Abs making me uncomfortable :(

qhiggins86

Sorry, I feel like I'm posting a lot lately... but I feel very comfortable with you group of supportive ladies :drinker:

So I started showing relatively late. Around 20ish weeks I finally started getting comments about having a baby belly! Well I'm now 23 weeks and I feel like my tummy has doubled in size from last week alone... and I'm starting to feel the growing pains with it. It feels like my abs are being pulled apart if I stand for too long! Not shooting pains, just super achy and uncomfortable. First of all, I'm not alone with this new sensation, right? I find that sitting or laying down helps, but what else have you ladies found that brings relief if sitting isn't an immediate option?

stephysd

Sounds like you are getting round ligament pains and it is common, so don't worry. The time to start being concerned is if the pains get more severe, happen on a regular basis, and do not go away with a change in positions. This could be a sign that you are having contractions.

Here is some info from WebMD about Round Ligament Pain.
http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-round-ligament-pain

I found when I worked at the hospital that wearing a pregnancy support belt would help some. I would be on my feet for 12 hours with not much guarantee of a chance to sit, so this at least would help. The link below looks like the one I have, but I have no idea if it is or not. I was given mine by a co-worker who was done having kids, and that was 8 years ago. But hope that helps!
http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=922000113&MasterCategory_Id=MC32

qhiggins86

Thanks for the info on round ligament pain! That was my first guess as to what the pain was but the more I read about it the more confused I get. It says the round ligament pain originates in the groin area and follows the bikini line. I guess the only way to describe what I'm talking about is higher than that... like belly button area. Hmm... imagine when Clark Kent rips his shirt when he becomes Superman, except around the belly buttom area...lol. I probably sound stupid saying that, but that's the best I could come up with.

It's not alarming, I don't think, just uncomfortable and not the jabbing/stabbing sensation RLP is often described as. Maybe that is what it is after all. Thanks again!

Mitzimum

does it feel kind of like stretching pain? I got that when my belly first started properly growing (for me around 10weeks) and it felt like I was going to split down the middle! I read in one of my books how it is the ligaments stretching as well as the muscles separating (in some cases). It was much higher than groin area for me so I figured it wasn't round ligament pain... anyway hope this is even marginally helpful!

qhiggins86

YES! Stretching is the best way to describe it. It just gets annoying and it seems to be most problematic when I'm in a place where I can't sit or lay down, so I kinda just shift around and do weird bends to make myself feel better. I already started out as a bigger girl, and this sensation is something I kinda wasn't expecting. Silly me :ohwell:

Mitzimum

It is very surprising isn't it! The good news is it doesn't last very long, mine was on and off over a week or so and then nothing for a few weeks and so on. Now I don't really get it at all! I started doing some prenatal yoga too which has really helped stretch things out and make me more comfortable hope it ends for you soon! x

tiggerhammon

I was going to say round ligament pain as well. I have gotten a little of that, but not much.
Mostly mine is sharp pain but, it is because of previous Csection complications.

Try heating pads, lying on your side and stretching. The stretching actually makes it feel worse for a moment but after you are done stretching (at least for me) the pain subsides.