We deal with many aches and pains during pregnancy, but perhaps one of the most painful and irritating problems is round ligament pain.  Round ligaments support your uterus, abdomen and pelvic area and can be painful as they stretch to accommodate your growing belly.  You will feel sharp or achy pains across your belly, in your groin and around your hips, though usually not all at once and most commonly when moving certain ways or after a lot of walking.

While it is painful, stretching of your round ligaments is usually not cause for concern.  The biggest concern is how to make the pain go away!  I have suffered from it much more this pregnancy than in previous pregnancies, and the following tips have helped bring me relief:

• Use a pillow between your legs when sleeping – this helps ease the pressure on your pelvis and allow your hips to relax.
• Wear a belly band later in pregnancy to help support and immobilize your uterus.  This is particularly helpful when the pain is more in your abdomen area.
• Try stretching your legs when you first wake up and periodically throughout the day.  Stretch one leg out to the side and lean in the opposite direction to help stretch muscles and tendons in your inner thigh.
• Walk regularly.  Once I started getting on the treadmill for 20 minutes a day, I really noticed an improvement in my round ligament pains.  My hips felt much more relaxed and loose as well, so walking in general became easier.

Round ligament pain doesn’t have to ruin your pregnancy.  Be proactive in stretching, walking and supporting your growing belly and you may not notice any pain at all.