During pregnancy, a woman can experience a number of aches and pains. One of the more common types of pain in pregnant women is hip pain, which tends to occur most often in the third trimester, because the body is getting itself ready for labor. In most cases, the pain will be the strongest on whichever side of the uterus the baby is lying in. When you are pregnant, your body releases hormones that cause the connective tissues to relax and become softer, in order for the body to become more flexible in preparation for childbirth. Sciatica is also common in pregnant women, and can cause hip pain as well, and then there is also round ligament pain. No matter what the cause, if you are pregnant and experiencing hip pain, here are seven tips to help relieve that pain.

1. Pregnancy Pillow

A lot of women use a full-body pillow known as a pregnancy pillow to help relieve their hip pain. Often, pregnant women experience hip pain when they are in bed, because of a lack of support to the body in the pelvic area, as well as bad posture. A pregnancy pillow will adjust to the shape of your body, giving you great support for your back, stomach, and legs.

2. Side Sleeping

When you are in your final trimester and getting nearer to your due date, it is best to sleep on your side, with your knees and legs bent. Support pillows will help give you support for the upper legs and abdomen. If you do find that side sleeping makes your hip pain worse, try sleeping with a blanket or pillow placed at the lower back, which will help to ease hip pressure.

3. Heat Therapy

According to StemCellTherapy heat can help to ease a lot of aches and pains in the body, including hip pain caused by pregnancy. A heating pad or a hot water bottle can help, as well as taking a bath in warm water (make sure that the water is not too hot). Another option is to have a gentle massage that uses warm oil.

4. Rest

If you are on your feet a lot, it is going to contribute to your hip pain in the final trimester. It is important that you try to sit down as often as possible in order to rest the legs and hips, putting yourself into a position that will give you relief and leave you feeling relaxed and rested. While sitting or lying down, have your legs raised and use a back support.

5. Prenatal Massage

We touched on this with heat therapy. A prenatal massage by a trained therapist can help to ease a lot of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, including hip pain. The massage will help to relax the muscles, which is going to ease a lot of your pain. It also helps to make you feel more relaxed.

6. Swimming

“If exercising, walking, etc. aggravate your hip pain, you may want to try swimming or exercising in water. This is just as beneficial, if not more so, as other forms of exercised, but it is much less jarring on the body. Swimming can help to relieve pain, as well as strain on the joints, including the hip joint,” says an expert from Pain Physicians.

7. Pregnancy Belt

It is a good idea to start wearing a girdle or a pregnancy belt, because both help to relieve pressure, and can help to keep the hips stabilized. You may find that wearing one of these things is a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but once you get used to it, you will love how they help to relieve hip pain.