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I Didn't Feel That With My First Pregnancy! 3 Steps To Alleviate Round Ligament Pain

If you're pregnant, you already know that there are a lot of changes taking place in your body. You probably also know that you're going to be experiencing many different aches and pains. If this is your second pregnancy – or beyond – you may not be prepared for round ligament pain. That's because round ligament pain isn't usually a problem during first pregnancies because the round ligament hasn't done a lot of stretching yet.

Now that you're past your first pregnancy, you might have started feeling painful twinges on the right side of your lower abdomen. The round ligament connects your groin to the front portion of your womb. As your uterus grows during pregnancy, the ligament pulls and stretches. Things like sudden movement, stretching, and even laughter can cause the round ligament to tighten up. When that happens, you're going to experience pain. Sometimes the pain can become so unbearable that you'll need to stop what you're doing. Here are three steps you can take to alleviate round ligament pain.

Stay in Shape

When it comes to round ligament pain, the best way to alleviate it is to stay in shape. Keeping your muscles loose will also help keep the round ligament relaxed. Try taking daily walks in the park, or around the block. Ask your doctor about joining a pregnancy fitness class, or enrolling in a prenatal yoga class. Yoga is an excellent way to keep yourself limber during pregnancy. The gentle stretching involved in yoga will help keep you in shape, which will reduce the discomfort associated with round ligament pain.

Move Slowly

Round ligament pain is often brought on with sudden movements. To keep the pain away, try moving slowly during the second and third trimesters of your pregnancy. When getting up from a seated position, move forward in the chair and then lift yourself up with your arms for support. When you're getting out of bed, roll to your side, swing your legs over the edge of the bed and use your weight-bearing arm to slowly press yourself up to a seated position. If you feel yourself getting ready to sneeze, try placing a pillow over your abdomen and holding it tight until the sneeze passes.

Use a Heating Pad

When you're hit with a sudden attack of round ligament pain, you want the discomfort to go away as soon as possible. That's where a heating pad comes in handy. Heat loosens the ligament and alleviates the pain. Place a towel over your abdomen. Turn the heating pad on to low heat and place it on the towel. Leave the heating pad in place for about 15 minutes at a time.

Your body will go through a lot of changes during pregnancy. Some of those changes include a certain amount of discomfort. Use the tips provided here to alleviate round ligament pain. Talk to your doctor immediately if the pain doesn't go away.


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