Pelvic/groin/hip pain in late pg

From about 4 months pregnant with DS I started getting pain in this area. In my hip joints on the inside iykwim. Just doing my house work had me limping. It took me forever to do anything coz it hurt so much & I couldn't move or walk to fast or it would hurt more. If I stepped the wrong way with my foot I would get a really sharp pain like I pulled a ligament or something. I was pretty depressed by the time I was 8 months coz I was in so much pain.
I asked a doctor at a checkup about it at the clinic & he just looked at me as if I was an idiot & said ' You are older now.' Gee, thanx for the help.
I saw another doc - a gp & asked her about it. She had the decency to explain it to me. She told me that because your pelvis is two parts it is only held together by tissue & it's this tissue stretching coz of the weight of the baby causing the pain. The pelvic bones seperating.
Yay. Now I know whats causing it, how do I get rid of it? You can't. Great.

Any ways she told me it would be gone within 6 weeks of having him. He's 12 weeks old now & while I don't get the sharp pain if i step the wrong way anymore. I am still in pain. Just doing my house work makes it worse, but it's always there.

How many others have had this & how long did it take after having the baby for it to go away??

Hi bjrose,

this is my first pregnancy, so I cant tell you about after birth. However, I have been having the same thing, and my midwife suggested seeing a chiropracter... I finally went last week and it was great! My left side was rotated slightly, and was causing the muscles/groin to strain...

If you decide to go to a chiropracter find a good one as mine also does kinesiology which helps with emotional/hormonal aspects of the body. They have a lot of pregnant women come to see them! The kinesiology was an added bonus at my visit, and very interesting. I have been sleeping so much better since the visit! I have only been once, but have another appointment tomorrow and can't wait!

HTH

Interesting. My gp said during the pregnancy to see a physiotherapist, but I never though of a chiropractor. I just counted on it disappearing by itself. Thanx.

Hi bjrose

I have been having similar pains, though mine tend to be mostly at the top of my bottom IYKWIM. OB has pretty much given the same explanation. I find the only thing that works is chiro/oesteopath (sp?). I have literally collapsed as a result of the pain sending my leg to jelly. Sometimes it takes two visits to fix it up. I am on Nthn Beaches of Syd, if you want the details of my guy. He is great and very good with pregnant women.

Yeah, I had pain there too, but that's gone unless DH & I have a bit of fun iykwim. Then it all comes back full force for days. It used to take ages to do anything. Hang out washing, walk (waddle) to the bus stop, get in & out of the car. I hope it gets better for you instead of worse. I have heard that you can get a brace thing from a physio to help, but I didn't like that idea. Some women by the end can't walk at all. I came close, but I got 2 other kids, I couldn't let that happen

Thanx, but I'm out near Dubbo. 2 hrs away, & I don't think there's anything like that here, but I'm thinking about going back to my gp to see what she says.

Hi there bjrose. I have had a dodgy left hip since having Natty - and she's 17mos! But I've only put up with it because I am lazy.
When our hips go all flexie for the birth, they don't necessarily go back into the right position. I'm seriously thinking of going to see an osteo or chiro sometime soon. Massage is important in the process, as the muscles in the area will 'guard' the injury and make it worse. They need to be persuaded to let go. So don't just get manipulated by a chiro, as once its done, the muscles will just pull it back out of place again, KWIM?
Anyway, what I have found has helped me as I've avoided seeing anyone about it ;) is stretches and massage to bum muscles, including the ones on the lateral (outer) sides of the hips. And I too find that the pain is compounded by DTD, however DH doesn't find this a good enough excuse, lol.

Wow, reading your post was as if I'd written it myself, I have exactly the same problem!

With DD I had pains in the top of my right leg but it was very bearable & just meant I had to sit down while changing pants etc so I didnt put too much pressure on my leg.

This time round it is much worse & its in the areas you described too, pelvis, legs, back & bum. My doctor & midwife both explained it the same as you were told (stretching of pelvis etc) & I was also told to book into physio (finally got a booking for the hospital physio this Friday) & to get a belly belt to support my back & pelvis.

I got the belt & it does seem to take the edge off at times but it gets uncomfortable so I dont wear it for long periods. I'm hoping the physio helps (I'll let you know how it goes & if I'd recommend it).

Strange as it sounds it's a bit of a comfort for me to see you ladies have suffered the same as me & therefore its normal. I hope you (& I aswell) get some relief soon.

I was also told it will go away after the birth if not before..... now I'm worried it may not, as you know it's so painful :(

Sorry I cant tell you how to get rid of it but the belly belt does seem to take the edge off if you want to try that, I got mine from babies galore for $30 & I'll let you know how the physio goes....

treegal I'm also on the Northern Beaches, could I get the info off you of your guy please?

Girls, the dreaded PSD or SPD, depending on where you go!
I had it and still do. Now it's completely manageable and if I stay on top of it, I don't even notice it. I have, however, permanently modified how I make certain movements.
I went to a few physios only to be told in the end that for as long as I as BFing, the relaxin would be playing havoc with the ligament. I sucked that up for a while before I got angry and decided to look elsewhere. I was directed to a great osteo near my area (via another osteo who saw my plea for help on the ABA forum) and she has been far better than any physio treatment (which actually only made me hurt more).
There ARE stretches and exercises you can do to mitigate the discomfort, so don't believe the physio when they say there's nothing they can do!!!!
I don't get manipulated at all, she just gets in and releases all the tension building up around the area and stretches me. I can go 8 weeks, easy, without treatment if I do my stretches! Probably more if I did them regularly :blush:
I learned never to take it lying down when someone says "it goes with the territory" (of being pregnant, giving birth, breastfeeding) - it's not good enough if after all these millennia of giving birth and finding ways to make boobs bigger, teeth whiter etc, we can't give the important people of the human race some damn hip relief!!
Oh, and I call it the 'sledgehammer between my legs' LOL!