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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Hips sore from sleeping on my side - help!

27 replies

Sluggers · 02/09/2013 07:06

Just that really! My hips are getting really sore from lying on my side each night. The aching can last for a few hours into the day after I get up.

Anyone got any advice as to how I can prevent it from hurting so much?

A friend suggested lying on a duvet, which helped a little while, but I seem to have become immune to the duvet now!

I can actually still lie comfortably on my back which gives the hips a rest for a while, but my baby is lying back to back & I'm trying to be really good with my sitting/lying to encourage it to turn, and lying on your back appears to be a big no no.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

OP posts:

JethroTull · 02/09/2013 07:14

Hello Sluggers. I have the same problem, so painful! I slept on an air bed last night which definitely helped - the 'squishyness' helps to spread the weight of your body. I also put a pillow between my knees & one behind my back. This almost wedges me into one position. Not perfect but I got over 4 hours continuous sleep which is brilliant compared to what I've been having. Good luck!

PoppyAmex · 02/09/2013 07:17

I second Jethro's suggestion of a pillow between your knees and Another wedged under the bump.

I have a pregnancy big one but you can get the same results with multiple ones.

Forgetfulmog · 02/09/2013 07:17

Yeah I had the same issue. You can lie on your back for brief periods of time, just to give yourself a rest.
You may find it useful to get a long body pillow then you can hug that while you sleep - it'll mean you're not actually lying completely on your side & might give your hips a break.

ZuluWarrior · 02/09/2013 07:18

I have a friend who swears by wearing cycling shorts. It was recommended by a midwife who said it supported all the loose ligaments etc. I tried it last pregnancy and didn't notice a difference but it really helped my friend!

Feel for you- it's one of those real binds of pregnancy that you're totally unprepared for!

Gerty1002 · 02/09/2013 07:20

Suggest same as above but also try to keep your legs straight when you're in bed, with a pillow between them, although your instinct may be to curl them up. Made a world of difference for me :)

vix206 · 02/09/2013 07:26

No advice to add but just to say I'm also struggling. The pain is unbearable and spreads right down to my ankles at night. I had it last time round too, pillows helped but the only real relief was delivery of the baby. Don't know how far along you are but I'm only just 20 weeks, so a long time to wait

Bambamb · 02/09/2013 07:32

I am also struggling big time, you are not alone. It is awful, think last night was the worst yet. I'm getting one hour sleeps at a time!

I'm doing the pillow thing (between the knees) and have a wedge for under my bump. May try the cycling shorts thing you never know! I remember this from my last pregnancy too although it wasn't this bad. It's making my knee click too, awful!
Sorry I have no more advice than has already been given. Just one of those things I think.

Original poster

Sluggers · 02/09/2013 07:47

Thanks everyone - it does make me feel a bit better to know I'm not alone! Last night I almost dreaded going to bed which is ridiculous.

I tried a dream genius (or whatever they're called) but found that it made me stay in one position for longer - so more painful. I'm currently using the same as BamBam - a pillow sort of between by knees and a pregnancy wedge pillow under my bump or back depending on how I lie.

I'm 34 weeks so at least I'm on countdown!

I find sitting on the birthing ball first thing when I get up helps ease the joints and I can stretch them out a bit which is lovely. Just I would quite like to find a way of it not hurting so much in the first place!

So, where do I get maternity cycling shorts from then...

OP posts:

charlottesweb87 · 02/09/2013 08:20

I have exactly the same problem! I actually put a thread on about it a few weeks ago as it was so painful! I looked it up and found that lying on my side and then separating my legs (kind of like a scissor shape), that has really helped me. Keeping my legs together was agony! Hope that helps you. I feel your pain!

ICantGoOverItICantGoUnderIt · 02/09/2013 08:50

You say the duvet underneath has stopped hel

ICantGoOverItICantGoUnderIt · 02/09/2013 08:57

Oops too soon!

.... helping - this happened to me too. So I kept adding layers! Eventually I was sleeping on a doubled over double duvet and two thick sleeping bags. I towered above dh and felt like the princess and the pea! Each time I added a layer it did help for a bit.

This is one of the many things that makes having a baby much more pleasant and, to a certain extent, easier than being pregnant. As soon as the baby is born it totally stopped. I got longer spells of sleep with a newborn than I did during the third trimester.

Forgetfulmog · 02/09/2013 09:00

I must be one of the unlucky ones, I still sometimes get the pain now - dd is nearly 1.

Sorry OP

IBelieveInPink · 02/09/2013 17:06

Thank you for posting this, I have the same issue! Causing me all sorts of agony, have asked my friend who is a physio if she has any advice, will report back if she comes up with anything....!

Original poster

Sluggers · 02/09/2013 17:43

IBelieve... Yes please, report back definitely!

I'll ask my midwife on Wednesday - although I'm not expecting too much.

Meanwhile - I think ICant's suggestion of just piling up as much soft furnishing as possible might be worth a try!

OP posts:

Bambamb · 03/09/2013 07:28

I mentioned it to my midwife at my last appt and she said to make sure you keep hydrated during the day, and try doing gentle stretches before bed.
Both of these have helped me a little but as I get bigger it is getting worse. 11 more weeks to go! Remind me never to have another after this one!

Franykins · 03/09/2013 11:43

I am suffering the same as well. I am 27+4 today with twins, already looking full term and feeling it (well what I imagine full term to feel like as this is my first pg) My hips are now total agony at night and I sleep for an hour before waking in pain and having to move. I also have a duvet folded up under the bedsheet, a pillow between my legs, supporting my back and one under my bump and am sleeping in a more upright position (I can't remember the last time I could properly snuggle up to DP and am missing my night time cuddles ). All of which helped for a bit but now it seems worse. I still have the pain now whereas it was going after a warm shower in the morning. I got given a dream genii last night so it has been washed and hanging on the line to dry ready for tonight, it just looks so thin though I can't see it helping, but worth a try! Will also mention the pain to my midwife on Friday.

Sparkeleigh · 03/09/2013 12:58

I got the same problem and I was told you can sleep on your back as long as you're propped up on pillows - I've got about 4 or 5 in bed with me now and I make a sort of slope with them and lie back on that. The first time I did it I had the best nights sleep for weeks!

Might be worth ok-ing that with your midwife?

SomethingLovely · 03/09/2013 14:56

I had really bad hip pain but found that when I increased the height of my top knee it really helped - I kind of lie in the recovery position with bottom leg straight and top leg bent resting on a yoga bolster (which is much thicker than ordinary pillow, like this - but I'm sure I got mine cheaper!

workingonitagain · 03/09/2013 18:26

Try sticking a pillow in between ur legs might help :) ive had it in all 3 pregnancies and right now at 30 weeks.i sleep cuddling a.pillow and i don't seem to be getting it. Yet...

Franykins · 04/09/2013 08:59

Ok so a night with the dream genii pillow was surprisingly successful! Best nights sleep for a long while. I was waking up every hour but I must of had at least 5 hours uninterrupted sleep it may be thin but does the trick. Hope it continues to work as I get bigger.

IBelieveInPink · 04/09/2013 14:03

I tried 2 pillows between the knees last night instead of one, and got a much better night sleep. Not perfect, but massively improved.....

Msbluesky32 · 04/09/2013 16:23

What are you sleeping in? I'm quite lean and found the seams of pj bottoms or pants were digging in to my already painful hip bones. I bought some seam free undies and that really helped. You could also try putting a duvet on the bed for extra softness

Original poster

Sluggers · 04/09/2013 17:21

Thanks everyone so far.

I saw the midwife today and there's an antenatal physio at the local hospital who I can see so she's given me a referral which is good news. I should see them Monday fingers crossed and I'll let you other sufferers know if there is anything that I'm advised can help.

She did also say it is only likely to get worse as the pregnancy progresses.

I'm sleeping in nothing - it's definitely my joints rather than anything else. Extra pillows & duvets do help a little bit for a short while, but don't solve the problem. And agree - the scissor/recovery position with the upper leg supported by a pillow has probably been the least painful so far.

I know not everyone's in the same boat, but one of my issues was that I was being careful not to lie on my back - not because of the possible pressure on the vena cava artery, but because the baby was back to back & I was trying to be good with my position/posture (it's one of the things I was recommended to avoid when I did some research).

Anyway, good news on three points:

the baby has turned round now so I don't need to worry so much about that part - although it would be good for it to stay that way!
my midwife said that not lying on your back isn't really as big an issue in terms of baby positioning as I had previously thought. And it's definitely more important to get some sleep.
for anyone who IS worried about squishing their artery - you only need to be very slightly lifted off your back for that to stop being an issue - either slightly propping your upper half up with pillows, or just a slight turn to the side would remove any pressure.

So I'm hopeful I can find a more comfy position tonight & will see the physio next week hopefully.

OP posts:

IBelieveInPink · 05/09/2013 08:55

Hi, just thought id report back as I heard from my physio friend. I'm afraid nothing that usefull though, just the same info about keeping knees together whenever possible, and gentle exercise like swimming if you are able to (not breast stroke). Also recommended the bump bands to support bump. Sorry it's not more helpful.
The 2 pillows thing only worked for one night for me, was up again at 5am with hip pain. Thinking may just have to settle with this for a while!

Mouserama · 05/09/2013 12:16

I had exactly the same problem when I was pregnant. No advice really about how to ease it (other than what other posters have already said) - but just wanted to say that is does go away immediately after birth of baby. So you won't have to suffer for much longer.

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