5 ways to help your pelvic pain during pregnancy at home

Last Updated on November 18, 2023 by theosteomum

Would you like to know how to relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy?

This pain- which can be a literal pain-in-the-butt- really can take the enjoyment out of those nine months.

In this post we’ll outline 5 ways to help pelvic pain during pregnancy at home.

Pelvic pain during pregnancy- what is it?

Ok, let’s be honest.

When you first thought about becoming pregnant, did you imagine yourself as some glowing goddess with flawless skin and beautiful bump?  We’ve all seen those beautiful women on Instagram, with the belly-hugging clothes and a smug look on their faces.

If you thought (hoped?) you’d be one of them, you’re not alone.

For some women, pregnancy really is a walk in the park.  And all power to them.

Unfortunately, 1 in 5 women will suffer from pelvic pain during pregnancy (PGP). For these women, it can really dull their ‘glow’.

If you’ve landed here, I’m guessing that you might make up some of that 20%.  If you’re still not sure if what you’re experiencing actually is PGP, click on over to this post.

Pelvic pain during pregnancy- how I can help:

Helping women manage PGP during their pregnancies is a passion of mine for two reasons.

Firstly, because I see first-hand every day how effective targeted treatment and the right advice can be.

Secondly, I’ve been there myself. I know how much of a drag even a relatively mild case like mine can be.  Back then, I knew some of the basics, but didn’t have nearly enough knowledge to do myself proper justice.

The third trimester of my second pregnancy brought with it PGP. This was made all the more tricky by the fact that I had a very active toddler to look after, and a husband who worked long hours. I’ll never forget walking to the shower after giving birth. I realised that I could walk and not waddle. The relief was almost instant!

Although my PGP did cause a few episodes of pain in the weeks after birth, I was in the 93% of women whose symptoms settle within 3 months after delivery.

So, if you’re struggling now, please know that the odds are in your favour.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Each day of waddling is one less that you have to get through.

5 ways to relieve Pelvic Pain during Pregnancy at home:

1. Water aerobics for pelvic pain during pregnancy:

When you’re suffering from PGP, exercise is usually the last thing on your mind.  Often that’s because even completing the simplest of everyday activities, such as walking around the supermarket, causes you pain.  But you’re also being told to try to stay active and keep your pregnancy weight under control.

So what’s a girl to do?

Water aerobics, that’s what!

This study showed that compared to women who exercised on land, pregnant ladies suffering from PGP experienced an improvement in pain levels and quality of life. (Yep, I know it’s a relatively small sample size, but there is a fair amount of evidence that all points in this direction.)

The theory is  that the water helps support some of your body weight. So, your inflamed joints aren’t subject to as much load as they would be on land.  The warmth of the water also assists muscular tension, which just makes you feel better!

2. Support for pelvic pain during pregnancy:

I mean this in two ways. Firstly (and more obviously)- a strong support network around you will help you do those things that you’re struggling to do. This is even more important if you’re looking after older children. Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family for help, or book that cleaner you’ve been dreaming about.

The second way you need support is around your belly and pelvis.

Instability through the sacroiliac joints (the joints under the two little dimples in your lower back area) can be a big contributing factor to your pelvic pain during pregnancy.

A belt such as this one is used to compress and support these joints, reducing stress and instability, and therefore reducing pain.

There are a lot of belts out on the market that are designed to increase stability.  The problem is, many of them are too tight, or don’t allow for adjustments to be made to suit your individual anatomy.  Many of the women that I treat during pregnancy find that this belt is one of the most comfortable ones on the market, and seems to strike the balance between support and comfort.

The benefit of wearing a belt is that you can easily fit it yourself. Once you get the hang of it, you can put it on or take it off in seconds.

What are the downsides of a pelvic belt during pregnancy?

The only downside to wearing a belt such as this is that many women find it uncomfortable to wear when sitting down for any length of time.  So, they’re best suited to women who either have to:

• spend long periods in positions other that seated, or
• for women who know that they don’t have to get up and down from their work desks a lot.  These women will often take off their belts when they’re sitting at work, and then put them on when they get up again.

If your job/life requires you to get up and down frequently, you’ll probably find these quite annoying.

3. Learning how to apply your own “Rock Tape” or “Kinesio tape”:

What are the benefits of this tape during pregnancy?

In a similar way to wearing a belt, a stretchy tape can give you some additional support.

If you’ve ever sprained your ankle before, chances are you’ve used traditional “rigid” tape. This doesn’t have any stretch and is designed to hold certain body parts in particular positions.

Unlike this tape, tape such as this one contains elastic, so it can stretch and allow a fuller range of motion. The original developer of this tape wanted to mimic the elasticity of skin.  Kinesio tape can stretch up to 40% of its original length, and is designed to offer support, whilst still allowing you to move freely.

According to the Kinesio tape website, this tape has:

“been proven to have positive physiological effects on the skin, lymphatic and circulatory system, fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.“

Many people like the idea of having some reinforcement, whilst still being able to move as freely as possible while pregnant. They see this as a great alternative to belts like the one mentioned above, as they can comfortably sit, stand and move around without a more rigid brace in their way.

The downside of taping is that many people rely on having it applied by their health care professional.  The manufacturer’s state that it can stay on for up to 5 days. However, in reality, it usually only lasts around 2-3 days before peeling off. Unfortunately it’s often not practical to be visiting your therapist’s office every few days to have it reapplied.

The solution?

Learn to do it yourself!  Or, more accurately, have a partner or friend learn to do it for you.

It may seem a little fiddly at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll only take a few minutes every few days and you’ll be on your way to PGP relief.  The water-resistant properties in the tape also mean that you’ll be able to shower or swim during this time without the tape coming off.

This document from Rock Tape, one of the biggest stretch tape manufacturers, outlines some classic ways that taping can be performed during pregnancy.

4. Using a spiky ball to help your pelvic pain during pregnancy:

Ok- I’m gonna be honest here.

This is one strategy you’re going to love to hate. Or is that hate to love?

Whatever it is, spiky balls can feel super tender to use, but can be extremely effective in helping work through the muscular tightness that is so common to PGP.

The basic science behind these balls is that when you use them on areas of muscle tightness, the pressure increases feedback to your brain from that area. This in turn moves the area up in the ranks of importance to your brain, meaning that it is more likely to help correct the problem there.

These little babies aren’t usually a whole lot of fun to use. But, if you can persevere for around a minute or so, you’ll usually feel less pain and tightness.

To use, all you need to do is either stand against a wall, or lay on your side or back, with the spiky ball underneath you. You can either lay/stand still, or move around slightly. Hold this for a minute or so, and then take the ball away. You can repeat this up to around 3 times per day.

5. Pelvic Girdle Pain Exercises: Go Apple Picking

Okay, maybe not literally. But the “Apple Picking” exercise for pelvic girdle pain can be highly effective in helping you to manage your symptoms.

Once you’ve seen how to do it, you’ll understand where the name comes from.

What you might not get is why it’s an effective self-management tool, so let me explain.

Your pelvis has to be able to withstand the forces coming up through your legs as you walk and move around, as well as the weight of the growing baby within it.  It also has to be able to hold and support the weight of your upper body pressing down on it.

If there are areas of tightness or stiffness in your spine or ribcage, this is going to make it harder for your pelvis to cope with all that force.

This “apple picking” exercise is a simple, easy way to mobilise and stretch your spine, ribs and shoulders. It may help minimise the load of them on your weary pelvis.

You’ll want to do it around 10-15 times to each side, ideally a couple of times per day.  Do this for a few days and see if you notice a difference.

So, there you have it- my list of 5 things you can do at home to help manage your PGP.

Why not search for your local water aerobics class, try a pelvic girdle pain exercise or check out my recommended products (belt, tape or ball)?

I’d love to hear how you went- leave a comment or question below!

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