Archive for January, 2012

Tips to Relieve Pelvic Pregnancy Pain

Do you suffer from pelvic pregnancy pain? Do your buttocks, thighs and hips ache when you walk, climb the stairs or even sit down for too long? Or maybe you have already been diagnosed with symphisis pubis dysfunction. Either way, pelvic pain during pregnancy can be extremely painful and distressing for the pregnant mother. The cause of pelvic pain is due to the loosening of the ligaments as well as the added strain on the muscles caused by increased weight bearing. Tense pelvic muscles can cause misalignment in the pelvis resulting in pain. Here are some tips to relieve pelvic pain in pregnancy.

1. Pelvic floor exercises can help in relieving pelvic pain. These exercises are designed to strengthen the hammock-like muscles which support the pelvic organs. Better control over these muscles could help take some of the weight bearing responsibility away from the pelvic girdle and ligaments.

2. Elastic support belt or the pelvic girdle can help to support your pelvis during pregnancy. This acts just like an ankle or knee brace to keep the joints in place.

3. Climbing stairs is very painful if you suffer from pelvic pain. It may be advisable to go up and down stairs using your bottom, and lifting yourself up or down each stair with your hands. Bear in mind that it is much easier going down than up!

4. Remember to sit on a chair when getting dressed and when carrying out household chores.

5. If you swim for exercise, avoid breaststroke as it places added strain on your hip joints.

6. Increase pelvic strength by sitting on an exercise ball. Only do this if you are not in any pain.

7. The most effective method of relieving pelvic pain is by releasing the muscles supporting the pelvis of tension and strain. This is a major contributing factor to pelvic pain. The Bowen Technique teaches a very easy, simple and highly effective method of releasing the tension in muscles.

By effectively relieving the muscles of tension, you will experience immediate relief. This technique is safe, simple and so effective, it is now becoming the method of choice by many mothers suffering from aches and pains in pregnancy, labour and motherhood. Read the rest of this entry »

Pregnancy Pain – Back and Hip Pain Relief

Pregnancy is a miracle of life! Not only are you experiencing changes on an emotional level, your body is undergoing a huge change in its physical structure. Many women report pregnancy pains during their pregnancy from neck pain to jaw pain. However the most common pain experienced during pregnancy is hip and back pain. This is a short article on pregnancy pain-back and hip pain relief.

Both back and hip pain are commonly caused by the added weight bearing during pregnancy. The muscles in your back and surrounding your hips have to bear a large amount of the stress and strain encountered in pregnancy. This causes added tension in the muscles and are exhibited through aches and pains. Nerve compression caused by tense muscles is also a common complaint in pregnancy. This can cause nerve pain such as sciatica.

However, hip pain can also be caused by loosening of the ligaments supporting the pelvis. If you are experiencing pain in your pubic area, groin and the inside of thighs, your lower back and hips then you may have symphisis pubis dysfunction.This is one of those pregnancy conditions that sounds bizarre. The ligaments that normally keep your pelvic bone aligned become too relaxed and stretchy. This is due to the hormone relaxin. The main purpose of relaxin is to relax the ligaments allowing for an easier labor. Unfortunately this also causes instability in our pelvis. Read the rest of this entry »

Several Signs for Twin Pregnancy

What do I mean by “very positive”? Well, it’s when you take a home pregnancy test on the first day of your missed period and you get a distinctive, dark, second line or plus sign. Most women experience a faint line when testing this early. Pregnancy tests detect the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It is believed that a woman carrying twins would have higher levels of this hormone and therefore a stronger positive or earlier result. In my own experience, I decided to get some of those expensive home pregnancy tests that claim to show a positive result (if you are indeed pregnant) slightly before your missed period. Now that I have my twins, I think it kind of funny that I never got a positive result until the day of my missed period (I took several tests during the week before my period was to arrive…All negative!). And although I did get the distinctive second line on the day of my missed period, you would have thought me the perfect candidate for an early result. Keep in mind, a blood test at your doctor’s office will yield a more accurate result.

Early Weight Gain

Due to increased blood volume and a growing uterus, twin mothers usually experience a slightly higher weight gain than mothers of singletons. Approximately five pounds, give or take, more than a singleton mother by their second trimester. But this can still vary greatly due to many other factors including the mother’s pre-pregnancy weight. So think of it as a general guideline.

Measuring Large For Gestational Age

Even though measuring large for gestational age may be a sign of a twin pregnancy, it can also happen during subsequent pregnancies of singletons. It is widely accepted that a second pregnancy shows sooner than a first pregnancy. So, it does not always indicate twins. If this is a first pregnancy it may be harder to determine by yourself without prior experience or your doctor’s advice. Also, your pre-pregnancy size will be a factor. A smaller framed, slim woman will almost always start showing any pregnancy sooner than a larger or heavier woman as a general rule. Coupling a large gestational age measurement with some of the other factors mentioned here would be a stronger indication of a twin pregnancy. Read the rest of this entry »