Pelvic Muscle pain during pregnancy

I am in my 29th week of pregnancy now. I have been experiencing an excruciating pain in my pelvic floor for the past 2 weeks or so. The pain concentrates mainly near my groin and top of thighs. It is worse after a nights sleep and everyday I wake up with a lot of pain that fades after 10 minutes if I am fortunate. But sometimes it continues for the rest of the day.

I haven't discussed it with my doctor yet as I myself was not able to figure out what it was. I have browsed alot on this topic but there seems to be nothing much on this topic. One thing was clear though. This is quite common during pregnancy as I came through teh posts of many pregnant women with slight modifications in the symptoms.

What is this???
This can be anything from a minor ache to a searing sensation that wraps around your back and snakes down below your burgeoning belly.This is a normal sign that your pelvic girdle is preparing for childbirth.

What causes this???
Your ever-expanding tummy puts ever-increasing stress on the bones, joints, and muscles in your pelvis and back. Pregnancy hormones are relaxing your ligaments, loosening up your pelvic bones so they can shift and open for childbirth.


What you need to know about it???
Pelvic pain occurs in as many as 80 percent of pregnant women at some point, mostly in that final trimester when stress on the pelvic region is especially intense. But pelvic girdle pain can hit at almost any point in the pregnancy, and its impact can range from minor (a few twinges) to debilitating (ouch!!).

What to do for relaxation???
Initially I thought I can not do much about this except for bearing the pain. But I kept on experimenting for figuring out the relaxation techniques. Here are few things which I found were useful.
1. Sleep to your left side with a pillow between your legs.
2. Use a small slender pillow under your belly to support it from falling on to the bed.
3. Take a hot water shower before you go to bed.
4. Use a prenatal tummy belt that not only supports your belly but also reduces the strain it causes on the pelvic area.
5. Ask your huband to massage the upper part of your thighs.

If the pain becomes unbearable, then its time you seek medical attention. This might lead to a condition known as Symphhysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). In pregnancy the hormone relaxin is released to soften the joints of pelvic bones in preperation for the birth of your baby, but in some cases the hormone causes the ligaments to soften and stretch too much and become painful. Very rarely, SPD can make a vaginal delivery impossible and your doctor may opt for a C-section instead. And in even rarer cases, SPD can worsen after delivery, requiring medical intervention. But for most moms, once your baby is born, your ligaments will return to normal.