. Get thee to an obstetric physio (GP and midwie can both refer) for an assessment and any help they can offer. What has helped me best has been acupuncture / cupping, really improved level of pain.

Viz the dreem geeni - I didn't think it was making much difference til I slept without it. Whoops... But I don't think it's specific to that particular brand, think any pillow that supports you as described by button (hi button!) in a post above will help a bit. You will still get hip pain on the side you sleep on and have to wake up to turn over tho