Hurting Hips

I had the same problem with my first pregnancy. The best comfort I found was to place a pillow between my knees and it positioned my hips where I was comfortable.

I had the same problem when I was pregnant and I slept with a pillow between my knees and it helped a little bit, In my last trimester I started walking on a treadmill and as weird as it sounds after that at night I slept better. I think the added weight was to much and walking was building up strength so my hips could handle it. Since I've had my daughter the pain at night has gotten better but I don't sleep on my sides any more. Congrats on the pregnancy and Best Wishes

Kristin,

The only way I could sleep once I got to my 2nd trimester was with a pillow between my legs. I know you can buy a very long pillow for this that will also support the tummy but I was too cheap to buy one. Otherwise I just suffered, knowing this too would pass.

K.

try putting a pillow between your knees that is what I found that help.

I have an eight year old and from what I can remember, there is not alot that you can do sweetie it's just that time when you will have some discomfort but I used to put a pillow between my legs sometimes when on my side and I believe that it alleviated some pain. Hope this helps and congratulations!

Try putting a pillow between your legs. I got one of those body pillows and slept with it between my legs and it worked great!

Hi Kristin! I had the same problem when I was pregnant with my son. The dr told me that it was my sciadic (spelling?) nerve. It would burn on the side of my hips kindof in the middle. It hurt when I would stand for long periods of time also. If that is what it is, be warned...it will only get worse before it gets better. The bigger your belly gets, the more the nerve will be pinched. As far as sleeping, try a pregnancy pillow. It will help position you so you can sleep better at night when you are pregnant. You may want to try some tylenol also. You may also want to check with your doctor, but that sounds like your problem to me! Hope this advise helps, and remember-it will all be worth it!

M.

I am 34 weeks pregnant and had the same problem. Like everyone else said, definitly sleep with a pillow between your knees. I also purchased a Boppy Wedge pillow that wedges under your belly. This helps releive some of the pressure as well. I ordered it from the Babies-R-Us website and now I sleep a lot better. I wish I would have gotten it earler in my pregnancy! Its pretty inexpensive and definitly worth the investment. Good luck to you!!

I had the same problem. I bought a memory foam pad for our bed and that helped alittle then I tried a feather bed that helped alittle more then I put pillows between my knees and propped my back side up with more pillows are you getting the picture!! Unfortunately it doesn't get better till you give birth!! My sister had the same problem and she bought one of those long maternity pillows and somehow got comfortable with it. Best of Luck.........

ok....everybody else said it,also-pillow between ur legs! lol...I sleep like that even when I'm not pregnant,just to take the pressure off my hip bones.It never fails;if I lay down,even for a 1/2 hr w/ out it,my back and legs r KILLING me! It'll work-promise

The Boppy Pregnancy body pillow works wonders. Your hips are spreading and your joints are loosening to prepare for having the baby so it probably won't get completely better till after you give birth, but until then a body pillow to curl up to and put between your knees will help you get a good nights rest.

I used a body pillow to support my upper leg and arm (I still use it and my son is 10 months old.) I also invested in a cushiony matress topper to relieve some of the pressure on the side I was laying on. The combination of these helped so much. For my first pregnancy, the body pillow was enough, but the hip pain started in my first trimester for my second, and the matress topper was AWESOME...I don't know what I would have done without it...probably not sleep. It's miserable being awake with hip pain. I hope that you get some relief.

I think I would call my doctor A.S.A.P but thats up to you but if for nothing else just to make sure nothing wrong but I am sure your doctor will have some good ideas

pray that you go into preterm labor,lol. JUST KIDDING, I am prego with my 4th and I swear to you every pregnancy I cannot sleep my whole last trimester becasue my side and back hurt. I usually end up sleeping upright on the couch. Or somewhere where you can tilt yourself up a bit. comfy chair ect. I hope that helps good luck =) i just read the other responses and the pillow between the legs usually helps a ton to relive the pressure as well.

I used a back and belly pillow for my hip pain. I loved it.

Find a good chiropractor in your area. He/She needs to use massage beds to loosen your muscles prior to the adjustment and it wouldn't hurt if he/she knows a little about modern acupuncture too. I saw my chiropractor through my whole pregnancy and had no problems. He helped me a lot. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and congrats on your new little one!
J.

I didn't have that problem with my last pregnancy but I do with this one too. I bought one of the big pregnancy pillows that wrap around you and that is helping. I still get sore but I can stay in one position for a lot longer & on good nights I stay on one side the entire time but I wind up being stiff in the morning.

I have noticed that when I stretch it helps a lot. I do squats and plies (probably spelled that wrong - but ballet version of a squat) to stretch and build up the muscle around my hips. I also sit on the floor feet together and knees out and raise and lower my knees to stretch everything out too.

I haven't found a place that offers it since I've moved to AR but I was getting prenatal massages and that helps a lot too.

I've been having the same problem in my pregnancy. I'm now 26 weeks, but have been having hip pain that has gradually gotten worse since my first trimester. A few weeks ago my doctor referred me to a physical therapist and it has done miracles!!! I am completely amazed that my pain is practically gone. It is something I would recommend 100%!!!

Sounds like a sciatica issue developing. See a chiropractor who specializes in pregnancy and a pregnancy massage therapist, and you should get alot of relief!

Kristin,
I know you have alot of responses on the pillow thing. However, I am a physical therapist and have treated several pregnant women for "hip pain" that is actually caused by the pregnancy. Sometimes it is only hip pain, sometimes referred back pain. If this continues, it will only get worse in the 3rd trimester. Try ice packs on the low back prior to going to bed. Ice packs are safe and won't lower your core body temperature and effect the baby. DO NOT use heating pads on the back/belly. This heats your core and could harm the baby. Ice packs were my life send the last 3 months of my pregnancy when I had a 1 1/2 hour commute to/from work everyday!
Continued problems? Then ask for a physical therapy referral. Your physical therapist should feel comfortable working with a pregnant woman (usually a woman who have had children) and they can show you simple exercises that are safe and alleviate pain or alternatives for pain control that do not include medication. Best of luck. E-mail me a private message if you need any additional help.
B.

I had the same problem. I would wake up in very bad pain from being on one side, but rolling to the other side didn't help because the hip still hurt! THe only thing that made me feel better was rolling to my back, which is not recommended during pregnancy, but I never stayed asleep for long periods of time anyway, so I'd doze a bit on my back, long enough for my hips to stop hurting, then start all over again on one side, then the other, then to my back. Putting a pillow between my legs when I was on my side helped a little. I don't know if there is much to do about it, I don't think anyone gets a good night's sleep while pregnant! It'll go by fast! Oh yeah in the last few weeks I got a free secondhand recliner and slept in that, that helped. It's ugly but I stashed it in the baby's room, and it's still there now and is useful as a rocker! So if you have a recliner, try sleeping in that. It takes the pressure off your hips without having to lie flat on your back.

Try a pillow between you legs.

Have you ever tried aquatic therapy? It works wonders for prenatal women. I work in the therapy field and worked strictly in aquatics for a couple of years. If you get an inner tube or use a noodle ( don't put any belts or anything restricting around your belly ) and get in some deep water, where your feet can't touch while in the tube or noodle, and just move your feet like you're riding a bike. instead, or in addition to, just let the tube/noodle hold you and relax; just let your feet hang there and you'll feel a stretch in your back that may relieve your hip pain. you can do this about 10 minutes to start, then increase if you feel okay the next time. if you or someone you know have a pool and the equipment, you could just do it there, but get your doc's okay first. good luck!

You might try sleeping with a king size pillow between your knees. I had to do this when I was pregnant. Hope it helps. Best Wishes!

Hey kristen sorry so late.....but you may try physical therapy per your doctor. I work at a pt clinic and sometimes they can show you a type of exercise for the pain....hope this helps.

I had the same problem when I was pregnant. My doctor suggested I try putting a pillow between my knees to level out my hips. It helped a lot.

I always had to sleep with a pillow between my knees to help this. I hope this helps you!

Kristin one thing that helped me with that problem was that my doctor suggested was to take a pillow and place it under one side of my back and lay on my back instead of on my side. That kept me arched enough that it didnt cause any damage tot he baby. The other thing was from my own dad of all people,lol. Put a small pillow between you knees when you are laying on your side and that will help to relieve some pressure from your back. Good luck

When I was preggers I used a travel pillow between my knees.
It relieved a bit of pressure on my back and made me better able to sleep.
Good Luck!
C.

I used the snoogle. (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2267435) It was the best thing ever!! Once I find out a friend is pregnant I usually go and buy her one. It is a MUST!! The snoogle is a pillow made for pregnant women that is shaped almost like a big "G". It provides back support and hip/knee support and even helps your neck out. Well worth the $50 and I've used mine for 2 pregnancy and will use it again if need be.

Good luck

I found with my second child pelvic exercises helped alot. I used the Bradley method and their exercises. I am refreshing on them because it has been 6yrs. I am 13 weeks with my 3rd. Also I am thinking about talking classes at St John's.

http://www.bodymindandbaby.com/classes.html

I can so sympathize with you. I just had my little girl almost 3 months ago and I suffered with the same ailment during my pregnancy. The only thing that helped for my hip problem was to sleep with a pillow between my knees when laying on my side. It helped some but my hips were always somewhat achy, I wish you the best of luck.

When I was pregnant my right hip started hurting so bad I could hardly walk. It hurt day and night. Luckily my sister is a massage therapist. After one massage I was amazed. I could walk and sleep without pain. Maybe you could find a massage therapist in your area. Make sure they have experience with pregnant women. Hope this helps.

C.

I had the same thing. I had to sleep with a pillow between my knees and one under my belly. I hope this helps you.

Sounds like the baby is sitting on the sciatic nerve. Both of mine did. Hurts like crazy, but did not take long after they were born to stop.

Try putting a pillow between your legs. Or a body pillow.

That's very common during pregnancies. The best thing is to do as the previous poster suggested and get a maternity pillow or put a pillow between your knees at least. A little back support actually helps a little, too. Try putting a pillow or wedge behind you when you sleep and see if that helps also.

- K.
SAHM of 4 (6,5,3,&1)

had the same thing....i just grabbed an extra pillow and put it between my knees and thighs. and it worked real well. good luck

Hi Kristin,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I had the hip pain and it turned out to be a nerve issue. I'm not sure how to spell it but here goes, siatic nerve. I ended up going to my chiropractor and he helped relieve the pain. It's worth the shot. I wish you all the luck.

Have you tried putting a firm pillow or two between your knees when you're on your side? It might help. Hope you get better sleep soon!

Try putting a pillow between your knees when you sleep on your side.

Have you tried putting a pillow between your legs while on your side? That was a help to me. Good luck.

I had a body pillow (named him Edgar) that I had to sleep with to help out with the hips and back. I made all the difference for me because I had a hard time sleeping on my back :}

Kristin, it's time for you to learn two very important words...BODY PILLOW! I started having to use one with my second pregnancy because of hip pain. It didn't matter what side I turned on the pain was always there. My doctor told me she used a body pillow between her knees and under her arm when she laid on her side during her pregnancy. It really did help realign my hips at night and eased the pain. My son is 18 now and I still sleep with a body pillow. Good luck!

I had the same problem, yes a pillow between the knees helps but what really helped me was going to my Chiropractor. Since your hips are widenning for the baby it really throws everything out of wack. I went to see Dr. Oschner at 81st and Sheridan in Tulsa. His staff is awsome. He also has Masseuses on staff so you can get a 35 minute massage before your adjustment. Also great postpartum. His number is ###-###-####. Hope this helps and good luck!

I had similar problems during my first pregnancy and a massage therapist told me to get a body pillow, which really did help if you haven't already tried this. Then when you sleep on your side it spreads your knees further apart and helps with your hips and lower back. I still sleep with that pillow every night and I had my first daughter almost six years ago! I do, however, recall having to half-consciously flip all night from one side to the other when I'd wake up with aching hips, and unfortunately it seemed to worsen the larger my belly got. I also remember my legs and hips aching so much for a few months that it would awaken me very early in the morning and there was no way I could go back to sleep, so I'd just get up and go walking the neighborhood at dawn which would help. Then with having to get up all night to make the many trips to the bathroom it's a miracle how we get any sleep at all when we're pregnant, isn't it? I don't know if this helps much but best wishes to you and your family anyway!

See a chiropractor. It will help, and is safe and helpful during pregnancy. There are many OB/GYNs who refer their pregnant patients to chiropractors.

Find a chiropractor that works with pregnant moms!!! I cannot recommend this strongly enough. I was in extreme pain in my hips and legs through my second and third trimesters... it wasn't until I was 35 weeks that my doula recommended I go to her chiropractor. It made a huge difference for me. Good luck!

I dont know if you have ever been to the chiropractor, but I go and it helped me alot while I was pregnant. You might want to ask around to friends to find a good one in your area. Good luck and I hope you get to feeling better soon!

I experienced that during pregnancy. A body pillow helped some. I slept on my side and put it between my legs to relieve some strain on my hips. Sometimes, I just propped myself up (about 45 degrees) and slept on my back. I've had three children and did not suffer any bad effects from sleeping on my back.