PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

Soo this past week or so I've been experiencing these intensely painful cramp like feelings... it's a mix between cramps, stretching, pulling, and ripping.

It's down low and up my side. Sometimes I can't stand up straight and it also hurts when I walk or move.

I called the dr's office today and spoke with the nurse who informed me that it's round ligament pain. She said I need to wear a maternity belt all day everyday (not sleep with it on though) and I can take some tylenol but that I have to work through the pain and not give into it.

Who else has this? What did you do? Did it work?

I have a general idea of what it is, but if you want to explain it to me that's cool just so I can be sure.

THANKS!!!!

PS - i'm sooo glad that's what this pain is because I was really getting worried!!

Message edited 2/7/2011 8:38:21 AM.

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

See the round ligament in this picture (in front)?

Your uterus is anchored to your body and as your uterus stretches, you can feel a pull ... It's OK, it's nothing to worry about and it is sometimes painful, ut it's OK...

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

I had this for most of the second tri. (sorry). There were a hand full of things that helped me:

1) A support belt from Motherhood. Best $30 I ever spent in my life.

2) Getting down on my hands and knees for a few minutes a few times a day. Your family will laugh, but it works.

3) Staying hydrated. Not sure why, but it was worse when I didn't drink enough water.

4) Sit. Often. Walking long distances really messed me up.

Tylenol did nothing for this.

The good news is that it doesn't hurt the baby at all, and it did just fade away eventually.

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

I remember it! It was awful! I couldn't put my own pants or socks on for a week! Just know that it will go away, it's only temporary

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

Round ligament pain is one of the MAIN reasons that I felt the 2nd trimester was the worst!

I had these pains pretty much throughout the 2nd trimester. By the end of the day, I could barely lift my legs to get in the car

Long walks also did me wrong, I didn't really walk...I shuffled...I felt like such a wimp, but one day I woke up and it was gone!

The pregnancy body pillow at night really helped me with a lot of my aches and pains and my doctor told me at the end of the day if walking turns to shuffling to sit down and relax!

Sometimes I'll have similar pains now (at 31 weeks) if I do a lot of walking during the day....but not as awful.

So much for the 'honeymoon trimester'!

Good luck and feel better!

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

I get these pains too. I've been getting them since the first tri and mostly when I walk around for a long time, like at a store. The doc said I can take tylenol, but I haven't yet. It gets so bad that by the time I get home I need to hold myself up by my lower stomach until I can get to the couch. A friend told me to get a maternity support belt, which I haven't had time to do yet. She said it helped her with her pains.

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

I had these very bad with my first pregnancy in the second trimester. I remember it being so horrible that I am dreading getting them again. I had to walk from the LIRR at Penn to the subway and then from the subway 2 blocks to my office, not a bad walk right? Well for me with those pains it was excruciating! I had to walk at the pace of an 90 yr old woman in order to lessen the pain even a little bit. It lasted about a month and I was really afraid something terrible was wrong. When I called the dr I was told to stay hydrated. That didnt seem to work and when I called again, they were like no, stay REALLY hydrated! The pains finally subsided after while but the only thing that really helped was LOTS of water and sitting down.

ETA: I was told to get a support belt too but I never did. If I get these pains again this time around I am running straight to the store to get one. I cant go through that kind of pain again, was almost as bad as the c section pain.

Message edited 2/7/2011 12:28:02 PM.

Re: PLEASE...Tell me everything you know about ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN!!!!!

haha looks like I have a lot of good times to look forward to!!

I never thought I'd have this type of pain. But i can deal.

I'm going to order the maternity belt and see how that works.

I'll also talk to the dr about it on Wednesday and see what he says.

Thank You!!