Round Ligament Pain & Sacroiliac Joint Pain during Pregnancy

After my last doctor's appointment and being on bed rest for the one week, I did a little research on round ligament pain and sacroiliac joint pain. Sis Doc in the USA says I probably have both, generally these pains are called Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP).

I came across this explanation on Round Ligament Pain from the Baby Center website which explained quite clearly the kind of pain that I was experiencing:-

"You may feel round ligament pain as a short jabbing sensation or a sharp, stabbing pain if you suddenly change position, such as when you're getting out of bed or out of a chair or when you cough, roll over in bed, or get out of the bathtub. You might also feel it as a dull ache after a particularly active day – when you've been walking a lot or doing some other physical activity.

You may feel the pain starting from deep inside your groin, moving upward and outward on either side to the top of your hips. The pain is internal, but if you were to trace it on your skin, it would follow the bikini line on a very high-cut bathing suit." 

I felt the stabbing pain especially when I walk. Funny thing is, it comes and goes on a daily basis. Some days are worse than others. Here are some pictures to help illustrate better.

This is the round ligament and its location

This is the general location of where the pain manifests. Could be on both sides or either side. For me it is on the right hand side. 

Then I started looking for Sacroiliac Joint Pain (SI) as I have been feeling an ache on my lower back just above my buttocks when I move around. One explanation came from this medicinenet.com website:-

"Another common cause of SI joint dysfunction is pregnancy. During pregnancy, hormones are released in the woman's body that allows ligaments to relax. This prepares the body for childbirth. Relaxation of the ligaments holding the SI joints together allows for increased motion in the joints and can lead to increased stresses and abnormal wear. The additional weight and walking pattern (altered gait) associated with pregnancy also places additional stress on the SI joints."

Here is an indication of where my back pain is and the location of the SI joint. 

On the whole, it has limited my mobility because I have had days where it was very difficult to just walk short distances due to the stabbing pains. It has even been as bad as being unable to walk because of the extreme pain especially on my right side and all I could do was sit down and just don't move. This is just so different from the time that I carried Chapati. My doctors says that it is because this is No.2 and my muscles and joints are already loose...and when the hormones kick in to make my joint relax even more...there starts all the problems.

Sis Doc told me that I could alleviate the pain by doing these few things which I also researched online for :-

1. When walking, keep my buttock and stomach tucked in as much a possible to keep my posture straight and help support my growing belly.
2. Walking slower and more carefully.
3. Wear a pregnancy belly support or pregnancy support belt.
4. Stretching and strengthening exercises daily.

Okay so now, more research to do on purchasing a pregnancy belly support and exercises that are suitable for third trimester mummies!

Mummies, do you have stretching and strengthening exercises that you did or are doing during your 3rd trimester that helped you?