Does Severe Pelvic Pain Mean Something is Wrong?
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
My biggest concern is the pelvic pain that I'm getting when I lay down. It happens both during the day and at night (mostly at night). I've tried body pillows, Tylenol, sleeping on different mattress and other places (mainly the couch). But the pain doesn't go away. Its been on going like this for over a month. I'm starting to get worried that something could be wrong. Can you help answer my question?
ANSWER
You may need some abdominal support during the day or some physical therapy, depending on the nature of the pain. Are you putting a pillow between your legs, under your tummy and wedging a third one behind your back when you sleep? The one between your legs should be big enough so that your top leg is level with the bed (parallel). It doesn't really sound like anything is wrong with the baby, just the mommy!
-- Cynthia, CNM
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
