Help! Leg and hip pain keeping me up at night

[Anonymous]

I am in my second trimester and have been experiencing bad pain radiating from the outside of my hips and uppper thighs when sleeping (or attmepting to) at night. I am not overweight so that shouldn't be an issue. I have tried using the boppy pillows and extra calcium and magnesium supplements which have offered little relief. The only thing that seems to help is massage but the positive effects wear off fairly quickly. I am stiff in the morning but my hips and legs do not bother me at all during the day. Anyone else have this issue? Thanks!!!!

[Anonymous]

Not sure how you use the bobby but I switched to using multiple pillows instead of my 'pregnancy pillow'. I am on 'relative bed rest' which means I am flat most of the day, except meals and showering/toilet. My hips hurt also. Try changing the support under your belly, and between your legs. Also, try nit to sleep with your legs bent up as much but a little more extended.

[Anonymous]

I have this exact problem! Excruciating pain in my hips after about an hour on my side with the pregnancy pillow between my legs and under my belly. I sleep for about an hour on one side, then turn for an hour on the other, then I'm done for because I'm in agony and I'm up half the night. Then I try to sleep propped up so that my hips are straight, and that gives relief, but I can't sleep. My doc suggested not sleeping fully on my side, but flat with just a pillow under one hip to give a slight tilt. This does not put as much pressure on the hips, but it isn't that comfortable either. She suggested light heat on it, but basically has said, when I've complained the past three visits, that there isn't much to do about it and that it will only get worse.

I'd also love to hear suggestions that have helped!

[Anonymous]

I have the same problems, but add in there some restless leg syndrome and it is all agony. I bought some Thermacare heat wraps, and place them on my hip that usually hurts when I go to bed. I also try to take baths about 30 minutes before I go to bed. All have helped, but not 100%. I have also tried sleeping on the couch and in a chair, sometimes that helps. I am now 32 weeks, and I wake up sometimes laying on my back. I think my body is naturally doing that when I am asleep because nothing else seems to work. So I try to sleep elevated on a few pillows so that when I do wake up on back, I wasn't flat.

I have also read that sleeping on those eggcrate foam things on top of your mattress may help as well, but haven't tried that.

Hope your pain goes away soon!

[Anonymous]

I got relief from this problem with pregnancy massage. I could only afford it every other week, but it was the best thing I did during my pregnancy. It was 7 years ago, so I no longer have the name of the therapist, but I'm sure you can find someone good.

[Anonymous]

I'm 36 weeks with #2 and haven't slept well for more than a few hours for weeks (aches and pains, as well as heartburn). Lately, I've started the night in bed and then spent the rest of the night in a recliner we have in our room -- we bought it so that I can do night nursings comfortably and didn't expect to get so much use out of it so soon. So if you have a recliner, you might try that. With #1, I found that a pillow under my belly and one between my knees helped with back pain (but not hip pain, obviously).

I'd also look into acupuncture; I've done it on and off for a few years, and when I was pg with #1, my acupuncturist would do treatments for my back pain and to help me sleep more deeply. They weren't miracle cures, but they helped.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Yes, I had something very similar. It hurt to stand for long periods of time and walking. My doc. said it was just the tendon and muscle tissue expanding to make room since I my bump was becoming obvious.

I tried to keep pressure off of that area (next to impossible of course) and rubbed it all the time. It finally seemed to go away after about 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I had this too when I was pregnant - woke me up every night like clockwork. Unfortunately, it has never gone away (I'm 10 months pp). I did buy a pillow at CVS that is purposely for sleeping with between ones legs. It is made out of something like the Temperpedic mattress material and is grooved in the middle. It's been a god send! I highly recommend finding one. I saw them at Bed Bath and Beyond as well.

[Anonymous]

Try a temperpedic mattress topper.

[Anonymous]

The same thing happened to me in the 2nd trimester. Here's what worked: Get a firm, cylindrical, log-shaped pillow at IKEA (less than $15; can't remember the name, but it's one that's in a sealed bag and looks flatt-ish; then when you open the bag, the pillow expands), lay on your side, put the pillow at your side at stomach level, and put your top leg so it rests on top of the pillow. Then sleep with another pillow (regular bed pillow) above it, and next to your chest; put your arms around it so it's comfortable. I have not hip pain at night when I do this, but I do have hip pain when I try to sleep with a pillow between my legs or any of the other positions recommended for pregnancy. The IKEA pillow works, I think, because it's firm and so it totally supports the weight of your top leg and takes pressure off the hip. I'm at 34 weeks now, and if I don't sleep like this, it hurts; if I do, it doesn't. I hope this will work for you.

[Anonymous]

I had that day and night and lost a lot of sleep! One thing that helped to ease the pain during the day was to go to a swimming pool. The water helped take the pressure off. Didn't necessarily help with the night pains, but it was relaxing and was slightly helpful in bringing down my anxiety levels!

[Anonymous]

I second the recliner option, I used that when pregnant with DD. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP. Thanks to so many who responded to my inquiry. After struggling with different pillows and positions over the last couple of weeks, I think I actually slept last nite!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I've been suffering from the same stuff. I'm 34 weeks now. I just started seeing a chiropractor (Dr. Goldberg in nova) and am feeling much better. I recommend checking it out.