Round ligament pain is a normal part of a pregnancy. It is typically felt as achy or crampy sensation on one of both side of the lower abdomen or groins. It might accrue if you change positions suddenly: get up from lying down or when you laugh, sneeze or during exercises.
Before we go into what is normal and what is considered alarming let’s explain what is a round ligament and how it’s affected by a growing baby inside you. The round ligaments are a pair of structures in the pelvis that help support the uterus by connecting the front of the uterus to the groin region. As you know, during pregnancy, the round ligaments become softer and more stretchy. Another reason is an increasing weight of a growing baby affecting your uterus. The increasing weight pulls on the ligaments and causes sharp aches.
How to Ease the Round Ligament Pain?
Aches and pains in the lower abdomen and groins during pregnancy? Of course, it will raise alarms in your head. But hang on a minute, it’s all normal if you know the reasons which we listed above. Don’t panic! There are some ways to ease off these aches and pains:
1. Rest! Easy girl, take a rest. Your body is trying to say that it’s probably too much for it to process at the moment. Remember: a whole new person is developing in your belly at the moment.
2. Slow it down! Usually it’s quick movements like getting up from lying down or from sitting to standing that trigger pain. Be gentle with your body: roll over to your side first before you get up from bed.
3. Extra support. Use maternity belt for extra support particularly on a days when you are super active: exercising, working extra hours or running from meeting to meeting or running after your kids or all the above.
Round Ligament Pain and Exercises
Some active mamas-to-be stop exercising once they experience the round ligament pain and it might be a bit frustrating, particularly if they have been active pre pregnancy. If fitness is something you would like to stick with – consider different exercises. Keep in mind: pregnancy is not time for personal bests, it’s time to maintain your fitness level and stay active and healthy as long as it feels right for you and your baby.
There are exercising that actually might relive the pain. General recommendations are:
- to strengthen muscles you need for posture;
- modify or avoid (if necessary) all activities that trigger the round ligament pain.
In order to ease off the pain you need to strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.
Recommendations for ABS exercises:
- cat/cows
- side plank
- core breathing exercises.
Remember you should avoid typical ABS exercises but look for pre-natal exercises. Maintaining ABS strength during pregnancy helps carry growing weight of your baby while avoiding lower back pain, which is very common during pregnancy. It also makes postpartum recovery much smoother.
Recommendations for back exercises:
- cat/cows
- pelvic tilt
- upright rows
- cable row on a machine
- overhead pull down.
Back pain is the most common complaint among pregnant women. It’s caused by shifting center of gravity, which puts strain on your lower back. By stretching your back daily and completing strengthening exercises you can keep your back on track during pregnancy and beyond.
Caution
Although round ligament pain is common and harmless during pregnancy, abdominal pain can be a sign of a more serious problem. Contact your GP or midwife if you experience pain doesn’t go away if you rest, change a position, after a prolonged period of time.
Happy training beautiful mamas-to-be. Stay fit, healthy and active and enjoy your 9 months journey!