Pregnant women seek help for pelvic girdle pain but feel embarrassed to communicate about groin pain.  For centuries it has been a matter of silence !

Groin pain is not an isolated issue rather it is deeply associated with the much broader term PGP pregnancy. As pregnancy increases, this pain intensifies and remains a complete source of discomfort.

Vaginal tissues become stiff around pelvis, back, buttocks, and groin resulting in inconvenience. Within the third trimester, the intense pressure on the pelvic region when the baby drops into the pelvic area for labor. Groin pain starts from a few twinges, aches or feelings of heaviness.

Let’s talk about why groin pain starts and which methods can help in relieving them.

What causes pelvic pain (groin pain) during pregnancy?

Groin pain starts with your baby burrowing down deeper into the pelvis when their head  starts pressing harder in your bladder, hips, rectum or pelvic bones. So, there is an ever increasing stress on the joints, muscles, organs around pelvis and back.

Apart from this, the hormonal changes and release of relaxin also causes losing the ligaments and muscles. It is required to facilitate the birth. All this stretching will result in pain and discomfort. 

But once your baby delivers, diaphragm and lungs discomfort will get eliminated. There would be some relief from the rib pain which has plagued you for many months. 

How to Relieve Groin Pain During pregnancy?

Simple things are useful if adopted in pregnancy to get relax from this groin pain, and it will eventually subside after delivery. So adopt some useful exercises to make yourself comfortable. 

• Do invest sometime in useful pelvic exercises (pelvic titles) to get yourself relaxed with hips elevated. It works wonders for many pregnant patients.
• Taking a warm bath will give you some relief from the stinky groin pain. 
• For at least 20 minutes, take the heating pads to your lower back pain relief. Then take a 20 minute break before applying again. 
• Invest in a good belly sling (to support the weight of your belly). Consult and discuss with a physician for some recommendations. 
• Prenatal massage is useful from a therapist certified in treating pregnant women. 
• Acupuncture is getting popular for alleviating all kinds of pregnancy pains including pelvic pain.
• In case you experience severe pain, use the pregnancy pain-reliever or muscle relaxants.

These will help in minimizing and managing the pain for sure. 

Should you worry about groin pain?

It is uncomfortable but won’t affect your baby’s health. It will, definitely, impact your sleep or even emotional health. On the other hand, in case of severe pain, it makes it difficult to continue normal day-to-day activities; however, consult doctors in case of unusual aches or pains in pregnancy. 

Positions to relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy

Also read about Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Such exercises will support the pelvic organs and the birth canal, and alleviate some discomfort associated with the pelvic pain. 

Tighten your pelvic floor, like you stop urine flow, hold it for a few seconds and then release to improve the muscle tone and support the pelvic area.

Pillow Power:

Make pillows for your best friends to provide support to your growing belly. It will help in taking off your pelvis pressure and provide relief for the inguinal pain pregnancy. Try different pillows to configure which works best for you. 

Experiment with it. 

Place a pillow between your knees and a towel roll at the waist to take some help, and take some pressure off the pelvis. Many women report tremendous relief by putting a pillow under their pelvis. A wedge pillow can also alleviate pressure and make sleeping more comfortable. 

Proper Sleep Position:

Sleeping positions can make you comfortable in early stages of pregnancy while dealing with pelvic pain. Sleeping, specially on your left side, to promote better blood flow on both side of baby 

Hugg and roll the towel to place it under the pelvis to give additional support to relieve the pressure on your pelvis. 

Gentle Stretches:

Within the daily-routine, the gentle searching exercises will improve sleep quality. Arm circles or overhead reaches will also alleviate the pelvis tensions. Stand up straight, which is a quick and effective stretch. Just inhale deep and then exhale to have some relief. 

Slowly raise your arms overhead while keeping your palms facing each other. Place them high as comfortably as possible, then return to position. Repeat this for sometime to ease pelvic discomfort. 

Breathing Techniques

• What an amazing exercise this is to exacerbate all stress and discomfort. Practice breathing exercises to calm the nervous system and reduce tensions in your pelvis. 
• Calming technique is yet another. Try to find a quiet place where you can comfortably sit by closing your eyes.
• Inhale deep through your nose for a count of four, and then just exhale slowly through your mouth counting six.
• Just keep your focus on your breath and repeat the whole process several times to promote relaxation and ease pelvic pain. 

Does Groin Pain Happen in Pregnancy during the Second Trimester?

In pregnancy, if you experience groin or inner thighs pain in the second trimester, you probably suffer from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), which is very common pregnancy pain. Obviously, hormonal and body changes result in the groin pain.

Within the second trimester, round ligament pain is most common to support the uterus. It accommodates the growth of babies. Round ligament pain is very sharp in the abdomen and hip area.

These sudden movements just retract quickly causing pain, but it also gets better within the third trimester. 

Conclusion:

Groin pain is typical during pregnancy. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s caused by hormone changes and the extra pressure on the pelvic area of the baby growing. Even though the pain usually gets worse later on, it is somehow difficult for mom-to-be.

Invest time and energy in pelvic exercises, sleep at the right position, pregnancy massages or breathing exercises. It will ease your pain right away. 

Deal with it. Feel and sleep better ! But if the pain is serious or out of the ordinary, the mother and baby should talk to a doctor to make sure they are both safe.