Pelvic pain, also commonly known as PGP, isn’t a condition that poses any danger to the baby, but it can be very irritating and painful for the mother, especially when trying to sleep or rest.
Luckily, there are a few different methods of treatment that can help ease some of the pain that can come as a result of PGP, but since it will usually last for several months, and can extend even after the child is born, it’s important to know how to manage it in the meantime.
It’s crucially important to get enough sleep while pregnant, otherwise, it could lead to health complications including high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, so it’s always worth knowing the best ways to keep yourself comfortable while in bed.
Here are the best methods for treating pelvic pain (see also: Can Meditation Be Used To Treat Pelvic Pain?)so that you can get a good night’s sleep without tossing and turning until the early morning.
How To Treat Pelvic Pain
Most doctors will refer patients suffering from pelvic pain to a physiotherapy service which specialises in resolving obstetric pelvis joint problems by relieving or easing the pain and improving muscle function around the pelvis.
Physiotherapy often involves exercises that can help to strengthen the pelvic floor, stomach, back and hip muscles. These exercises are specifically designed to be easy to perform for pregnant women so that they aren’t too demanding.
They will also usually offer medical equipment which can help to alleviate the pain while you are active during the day, such as crutches and pelvic support belts.
Antibiotics and painkillers may also be prescribed which can help to ease the pain during the pregnancy while the pelvic floor muscles heal.
How To Ease Pelvic Pain While Sleeping
There are a few different methods you can try to help deal with the irritation of pelvic pain while you sleep.
Keep in mind that you should use these methods alongside medication or physiotherapy so that the pain can disappear, rather than simply relying on these methods alone.
Here are some of the best ways to remain comfortable while sleeping when you have pelvic pains.
Adjust Your Sleeping Position
Try switching from your usual sleeping position and find one that feels a lot more comfortable and easier on your lower back and pelvic area.
For example, one comfortable position is lying on your side with a pillow between your legs.
This will take all of the weight away from your pelvis so that you don’t harm it any further, while the pillow will provide extra support for your pelvic and back muscles.
Sleeping with one or two bent knees is also a popular position that can help to alleviate some stress and weight from the pelvic area, so it’s well worth experimenting and seeing which positions feel the most comfortable to you.
Exercise During The Day
Of course, you don’t want to be undergoing any demanding and strenuous exercises while you’re pregnant, but a few light exercises that provide some flexibility to your pelvic area can help ease the pain a lot when it’s time to get into bed.
The pelvic tilt is one of the best exercises you can do for this. Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent. Focus on tightening your abdominal muscles, and slowly push out your pelvis.
Hold this for 10 seconds, and repeat it up to 10 times.
This is an easy way to make your pelvic floor a little more flexible so that it won’t be as irritable when sleeping later on.
Try Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Cognitive behaviour therapy helps to change the way we think about certain actions and habits, so when it comes to sleep, it can help adjust our mind so that it knows exactly when to shut down for the day so that we aren’t constantly thinking about irritations in the body.
It is a medical practice often used to treat people suffering from insomnia, but it can work just as well for people struggling to sleep due to an illness or injury.
There are five stages of CBT in relation to sleep, these are: sleep consolidation, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, and relaxation techniques.
This form of treatment usually takes between 6 and 20 sessions, but once it is completed, the person’s mind and body will be much more accustomed to sleeping at a specific time rather than staying awake for hours on end due to pelvic irritation.
Take A Warm Bath Before Bed
When you soak in the bath, the water’s buoyancy will help to relieve the baby’s weight, which very often can be the underlying cause of pelvic pain (see also: Can A Yeast Infection Cause Abdominal Pain And Bloating?)for most pregnant women.
Therefore, it can be a helpful method for easing the pain. Just make sure that the water is never extremely hot as this could end up harming the baby.
If the water is scalding, this is how you will know it’s too hot, so insert a little more cold water until it’s lukewarm.
Wear A Pregnancy Belt In The Day
While it’s not advised to wear pregnancy belts while sleeping, they are extremely useful during the daytime because they are an accessory that helps to support the belly’s extra weight that may be putting too much pressure on the pelvis area.
These belts tend to be very accessible and affordable, and it’s usually best to start wearing them in the second trimester, although some women will wear them throughout, and even after the pregnancy.
Getting into the habit of wearing a pregnancy belt will allow you to feel much lighter and far more comfortable when sleeping.
Summary
Pelvic pain can often last for several months, and even after the mother has given birth, so it’s essential to take measures to alleviate the pain not only in the daytime but especially when you go to sleep.
Getting a good night’s sleep is especially important for pregnant women since it can help avoid (see also: 5 Foods To Avoid At Night (According To Ayurveda Diet))the risk of any serious health issues, and will also elevate the person’s mood tremendously the next day.
So, try out a few of these methods, and you’ll be resting comfortably again in no time at all.
I'm Clare, the owner and operator of Off The Couch, where I serve as a qualified Nutrition & Health Coach.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, I offer coaching services both locally and globally, providing personalized strategies in nutrition, stress management, sleep quality, and fitness.
My journey into this field began as I navigated my own chronic illnesses, including early menopause, Interstitial Cystitis, Lyme Disease, and hydrocephalus.
