Early Pregnancy Hip Pain – Causes, Remedies & Prevention
Hip pain during pregnancy is a common symptom. Hip pain is most commonly experienced later in pregnancy- particularly in your third trimester- however, it can be experienced as early as the first trimester.
In this article, we will discuss:
- What does Hip Pain During Early Pregnancy Feel Like?
- What Causes Hip Pain in Early Pregnancy?
- Remedies for Hip Pain During Early Pregnancy
- How to Prevent Hip Pain During Pregnancy
- When Should I Contact the Doctor About Hip Pain in Pregnancy?
What does Hip Pain During Early Pregnancy Feel Like?
Pelvic or hip pain during pregnancy may feel like a dull, constant ache for some, while for others, it may feel like a sudden, sharp pain.
What Causes Hip Pain in Early Pregnancy?
The reasons why women experience hip pain can vary from woman-to-woman. Below are some of the potential causes of hip pain during pregnancy.
Your Growing Uterus
When you are pregnant, your uterus grows and becomes much heavier. This can cause pressure on your hips, which can result in hip and pelvic pain in pregnancy.
Hormonal Changes
When you are pregnant, the production of a hormone called Relaxin is increased. Relaxin does exactly as the name suggests- it relaxes and loosens muscles, connective tissues and joints in preparation for childbirth.
This can cause pain in your hips- as well as other bones, such as your jaw and hands.
Increase in Weight
Weight gain can put more strain on your body- particularly on your legs and hips.
As a result of this, you may experience hip pain.
Change in Posture
When you are pregnant, not only do you gain weight around your mid-section, but your organs also shift around to make room for your growing uterus.
Naturally, this causes your centre of gravity to shift, which in turn, causes your body to try and accommodate for this shift in your centre of gravity.
Unfortunately, your body may try and accommodate for the changed centre of gravity in a negative way- by taking on a bad posture which can disrupt your body’s natural alignment, ultimately resulting in pain in your hips.
Poor Sleeping Position
Pregnant or not, improper sleeping position can cause aches and pains throughout your body.
So, whether you are experiencing left hip pain in early pregnancy, right hip pain in early pregnancy, or pain in both of your hips, poor sleep posture may be to blame!
If, rather than left hip pain, you are experiencing left-sided stomach pain, our article Pain in Left Side of Stomach During Early Pregnancy can help to explain why.
A popular sleeping position for pregnant women is on their side, with a pillow between the knees.
This helps to widen your pelvic muscles, reducing pressure on your pelvis and providing comfort.
Poor sleeping position can also result in muscle cramping at 5 weeks pregnant.
Round Ligament Pain
Round ligament pain is common and normal in pregnancy.
As your uterus grows and expands, the surrounding ligaments stretch.
This can cause lower back and hip pain in early pregnancy.
Remedies for Hip Pain During Early Pregnancy
Hip pain is certainly one of the more unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to ease the pain.
Yoga
Light yoga could help manage pregnancy pain by loosening any stiff joints. It has a low impact and is gentle on the body.
However, you should avoid intense yoga poses with complicated forms while pregnant.
Some poses that may help relieve hip and back pain include:
- Child Pose
- Cow Pose
- Bound Angle Pose
Warm Baths
Having a warm bath can help your sore muscles and joints relax and has a calming effect on your nerves — it’s like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket.
You should take a bath in warm, safe water that’s between 98.6 and 100°F. If you want to know the exact temperature of the water, buy a thermometer to keep in the water — you’ll still need it when your baby arrives.
Very hot baths, hot tubs or whirlpools can increase your risk of congenital abnormalities, such as gastroschisis, spina bifida and anencephaly, so they should be avoided.
Massage
Massaging the area around your hips can help to relieve hip pain by reducing the tightness in the muscles around the hips.
Not only can this reduce the pain in your hips, but it can also make it more comfortable to sleep and move around during the day.
Pain Relief
If your hip pain is persistent, and will not go away, you should consult your doctor, who may prescribe you with some pain relief.
How to Prevent Hip Pain During Pregnancy
Hip pain is very common in pregnancy, but did you know that there are some steps you can take to prevent hip pain? Below are some ways you can prevent hip pain.
Practise Low Impact Exercises
Low impact exercises, such as light walking and cycling are great for your joints, and can help to reduce the strain on your joints, reducing hip pain.
In addition to this, low impact exercises can help to reduce weight gain and fix poor postures: two common causes of hip pain.
Maintain a Good posture
Whilst low impact exercises can help to fix bad posture, it is also important that you try to maintain good posture actively.
This means that if you notice your posture is improper, you should try to correct it.
You can do so in the following ways (as stated by Cleveland Clinic):
- Hold your head up straight with your chin in. Do not tilt your head forward, backward, or sideways.
- Make sure your ear lobes are in line with the middle of your shoulders.
- Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest forward.
- Keep your knees straight, but not locked.
- Stretch the top of your head toward the ceiling.
- Tighten your stomach, pulling it in and up when you are able. Do not tilt your pelvis forward or backward. Keep your buttocks tucked in when you are able.
- Point your feet in the same direction, with your weight balanced evenly on both feet. The arches of your feet should be supported with low- heeled (but not flat) shoes.
Wear Supportive Shoes
It is important that you wear shoes with good arch support and flat, supportive soles, especially during pregnancy.
Wearing supportive shoes can help to reduce postural problems and better manage your centre of gravity.
Rest
If you find that you are experiencing a lot of discomfort or pain in your hip joints, it is important to let your body rest.
Pain can be an indicator that your body is overworked and needs some down time.
When Should I Contact the Doctor About Hip Pain in Pregnancy?
Some hip or pelvic pain is normal during pregnancy, however, you should contact your doctor about hip or pelvic pain if:
- The pain will not go away
- The pain is severe
- The pain is sharp
My name is Louise and I am the Digital Marketing and Administrative Assistant at MyBump2Baby. I have been writing in the parenting niche for over 2 years specialising in fertility, pregnancy, baby and baby name support articles.