Having a Miserable Pregnancy...

This is a stretch, but maybe you should try prenatal yoga?? It is all about stretching and loosening up, it might really help you! I hope you feel better soon,

A.

Ugh, sciatica. I can completely empathize! I had that shooting electric pain for most of my second pregnancy, and I also had a 2 year old who needed me all the time. By coincidence, I was taking the 2 yo to baby swim classes and was in the pool with him. The pool really helped me, and I spent a lot of time in there. During labor, the sciatica was at it's height, and I clearly remember how, at the moment my son was born, that pain was switched off. That electric "zing" that had been tearing down my leg for months just stopped once the pressure of the baby was gone. However, here I am at age 45 with a herniated disk, and the pain is back again. Sigh. This time, I know it's just my being a decrepit old wreck! I've had great relief with chiropractic, and as someone mentioned, that might be a good option for you. Most health insurances pay for chiro treatment these days. Definitely look for a chiropractor who is experienced in pregnancy-related issues.

Hi S.,

My friend had horrible sciatic pain and migranes as well. She felt a combination of acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and prenatal yoga helped. She said the yoga helped the most but when she would skip a class, it would hurt more again.

Good luck.
Y.

Hi, S.. Have you considered prenatal yoga? I teach a Wednesday morning prenatal/postnatal class at Eight Stones Yoga Studio on Eastern Blvd. across from AAA. They run from 9:00-10:30 a.m., so you would need care for your little ones to come at that time. Check out eightstonesyogastudio.com for a complete listing of classes. Your first class there is free! Just obtain permission from your OB or midwife. My daughter is now five months old and my first yoga baby is six and a half. I have been teaching prenatal yoga classes in the area since 2002 and I am a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. Over the summer I will be offering a six-week series of prenatal classes through WellSpan's Center for Mind/Body Health on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30.

I, too, have had SI issues in the past, but with my last pregnancy I only had SI pain if I rolled onto my back in my last trimester... which is not a position you should be in anyway! My yoga practice kept me virtually pain-free throughout. I can recommend it personally as well as professionally!

There may be some postural things you can begin to work with to help your SI joint. Keep your feet parallel rather than letting the feet turn out. Also, if the head of your thigh bones are habitually in a forward position over the balls of the feet rather than back over your ankle joints you will be causing some compression. Keep your hip creases deep rather than hanging forward into them, and lengthen your tailbone then downwards and slightly inwards until you feel grounded and upright!

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to hear from you! Best of luck!
V. :-)

OH sweetie I feel so sorry for you. Both of my previous pregnancies had me on my back the whole time i was pregnant due to sciatica. Its soooooo painful. I finally proved to the doctor that mine was debilitating and he sent me to a chiropractor but that didn't really help (but it sure releaved the pressure of lower back pain later into the pregnancy) I finnally had to go to a physical therapist who taught me streches to do that helped. Get on all 4's and arch your back up and down like a cat. Only do it until you can just feel it stretching until you are used to it. The other strech was also on all 4's and this one was to lift a leg out behind you and the oopsite arm at the same time and lift them gently again just stretching until you can feel it. Both of these stretches alleviate the pressure on the sciatic nerve. I know that the farther along you get the harder it is to get on all fours but they helped me so much. I still get twinges now and then that are sciatic related and as soon as I get one I start a routine of streches in the AM and the PM. Let me know if they help.

i can't stress it enough ... chiropractor, chiropractor, chiropractor!!! i had sciadic pain, i couldn't walk, or sit, or stand ... you get the point. i started a "wellness plan" with the chiropractor and within a week of going, no more pain!! also a light at the end of the tunnel, as soon as i wasn't pregnant anymore, all my pains dissappeared!!! good luck and get yourself to the chiropractor. I also had a massage and told her to focus on my lower back pain, it did wonders, for my pain and my nerves!!! i know you don't live around here, but here's my chiropractor's website so you can get some information, www.correctivechiro.com

Hi S.,

I am so sorry to hear that you're having a rough time, this time with your pregnancy. Perhaps the baby is lying on your nerve this time? I found with my last pregnancy...I was a lot more achy and having pains early too. I injured my sciatic nerve several years before and being pregnant didn't help that at all. The only thing that really helped was visiting my chiropractor on a regular basis. Yes, even while I was pregnant...for the whole pregnancy. I also used ice on the area for about 15 mins at a time to help with the inflammation. Hope that helps a little! Feel Better! Will pray all of this will pass fast for you!

HI there,

I am on my fourth pregnancy. Just let me tell ya, I go to the Chiropractor every week. My hips go out all the time and my sacrum(middle bone, bottom of spine) gets twisted all the time. It's mostly all my fault because I sit indian style alot, which puts pressure on that area. Sometimes when my hip goes out, I'm in so much pain I have to take a few min just to move my position, hurts like hell. My husband feels bad cuz he tries to help me up, but he can't, I have to do it. I feel for you girl, on my second pregnancy, the baby would sit on my nerve , while I was waitressing, not good, but I can honestly say I never dropped the food, lol.

Try the Chirpractor, it is great when you are pregnant and even when you are not. Helps the spine since during pregnancy there is soo much strain on it.

Hope this helps or at least helps ya feel like you're not alone.

Take care, God bless, and good luck,

L.

Hi I had a pregnancy like that my 3rd one. It was awful and due to that I will not have any other children. I would tell your doctor that you want to be seen. I was 7 months pregnant got a migraine I thought that it was from lack of sick due to being miserable the entire time. I had an appointment the next day so I figured if it wasn't better I would tell the doctor at my appointment. Well needless to say I had developed Toximia and went into a seizure at the top of my stairs at 5 in the morning. If my husband didn't get up for work when he did I dont know what would have happened. My son was born 2 months early and he is a happy healthy 2 year old. But please see your ob and have them check your blood pressure and urine I hate to see anyone go through what i did. Good luck.

Hi S.
Have you ever thought about going to a chiropractor? I actually work for a chiropractor in Penn Hills. I had problems with my sciatic before both of my pregnancies and the weight of the baby made it worse. Chiropractic adjustments are safe and very effective if you go to a reputable chiro. A good doctor should be able to help with your migraines too. We have many pregnant women who come to our practice. I know how busy you must be with 4 little ones and a new one on the way ! Staying in bed is probably NOT an option ! :-) I would seriously consider chiropractic...
Good luck,
A. R

**UPDATED

S.,

Continue with Chiropractic treatment. During pregnancy and with your current situation, you will want to be going at least once a week, probably twice. And look into combining massage with your adjustments. The migraines can be directly related, so it's possible you might see some improvement with those as well.

As mentioned you will want to be sure your Chiro is trained in perinatal chiropractics. I would recommend, hands down, no other doctors but Drs. Jeanne & Tom Ohm at <http://www.ohmchiropractic.com/&gt; in Media. Jeanne specializes in perinatal chiropractics, and she is directly involved with <http://www.icpa4kids.org/index.htm&gt;

Wishing you the best. Babies are such a blessing!

Blessings,
Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend

I completely agree with the other responders: Try a chiropractor and ask for a referral or call around until you find someone well trained in prenatal massage. BOTH will help with sciatic pain AND migraines. I have used both massage and chiro (and yoga) as migraine prevention for years. I rarely get migraines anymore and when I do...they are manageable. Reassess your diet as well, there are many chemicals in foods that you can set off migraines if you are prone. Give it a try, you most likely will feel better AND it will be better for your baby then prescriptions with side effects.

How far along are you? Your pregnancy sounds just like my last one. I had terrible migraines for the first trimester only. They went away on their own once I got into the second trimester.

I also had chronic sciatica, groin pain, and severe carpal tunnel syndrome. The sciatica was constant, but the groin pain was positional. If I moved the wrong way, it would go through me like a knife and send me to my knees. Unfortunately, for me, my OB said that there was not much that could be done as this was considered "normal" aches and pains of pregnancy. I just used Tylenol (completely safe in pregnancy when used as directed), and I sat my back/leg against a heating pad whenever possible to help the sciatica.

I know that with four kids to care for, you don't have much time to sit. Hopefully, the older kids can help out with the younger ones to give you as much opportunity as possible to sit. For me, relaxation was the best help for my pain. Hang in there--it is SO hard to deal with chronic pain, but that little one will be worth it in the end! Hope you find some relief.

Try calling a physical therapist. They may be able to recommend some exercises or stretches that will relieve your pain. I know that I needed to see someone after my 3rd child and they were awesome. If you're in the Erie area try calling Hertal and Brown. They are terrific!

Hi S.,

I have a herniated disc so I know all about severe hip/knee/ankle pain. I also have other nerve problems. I used to go to Chiropractor before pregnancy and it did help me but only for a very short time. I have spent year after year with 24/7 pain. So when I became pregnant I was extra cautious about that. What really really worked for me was a type of pillow called the back and belly pillow, I use it even now when my child is 17 months old. I have tried so many other ways and regular pillows but they didn’t work. Another thing that I have noticed is, the days when my digestive system is not doing its work and I am getting more acid or gas, which is very common during pregnancy, those days the pain is worse. So I keep my digestive system in order and from 24/7 pain and 2/3 painkillers a day I have reached a point where probably I take one pain killer a week or less. No doctors can take credit for my improving so much! So I wanted to share this with you and anybody else who might go through this.

Take Care
M.

unfortunatly your doc might put you on bed rest to keep the pain from happing try resting more often when you can after all if it gets to bad he might put you on complete bed rest ubtil you give birth

My third pregnancy was like what you described what i did is took long warm showers and would be comfortable on the regliner maybe that will help!!!! It is probally impossible to relax during the day with a 2 year old but maybe trying walking alittle and read more to him so you can sit somwhat up right and soak your feet....don't know how but if your feet arelaxed your siactic will feel alittle better.....