Am I too early for round ligament pain?

[mayday]

Been having a quick scan through the forum to see if I can find anyone else's symptons I can match to my own. What I am feeling is as if someone has grabbed everything inside me just around my bikini line, in the middle of my tummy not at the sides, and giving it a really good pull in an upwards direction. It's felt like this for about 4 or 5 days. I feel like I need to wee all the time too, and have to get up, sometimes twice, in the night to go to the loo, but not getting as much volume as I expect.

I went to the doctor's on Friday because I had a headache like my head was going to fall off every time I moved (doctor said it was because I had been sleeping on relatives' crappy spare beds for 2 weeks and tweaked my neck on their lumpy pillows.) But I asked him about the pain in my abdomen and he seemed entirely unconcerned about it. Didn't tell me what it was though.

I've read about round ligament pain but it seems to be discussed as a second trimester problem. I am just over 11 weeks. I do seem to have got noticeably fatter though in the last 2 weeks. I can't tell if that's Christmas related though.

My friend reckons it is because I horse ride and riders have rather stronger pelvic muscles anyway, so when they stretch you REALLY know about it.

What does everyone else think?

 

[valentine]

Hi mayday,

For what it's worth (and from a very non medical person!), it sounds like your friend is exactly right, you are bound to have strong pelvic muscles that respond well to stretching etc.

Alternatively, for the past couple of weeks, I have been getting dull stabbing pains and pulls or sometimes it feels like there's a cold ice cube inside my lower abdomen - appreantly this might be the start of feeling the baby move (the flutterings or butterflies).

I hope it's not too distressing for you and you start to feel better soon.

Valentine xxx

 

[Lyn_no3]

hi, it sounds like you may have the startings of SPD (cos pregnancy softens the ligaments and the pelvis seperates slightly, i think thats it lol) the symptoms you described are very close to what i had whilst carrying my second child, i'm not sure as regards to how early they started but it is pretty common and there isn't too much that anyone can do, sorry

when i was about 20 wks i got a support belt to help ease the pain a little after seein a physiotherapist.
perhaps visit your doctor again and mention it is still uncomfortable?

hope you get it sorted hun

 

[Sabrina]

Hi Mayday

I get the fluttering feelings down below like Valentine mentioned but I haven't had anything painful. If your friends are right then having strong pelvic muscles can only be an advantage surely? If the pains get too much I would go get a second opinion from another GP

I can empathise with the getting up in the night you've experienced. I had that really bad a week ago but it seems to have settled a bit now. I am trying not to have drinks after 10pm which also helps.


Sabrina

 

[mayday]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's not so much blindingly painful as constantly irritating. As for the strong muscles thing, a male work colleague gave me a fascinating insight into how his wife gave birth. She rode daily until 7 months, and the words he used included 'ping-pong ball', 'stripper', 'firing' and 'Thailand'.

I'll ask when I go to the clinic for my scan next week. OH reckons if I ring a midwife they'll go 'it's because you're pregnant, dear.'

 

[gingerpig]

My yoga teacher talks about a pregnant client of hers who developed SPD, and was a horse rider. Your muscles may well be more developed, but you will be feeling the effects of the relaxin hormone, which as it's name suggests, relaxes everything... It's partly why we get heartburn as the sphincter muscle that usually closes the stomach up loosens allowing stomach acid etc. So if you do do a lot of physical exercise and are putting increased strain on that area, it's wise to pay attention if you're noticing pain. Have you been checked out for a uti as well? Just asking because I had one and had a tugging sensation just where you describe and wasn't peeing as much volume as I wanted too. It could just be extra pressure as the uterus won't have moved out of the pelvis yet.

 

[topbird]

what is SPD???

Mayday - hope it eases off soon, but sounds like it just ligaments stretching - take care of yourself

Gingerpig - are you doing special antenatal yoga or a regular class? I have been going for years and intende to carry on throughout my pregnancy!

 

[gingerpig]

Symphic pubis disorder or something lol. It basically means the bit at the front of your pelvis gets stretched due to the increased pressure - it doesn't happen for most, but it's not fun if it does.

I'm doing an ante-natal yoga class atm which is fun, and hope to get back to regular classes at some point afterwards. The teacher does mum and baby yoga classes which sound lovely!

 

[cloud9]

my firends sister who was extremely manic about going to the gym and very toned when she got preggers had a lot of pain through her pregnancy and m/w told her it was because her muscles were so strong ..i think it eased off once her bump came out properly

 

[mayday]

Ha-ha! Clearly I am too muscley for my own good. I'm just going to sit here and contemplate my muscles rippling for a bit longer. I have to say it's a slightly new concept for me. I think I've decided that enough people reckon it's normal, and I'm not getting any other problems at all, so as long as it just remains irritating and not painful I'm just going to have to put up with another delightful pregnancy symptom.