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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Painful Hips :-(

23 replies

Stace27 · 20/02/2015 12:40

Has anybody else suffered painful hips? I'm 13 weeks pregnant and for the past 4 weeks I've had really painful hips at night when I'm lay on my side. The pain wakes me up and I have to change sides or lie on my back. Any advise would be helpful X

OP posts:
Heels99 · 20/02/2015 12:45

Speak to your midwife and ask for a physiotherapy referal.

LollieLoves · 20/02/2015 12:48

Sorry to hear you're suffering with this, it's miserable.

I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say I'm suffering with this too. 18 weeks, and have been training myself to sleep on my side for the last few weeks (normally a back sleeper). I manage to drop off, but then wake up 2 or 3 hours later with horrendous aching in the hip I've been lying on, which radiates down my thigh to my knee. I turn over and then spend about half an hour awake unable to sleep because of the throbbing. Then I fall asleep and wake up again 2 or 3 hours later because now THAT side's hurting! It's very frustrating, and I'm getting progressively more tired. I'm using the dream genie, which is good for sorting out the sacroiliac pain I was getting before I had it, but of course it doesn't cushion the leg that's underneath.

Will watch this thread with interest to see if anyone has some sage advice!

berberana · 20/02/2015 12:55

I have been seeing an osteopath which really helped with hip and back pain. He gave me really gentle core strength exercises and massage. Had to go private but figure it's worth it for being able to walk properly! I also had a 121 Pilates lesson which was a brilliant revelation re posture and the way I hold myself which I think has helped enormously. I pay £32 per session for the osteopath and the Pilates lesson was £40. Seemed steep at first but it's a damn sight cheaper than a lot of beauty treatments! I am 33 weeks now and in significantly less pain than in my first pregnancy (first time around I was referred to physio but they didn't help at all - basically said it would all get better after birth! But it never quite did...)

sarah00001 · 20/02/2015 12:55

I have this too and it is so uncomfortable. I've been advised to put a pillow between my legs as apparently it helps. I haven't tried it yet but will have a go tonight.

Artistic · 20/02/2015 12:55

I've suffered this through 2 pregnancies. You need a long pillow that you can tuck between your knees...And all the way up to your ankles. This 'supports' your hips & take away the pressure. Even so, the pain can get worse as you get heavier..there is no alternative but to keep changing sides. Towards the end I had to sit up every 3-4 hours to relieve the pain. Even post delivery it takes a few months to subside...

I believe it has to do with the expanding pelvis & additional weight from the stomach. Not everyone gets this but for those who do, it's a long journey. Being prepared is all you can do.

Artistic · 20/02/2015 12:57

Oh yes, an oil massage of the hips by your partner can be really soothing. Some mornings I couldn't move without it!

You can also put a small pillow below the bottom knee as well..

MadC0w · 20/02/2015 13:23

Try the pillow between your legs, this made a huge difference for me a couple of weeks ago (now 18+1). The hormone relaxin loosens your ligaments which can result in increased strain - especially the joint between your pelvis and spine whilst lying on your side. Elevating the leg on top reduces this strain. Good luck!

Teeste · 20/02/2015 13:27

Yes, this started for me around 16 weeks. I now have to sleep with a memory foam pillow (standard ones don't have enough resistance) between my legs, and that works. Perhaps some pregnancy yoga would help too? I keep meaning to give it a go!

Spl0ink · 20/02/2015 14:04

Yeah I wake up each morning with really sore hips now - I'm 25 weeks.

Obviously be careful with this and dont strain anything but I find cow face pose helps quite a lot:
www.yogajournal.com/pose/cow-face-pose/

I try and sit in it for a while and do gentle twists and fold forwards - bump allowing - over my knees a bit.

pinkie87 · 20/02/2015 15:11

My left has been hurting the past few days, I'm also 13 weeks. It hurts in certain positions and sometimes when walking. I almost can't tell if the pain is in my hip or my back, or somewhere in between. I know it's early but I'm contemplating a pregnancy pillow for bedtime.

pinkie87 · 20/02/2015 15:11

left hip*

Original poster
Stace27 · 20/02/2015 15:21

Thanks Ladies looks like I'm not alone on this! I'll try all the tips given :-) X

OP posts:
weeblueberry · 20/02/2015 15:42

I've had seriously sore hips since my 25th week and it's only got worse. I'm at the point now where if I turn a certain way the pain is so intense I'm actually crying out softly as not to piss off my work colleagues. I've left it and left it and now I can't get an NHS physio appointment because there's a 6 week waiting list. Absolutely my fault.

So I'm having to pay for a private appointment on Monday which I still could have done weeks ago and benefited from it then.

Point of the story - don't leave it!! Do something about it now!!

Princessbb1 · 20/02/2015 16:57

Hi

I had the same problem which seems to have eased. I found that using a fleece blanket (£3 from Primark) in bed really helped. I could scrunch it and tuck it under bump and between legs as thick as I required. I have a pregnancy pillow but it just wasn't movable enough to help and I found it too big to tuck where I needed it. It might help to ease the pain at night x

ToriB34 · 20/02/2015 17:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2015isgoingtobeBIG · 20/02/2015 19:22

Pillow between the legs supporting thighs, knees and calves and a pillow under your bump that you can lean into. I now have a bolster cushion (cheaper than a pregnancy pillow) that I hug myself round. Not perfect as it's a bit thick but the hip pain on the sude eased.
For those who have. Shooting pain through your groin which is worse when standing on one leg could be pelvic girdle pain (prev known as SPD). I've had this since 13 weeks and was fobbed off by the doctors who said it was too early to be anything serious like PGP and was just stretching muscles. When I eventually pushed for a physio appointment at 19/20 weeks because I was in so much pain just walking I had to wait over a month. When I saw the physio she said there are surges of relaxin that can start at 13 weeks and occur at certain intervals during the pregnancy.....so I wasnt being a wuss at 13 weeks. Moral of the story? Get referred early!

Bex174 · 21/02/2015 23:11

I had this too, it's so painful isn't it!

What I found helped is a really thin pillow (half thickness of normal ones) underneath whatever hip is against the bed and physio recommended pillow between knees, but also put another between ankles to stop your hips adopting a "frog like" pose which could make everything worse. I then just have a small pillow to lean bump and my chest into for a bit of support (essentially it's like I just cuddle it into my front) and bingo, pain free for 2 weeks now!

Hope it might work for you too as it's an easy and cheap fix

Sparrowlegs248 · 22/02/2015 09:49

I started with this at 7wks, had no idea it could happen so early. Had a few weeks respite but been suffering again for a couple of weeks. Currently 17wks. Saw midwife last week who assured me it doesn't usually start til after 24wks.... helpful I am going to make a gp appointment and buy the long (full body length) pillow i saw in kiddicare.

Rustyzilla · 22/02/2015 11:23

Yes, I have this too, I used to get it on and off even before being pregnant (thought it was bursitis?), but now at nearly 34w it can be horrendous. I am going to give the pillow/duvet under hips a try tonight but I've been doing the pillow between my legs thing for years and it doesn't solve the hip pain (although I guess it could be even worse without it!).

I agree, it is totally miserable!

myotherusernameisbetter · 22/02/2015 11:29

Sounds like what I had. Sacroiliac hip dysfunction. You need a softer surface to sleep on. Don't carry things unequally on one side and don't sit for too long or on a hard surface. See your doctor for advice and physio. I managed without a stick but by the end had to crawl up stairs. :(

MissTwister · 22/02/2015 13:37

I have this too and just bought a Dream Genii from Mothercare - thought you might want to know it was 20% off at the moment!

JontyDoggle37 · 22/02/2015 14:48

Physios say the discomfort at night is actually caused by your pelvis separating during the day when moving about (due to pregnancy hormones) and your muscles struggling to hold it together - then when you lay down at night and relax, everything hurts! So a giant tubigrip bandage, big enough to go very snugly around you from bottom of your bottom to about halfway up your bump, folded over double thickness, should be worn during the day. This helps hold your pelvis together and reduce the strain on it, so the nights are not so uncomfortable. And yes also to the pillow. And if you can afford it, buy a decent thickness mattress topper that goes under your sheets and makes your standard mattress feel about twenty times softer to joints which are under pressure.

MissTwister · 22/02/2015 15:43

My pain feels like pressure pain down my hip and thigh - is this the same do you think?

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