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What Hip Pain is Teaching Me About Pregnancy & Pride

May 20, 2016 By Lisa Mullen 9 Comments

I’m about 25 weeks pregnant now, and as with my first pregnancy, I have been experiencing a lot of hip pain. Most of the time it’s just enough to be annoying, and sometimes it’s barely noticeable, but it can get downright debilitating. And that’s not very conducive to running a bookstore, managing a home, or taking care of a toddler! So I have been on a quest to find a solution, or at least a way to make the pain more manageable.

Hip Pain, Pregnancy, & Pride

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During my last pregnancy, I started seeing a chiropractor from 20 weeks on. That seemed to help, but didn’t completely relieve the pain. And everyone I talked to just said, “Yep. That’s pregnancy!” So I went about my business and tolerated the pain.

This time around, I started experiencing it much sooner – around 14 weeks. I didn’t want to have to put up with that level of pain for the entire pregnancy, so I decided to look into other options.

Plan A: Google & Strengthening Exercises

My initial research told me that I needed to do more strengthening exercises for the muscles around the pelvis. So I incorporated more core and lower body strength exercises into my workouts. That seemed to help for a few weeks.

Related post: Our Big Announcement! A Letter From First-Time Pregnant Me

Around 20 weeks or so, the pain returned. Big time. These pains were much worse than any I had experienced during my first pregnancy. They were sharp pangs that took my breath away and came from the slightest movement, like shifting my weight or rolling over in bed.

Plan B: Physical Therapy

Around that time, a college friend who is now a physical therapist shared an article on Facebook about hip pain in pregnancy and physical therapy. I decided to give that a try.

At my physical therapy appointment, I learned that I had been doing a lot of the wrong stretches and exercises for the particular way my hips were wanting to move. I’m sure what I was finding online was suitable for a lot of pregnant ladies, but it was the exact opposite of what my body needed. I guess that’s what you get when you try to Google your own medical solutions! 🙂

She showed me the kind of stretches I should be doing and told me to stay away from any kind of flexion movements, such as bending over – yikes. Not an easy thing to avoid, let me tell you!

I went home, followed all of her advice to the T, and things drastically improved. But then real life set in, I had responsibilities to fulfill, and I started getting worse.

Then one Saturday night, after sitting in a recliner watching tv with my husband, I started to get up to go to bed and found that I could not move even a microinch without severe pain shooting through my hip. Tiny movement by tiny movement I was finally able to get up off the chair and across the house into my bed, but I was almost sobbing by the time I settled under the covers.

I knew I could not continue the rest of the pregnancy this way, so it was on to plan C – another try at the chiropractor.

Plan C: Chiropractor

So far I’ve had two visits, and it was a good thing I went. My left hip was 1/2″ off from my right hip, there was significant swelling in that area, and I had a sacral torque … or some kind of fancy lingo like that that basically means my tail bone was crooked. Ah. That might explain a few things! I got the adjustment and directions to ice my hip three times a day and come back every few days. “Ouch” on the bank account, but “ahhhh” to my hips!

A few days later, though, I was back to a pretty decent level of pain.

Plan D: Pelvic Girdle Pain (And Stop Being So Proud!)

Then someone told me about Pelvic Girdle Pain, and eureka! I think I might have found a cause for the pain. I’m not making the same mistake again of Google diagnosing myself, but it sure sounds like what’s been bothering me! It’s worth asking my doctor about at my next appointment, anyway.

I didn’t really find any new solutions I haven’t already tried, but I did find a list of things I should be avoiding … and I’ve been violating almost every single one of them! The list includes:

  • Bending or twisting to lift
  • Standing on one leg
  • Sitting or standing for long periods
  • Crossing your legs
  • Squatting
  • Sitting on the floor or in a twisted position
  • Lifting or pushing heavy objects
  • Vacuuming
  • Carrying a baby on one hip
  • Carrying loads in only one hand.

 

Okay! Yeah, so that might explain my horrific pain! I had been trying to avoid bending over, as the physical therapist recommended, but I’ll admit I haven’t been adhering to it like I should.

The problem is, I’m a mom, so I get all proud and think that I should still be doing everything I did before I was pregnant. I listen to other women talk about how they were shingling roofs or baling hay, or other crazy things like that, so I think I should be able to, too!

It didn’t help that I had a conversation with a male acquaintance the other day in which he complained about women “using their pregnancy” as an excuse to get out of work. He said, “My wife was hauling around 40 pound boxes when she was 8 months pregnant, so there’s no reason they can’t do it just because they’re pregnant.” I realize now that I had been following my doctor’s advice pretty well until that conversation, but then I let him guilt me into doing everything I had been doing pre-pregnancy.

But I see now that that’s just ridiculous. No, I don’t like it either when women abuse their pregnancy status as an excuse to be lazy and waited on hand and foot when they are capable of doing more, but it’s also very important that each woman do what’s best for her and her baby. And what’s “best” is personal and unique to each woman. What one woman can safely do, another may not, and there should not be a one-size-fits-all expectation for pregnancy. I’m just going to have to accept the fact that my body adjusts to growing babies differently than some, accept the fact that I’m not going to be able to do everything I think I should and ask for help, and not let anyone make me feel guilty about that!

Take-away lessons from my hip pain story:

  1. Don’t put off exploring different kinds of medical options or advice! Pain that is not normal should not have to just be put up with, and the sooner you get answers, the sooner the problems can be dealt with.
  2. Every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different! Just because your friend, mother, sister, coworker did it while she was pregnant doesn’t mean you should. Don’t compare yourself to others; do what is best for you and your baby.
  3. Don’t be stubborn! There’s no good reason to let pride cause you to be miserable for nine months. If you’re supposed to be taking it easy or abstaining from certain tasks, do it! And don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’re growing a child, for pete’s sake. Someone else can lift that box or push that vacuum. And don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for doing what’s in the best interest of your health.

 

Are there any other ladies out there who have had similar experiences? I’d love to connect with you and hear what worked for you! Share in the comments below!

Hip Pain, Pregnancy, & Pride


If you enjoyed this post, here are a few more to try!

  • Our Big Announcement! A Letter From First-Time Pregnant Me
  • My Epic List of Tips for a Fabulous Pregnancy
  • How I Delivered Two Babies Without An Epidural
  • 7 Things I Wish I Had Known Before My First Baby
  • 3 Sanity-Saving Baby Products Every Parent Truly Needs

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Filed Under: Motherhood Tagged With: Chiropractor, Hip Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain, Physical Therapy, Pregnancy, Pride

Comments

  1. Ellen@MommyHappiness says

    May 20, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    I had hip pain also…maybe not as bad as what it sounds like you have though! I am so sorry that you are experiencing that! The pain with my second baby was a lot worse and a lot sooner than with my first also…mine came mostly at night when I would try to sleep…since you aren’t supposed to lay on your back when pregnant, I had to lay on my side and it made my hips ache so bad…I remember I had to toss and turn most of the night to try to get comfortable! I agree that it is so easy for others to try to put their stories and what happened to them onto you, but you are absolutely right; do what is best for mom and baby! It is amazing what people will say to pregnant women! I had large babies (9 pounds 2 ounces and my second was 10 pounds 5 ounces) and so people would literally try to argue with me that my due date should be sooner or that there had to be more than one baby in there…I also had a high fluid level that caused me to be very large, these people not only didn’t know what they were talking about, they also made themselves sound ignorant and were very unkind to me in the process….you do what you have to do to be healthy, feel good and help that baby grow healthy too! You are doing an awesome job momma!!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      May 23, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      Yes, it came much sooner and much more severe with the second one for me too! I love everything else about being pregnant, though, so I’m trying not to let it totally ruin the experience for me. But I agree – you have to do what you have to do to be healthy and feel good! Thanks for the encouragement!

      Reply
  2. Jenna says

    May 23, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    Oh jeez. I had such bad spd with my daughter starting at 18 weeks. I remember the day it started not being able to go down the steps in my house (I live in a bilevel so this was a huge problem) and literally standing on the top of my landing crying because I couldn’t answer the door for my mom to come in. It was awful. I went to the chiropractor and it helped. I hope you find relief.

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      May 23, 2016 at 8:17 pm

      Thank you, me too!! I can completely relate to your tears! Luckily, I don’t have stairs in my house, but it’s the simplest things that seem to bother me. Oh, the things I took for granted before! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Carissa says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    I am currently 36 weeks pregnant. I began having pelvic and back pain around 14 weeks. It’s just gotten worse. The pain is mostly focused on my tailbone. I can stand fine, and sitting is a bit more difficult but I can deal with it. What I can’t deal with is laying down. I pretty much get stuck because the pain is so unbearable.

    I’ve seen my doctor who basically wrote it off as there’s nothing we can do and hopefully it goes away when baby is born. I’ve been to physical therapy but it hasn’t helped much. I was also given 2 different types of belts but they don’t work. I have yet to go to the chiropractor, I really want to, but don’t think I can afford it.

    What I found out is a lifesaver is the pool. Once I’m in the water my pain is non existent. It’s amazing! I can swim, hop around, lift my legs, twist, kick and the pain never comes. If I stay in the pool long enough, it’ll ease up my pain for the next couple days. Water is amazing.

    So, that is why I have chosen a stand alone birthing center to give birth so I can do a water birth. Taking all that pain away without drugs sounds so great.

    Livinginchaoticbliss.com

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      May 23, 2016 at 10:06 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Carissa. Since we are entering the summer months, I was going to give the pool a try. We also have a pond on the homestead, so I may make good use of that! 🙂
      I didn’t do a water birth, but I did use the whirlpool tub at the hospital during labor, and it was amazing. I definitely wouldn’t say it took all the pain away, especially once I had gotten to the advanced stages of labor, but it sure did help! Best wishes for you!!

      Reply
  4. Lena Gott says

    May 31, 2016 at 7:35 am

    I totally feel you on this. I ignored my hip pain and groin issues during my second and third pregnancies and now 4 years out from my last birth, I am STILL feeling the effects. I wish I had listened to my body back then….you spend a lot of time with a lot of weight pressing down in odd places, and it can really mess you up! :/ Good for you!!

    Reply
    • Lisa Mullen says

      June 2, 2016 at 12:41 pm

      Pregnancy takes a toll on your body, that’s for sure! I’m sorry to hear that you’re still having issues! Yes, listening to your body is so important. What’s been helping me is adopting a long-term view of my health and strength. Sure, maybe I could push through the pain to be more productive now, but will that completely prohibit me from working later in my pregnancy? Or in a few years? When I think that way, it helps me make choices that may decrease my productivity now but will save my body for future purposes.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Lisa! I am first and foremost a child of God, and secondly a wife and mother of two precious little misters and one sweet little missy.

I'm here to encourage, inspire, and offer practical help for moms to empower them be the joyful, peaceful, and intentional mom they want to be!

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