heat and other natural pain remedies

[Bayswaterbelle]

Hi, I've just joined and I'm 8+3 with my first child so this is all new to me! For the last 2-3 days I've had cramps around lower abdomen and pelvis - which I assume is the round ligament pain people on here have mentioned elsewhere - so I'm not too worried about it, but when it does occur it has lasted for about 5-6 hours - normally early afternoon until I go to bed, which is early these days :-)

I've also got a new job so am sitting down more than I have been for past few weeks...so that's maybe not helping?

So I suppose my question is, is this something other people are experiencing, and are warm baths and hot water bottles good for this? For some reason I'm worried about overheating more than lots of other things, I don't know why! Anything else I should be doing? I've found pelvic floor exercises help a bit (but only while I'm doing them).

I should have said, I don't usually take pain killers for period cramps, these feel similarly dull and are certainly manageable, it's more that I find it really tiring!

Congratulations on your pregnancy :-)

From my experience, round ligament pain doesn't tend to last so long (though it could just be me) and what you're experiencing could just be other stretching. Does it feel like a stitch? Or more like cramps? RLP feels much more like a one sided stitch (sometimes both sides) rather than a cramp type pain. Is it regularly occurring or just occasionally?

As for dealing with them, I wouldn't use a hot water bottle for the same reasons that you've highlighted above. I didn't take anything for them, I just knew it was par for the course and something that would eventually work itself out. Lots of people do take paracetamol etc if they have pain - I think I was just a grin-and-bear it type of person! Just be glad that it means that your baby and uterus/placenta etc is getting bigger and healthier by the day! Hope that helps!

that's good to hear, thank you! It's not all on one side, it tends to be all over, so I guess I assumed regular cramps until I read the term ligament pain!