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Written by

Gina Conley, MS

Pain During Pregnancy? Could be 2 things

  • Prenatal

By: Gina Conley, B.S. Exercise Science, Certified Birth Doula

If you’re having pain in the front of your pelvis during pregnancy, it generally is one of two things:

  1. Round Ligament Pain: Associated with a sharp, sudden pain in the lower abdomen on either side

  2. Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction (SPD): Associated with pain with single leg, sideways, or uneven movements

There are solutions to both! You don’t need to live with them throughout pregnancy, and they do not need to be considered a normal part of pregnancy by any means!!

Round Ligament Pain

You have two ligaments that run vertically on the anterior portion of your uterus to your labia. When these ligaments are tight, usually only one side is tighter, then you may feel a sharper pain near your vagina or even lightening crotch, an electric shock like feeling in your vagina.

Alleviating the discomfort with round ligament pain can be accomplished by a few methods.

  1. Seek out a Webster certified chiropractor. There is a difference!! A Webster certified chiropractor focuses on the ligaments and alignment of the pelvis that support fetal positioning. It would be worth finding one in your local area! You can use this website to find a local Webster certified chiropractor.

  2. Release the round ligaments. You can use a few Spinning Babies movements to help release the round ligaments, particularly Rebozo Sifting and the Forward Leaning Inversion. Rebozo Sifting focuses on the anterior ligaments, to include the broad ligament, as well, while the Forward Leaning Inversion focuses on the posterior ligaments but can also stretch out the Round Ligament! You can watch an in-depth video on how to do these movements, as technique matters, on the Spinning Babies website or attend an in-person Childbirth Education Class with us!!

Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction

You have a joint on the anterior portion of your pelvis called the pubic symphysis that can become instable during pregnancy due to a number of reasons, the main being that the stability sling that supports the pubic symphysis, the anterior oblique sling, is having a harder time functioning due to your growing belly.

The anterior oblique sling runs from your oblique (side abs) to your opposite adductor (inner thigh) crossing the pubic symphysis, and thereby stabilizing it. Muscles that are overlengthened have a harder time contracting, and therefore functioning, so your anterior abdominal muscles (the obliques are a part of your anterior oblique sling) are affected by pregnancy in this way. In addition, your pelvic floor is taking on an extra load throughout pregnancy (aka your baby), and your hips may be widening, so the adductors could also be overlengthening and their function may be affected.

So what can you do?

  1. Seek out a pelvic floor physical therapist. They are specialized in pregnancy, postpartum, and function of your pelvic floor region, and can develop an individualized treatment plan for your specific situation.

  2. Exercises that focus on the anterior oblique sling. Our prenatal fitness programming incorporates daily exercises that focus on this sling, and on the posterior oblique sling to stablize the SI Joints, to help improve pelvic stability throughout pregnancy. We offer this programming both in person at our fitness studio and online for remote clients. Check out the video below for an idea of how to incorporate the anterior oblique sling into an exercise.

  3. And we just released our pelvic stability accessory program that compliments any workout program you are currently doing!  This program is focused on increasing the strength and stability of the pelvic joints during pregnancy and the postpartum.

  4. Increase the activation of the adductors for more stability. Using a pilates ball or pillow between the knees can help you turn on the adductors (inner thighs) and increase the stability of the joint. When you are rolling around in bed, put a pillow between the knees. When you are getting out of your car, have the legs move together as opposed to planting one foot then getting out. When you are exercising, you can place a ball between the thighs when legs are together to increase the stability of the front pelvic joint! In the video below, you can see that one of the variations includes a ball between the thighs!