Severe pain 22 weeks pregnant

[Josie9998]

Hi there.
I'm 22 weeks pregnant with my second child. Before I found out I was pregnant I developed a pain in my lower left hand back especially if I had lay on my back. However as time as went on and I've became more pregnant this pain in becoming unbearable especially at night. If I lay on my back for even 30 seconds my lower left back, hip and leg become so painful it sort of reminds me of sciatica. I cant keep taking paracetamol as it does nothing as I keep using deep freeze gels to help numb the pain. I had some sciatic like pain in my last pregnancy but it was no where as bad as this. My dr and midwife have told me to do exercises which I have but they have done nothing. I am being kept awake at night with the pain sometimes left crying my partner sometimes has to help me move out of bed. If I walk for long distances this also sparks the pain. I am so scared if nothing is done and when I am in labour I am petrified that I will be on my back for a long time and that pain is almost as bad as the Labour. Any advice or has anyone experience this?? Tia

OP
Do you usually lie on your side in bed? You should do during pregnancy.
You shouldn’t be trying to lie on your back at this stage in your pregnancy (we aren’t designed to).
I’m not sure what it’s called but there’s another condition that causes hip pain and is quite debilitating in pregnancy- but you need to be lying on your side!!

@Blue4YOU this only applies after 28 weeks, when the baby is bigger. www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/how-you-might-be-feeling/how-sleep-better-pregnancy-10-tips Before 28 weeks, it's up to you how you can sleep most comfortably.

@Josie9998 I'm not sure what to suggest to be honest. Can you tell what type of pain it is? Is it muscular or more 'internal'? If muscular, then lots of stretches and massage is the way to go, and not just on the sore bits (for example, lower back pain can be caused by issues with your glutes). If not muscular, definitely go back to your doctor and insist on help - it sounds awful!

Hi OP, I’m so sorry that sounds awful. I’ve also had long standing problems with back pain so can sympathise, pregnancy exacerbates a lot of pre-existing conditions I think, like back pain. When I spoke to the midwives they said that the pregnancy hormone relaxin loosens up our joints to makes them more flexible/mobile (to prep our pelvises for birth), not all pregnant ladies get pain with it but a lot of us do.

I can suggest a few things that have helped me: getting a good pregnancy pillow - I got the one from George which has been excellent (it’s also a fraction of the price of some out there), it is very long and you can bend it into a u shape and in the side sleeping position can rest your top knee, leg and ankle along one length (this has also really helped with pelvic girdle pain), pull it under bump for support and the other length behind/ slightly under your back for support and helps you rest in side sleep position comfortably. I did find it too ‘puffy’ at first to sleep with my head in the ‘u’ as prefer a flatter pillow, so used it the other way round for a few weeks and rested my feet in the ‘u’, then once it was more squashed down flipped it round again and was much more comfy as a head pillow. It sort of flattens out and moulds to you a bit which is good.
-Do you have a bath? I find a warm soak helps a bit, especially in the morning if it’s been painful in the night (I double up warm bath plus Paracetamol to give a jump start to relief for starting/doing the day).
-Birth ball for sitting and gentle stretches has been helpful, I find little circles and side to side help to gently move & stretch spine.
-Trying to get a balance between periods of standing, walking, moving and resting
-swimming was excellent for back relief in first preg, but alas not been possible with Covid
-memory foam mattress topper - this has helped give extra cushioning in the side sleeping position (I needed it more for my hips which were getting sore but have noticed back pain is also not as bad)