“What the heck is wrong with me?!” she gasped as she pointed to her pelvis, almost invisible under her swollen stomach. Sarah sat in my office, the tears in her eyes threatening to streak her face with salt. “I don’t know what is going on!” she continued, her tears leaping onto her face this time. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if I cannot keep doing Barre classes or walking my dog. I’m going to lose my mind.”
Sarah was vocalizing the fears that most women with pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy feel: fear that this pain will last forever, fear that they will be unable to continue to move, work, or exercise. And another fear that she wouldn’t divulge until a session or two into our pelvic physical therapy sessions: fear that this pain would make a c-section inevitable.
Third trimester pelvic pain is pain that occurs anywhere in the pelvis during pregnancy. Up to 45% (1) of women report significant pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and it often worsens in the third trimester. Women often experience pain in the sacroiliac joints and the symphysis pubis. Pain in these areas typically happens when women are walking, standing and changing positions.
Women often describe pain in these areas as nagging and unrelenting. Pain in the sacroiliac joints typically feels like it is in the “low back” and is an aching constant pain that sometimes gets sharp or radiates into the legs as they move more. Pain in the pubic symphysis is typically sharp, stabbing pain that occurs with changing positions and walking. It typically goes away when movement stops. Sometimes women also report grinding and clicking pain in these areas with movement. Getting dressed, getting out of bed, and getting in and out of the car might be difficult and painful.
Relaxin works to relax the ligaments to prepare for labor and often gets blamed for the plethora of ailments that arise during pregnancy, but it’s actually not the cause of pelvic pain in pregnancy. Hormonal changes play only a minor role in pain, as these hormonal changes drive the growth of the baby and the physical changes in your body, but the primary cause of pain is muscle dysfunction.
Research shows that lack of coordination and strength in the muscles in the abdominals, pelvic floor, and hip muscles is the primary cause of pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy. When the muscles aren’t as strong and coordinated as they could be, the muscles become overworked and put uneven pressure on the joints, causing pain.
Your baby’s position can sometimes put more pressure on some of the muscles or one side of the body, which can make them fatigue quicker and become painful. As your baby grows with each trimester, it also demands more of the muscles and your weight shifts forward, putting more demand on the muscles in the back side of the body, pelvic floor, abdominal muscles. If your muscles aren’t as strong as they could be, they can become painful and you might experience SPD or sacroiliac joint pain.
SPD is often caused by the muscles in the abdominal wall and the groin becoming overworked and painful. As your baby grows and your weight increases in the third trimester, the increased weight makes the muscles work harder, so it’s common to start to have SPD pain in the third trimester.
Pelvic pain is often caused by the muscles in the hips, specifically the gluteus medius, one of the butt muscles near the low back. These become overworked as weight increases and the abdominal muscles stretch out as your baby grows.
Support belts can help immensely during pregnancy. They act like an extra layer of abdominal muscles to help lift the weight of the baby and take pressure off of the other muscles in the pelvis. They reduce the downward pull of your bump and redistribute weight across your body which can reduce abdominal pressure and reduce pain. Momcozy Go As You Grow Maternity Belly Band is an excellent choice for third trimester pelvic pain in pregnancy. Its ergonomic straps are a game changer and provide more support than just the belly band alone. It also has an optimized lifting angle designed to help lift heavier twin, multiple, or fast-growing bumps. Even better, its wide contoured belly cradle supports from underneath without compression. This is markedly different from the other belly bands on the market, whose compressive force puts more pressure on the pelvic floor and can be uncomfortable or painful. I also love how soft, comfortable, and breathable the fabric is. The Momcozy Go as You Grow Maternity Belly Band is perfect for moms who love to work up a sweat while working out, chasing after another kiddo, or are in their third trimester in summer.
Physical therapy can be hugely beneficial for pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy. A physical therapist can determine what muscles are causing the pain and can give you specific exercises and tips on changing position to reduce pain. Physical therapists can also massage the painful muscles, which can greatly reduce pain and help you walk, stand, and change positions with less pain.
A pregnancy ball is a wonderful way to relieve pain during the third trimester by increasing coordination of the core muscles, encouraging movement, and reducing pressure on the pelvis. The Momcozy BirthEase Maternity Ball is a great choice for this and includes helpful exercises for women experiencing pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy. Its app has exercises for each trimester which can help you keep you moving even when you have pain. Two useful exercises for pelvic pain during the third trimester of pregnancy are:
Get down on all fours. Place both hands directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Exhale to round the spine, tucking baby toward your spine. Then, inhale and arch the back in the opposite direction, lowering your belly toward the floor and arching your back. Feel a stretch along the abdomen.
Sit directly on top of the ball with the ball in the ring and feet shoulder width apart. Inhale to prepare, then as you exhale, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor and lift your buttocks off the ball. Inhale to return to sitting on the ball.
Often the muscles that are tight and painful when you have third trimester pelvic pain in pregnancy are the abdominal muscles and glute muscles. Using a cream or lotion, apply gentle pressure to the abdominal muscles. You can make gentle circular motions or up and down motions. The spots that typically are tender and causing pain are in the rectus abdominis, the six pack muscle. You can typically find 4 tender spots: one an inch above and over to the right of the belly button, one an inch above and over to the left of the belly button, and two more an inch and over to the right and left of the belly button. You can also massage the glute muscles using a small ball like a tennis ball. Place the ball at the top of your butt to the right of your tailbone. Apply gentle pressure by leaning against a wall or sit and lean back on it. Breathe deeply and try to relax the muscle. With both of these techniques, it can be uncomfortable, but not painful. If it’s painful, reduce pressure.
Often position changes are the most painful. Try tightening your pelvic floor and squeezing your knees together as you roll on your side to get up out of bed or before you stand up from sitting. Just make sure you continue to breathe as you do this.
Movements:
Often movements where your legs are moving away from each other, such as getting in and out of the car, getting out of bed, and walking can be painful. It’s not harmful to do these movements, but if it’s painful, it can be uncomfortable, so try the techniques above to reduce pain while you move.
Exercises:
Exercises that make the legs move in opposite directions like lunges and curtsy squats may be painful, so it’s best to avoid these until your pain is relieved. Stretches like an adductor (groin) stretch can also exacerbate pain. Stick to stretches where your knees are close together to avoid increasing pain. Exercises like splits can actually place extreme pressure on the joints and could cause injury so should be avoided during pregnancy.
Giving birth when you have pelvic pain can be nerve wracking. Many women who experience pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy tell me they’re nervous to make their pain worse during labor and they won’t be able to bear it or that their pain will prevent them from giving birth safely. They also fear their pelvic pain will make a c-section inevitable.
Many women have vaginal births when they experience pelvic pain during pregnancy, and if they have a c-section, their pelvic pain was not the cause. When you have pelvic girdle pain or SPD, you will want to choose positions that are most comfortable for you in labor. Often, lying on your side or in all fours can be the most comfortable and therefore the most beneficial for labor. Using a pregnancy ball, like the momcozy BirthEase Maternity Set can make you more comfortable and supported in labor if you have pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy.
I know how it feels in the third trimester, you’re looking for all the signs that labor might be near because you’re ready to meet your baby. Unfortunately, pelvic pain is not a good indication that labor is near.
Pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy is extremely uncomfortable and disturbing to your day, but I would not be worried about the pain. The pain is a sign that your muscles could use some tough love. With the right care and exercise, you will be able to move with less or no pain at all throughout the remainder of your pregnancy. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes pain can persist postpartum. If you’re still experiencing pain after you give birth, make an appointment with a pelvic physical therapist.
Pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy means that the muscles in the back of the body, pelvic floor, and abdominals are unable to keep up with the demands of increased weight. Massaging the painful muscles, doing the right exercises, and using a belly band like the Momcozy Go As You Grow Maternity Belly Band should be able to calm the pain.
Yes! Doing strengthening exercises for the back of the body, pelvic floor, and abs, like with the Momcozy BirthEase Maternity Ball set can help to keep the muscles strong so they can keep up with the demand of your growing baby and changing bump.
Pain lasts as long as the muscles are dysfunctional. Sometimes pelvic pain disappears after giving birth, but it can persist in up to 25% of women (9) postpartum.
You can start wearing a pregnancy belly band as soon as your bump starts to show. Many women start in the second or third trimester, but it’s really up to you! Many women are more comfortable wearing a belly band, so start wearing it as soon as you’re uncomfortable.
Some women wear it directly on their bump and layer clothes over top and others wear it over their clothes. There’s no right answer, just whatever makes you most comfortable and confident.
There’s no harm in sleeping in a pregnancy belly band, but most women take it off at night while they sleep.
After a few weeks of Physical Therapy, I recommended Sarah try a belly band while she walked her dog in her neighborhood. After the session, Sarah went on a babymoon with her husband, and I did not see her for a week. When she came back, her tanned face glowed. But it was more than the sun tan. Her eyes were brighter and her walk was lighter. “The pain was almost nonexistent! she exclaimed. She plopped herself down on the plinth, a sharp juxtaposition from her guarded movements just a few weeks before. “I wore my belly band while I walked on the beach and did the exercises you told me. I feel so much better. Thank you!”
Navigating through pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy can be extremely painful and worrisome, especially when you feel like nothing is working. But, reducing pelvic pain is possible. You just need the right support and guidance.
La información proporcionada en este artículo tiene únicamente fines informativos generales, y no constituye asesoramiento, diagnóstico ni tratamiento médico. Solicite siempre el consejo de su médico u otro profesional sanitario cualificado en relación con cualquier afección médica. Momcozy no se hace responsable de ninguna consecuencia derivada del uso de este contenido.
