Fire crotch, growing pains, sharp quick pelvic or abdominal pain, pulling through my belly… these are all ways my patient’s describe round ligament pain. The round ligament is a band of tissue on either side of the uterus that attaches the uterus to the pelvis and can get stretched during pregnancy. Most people experience this discomfort during their second and third trimesters, especially when their belly experiences a growth spurt. Rest assured, this condition doesn’t put you or your baby at risk - but it can be frustrating and painful for the mother. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, I can recommend a few things that should ease this discomfort.

Try using tummytape on your growing belly throughout the day, and especially if you go on any longer walks or are doing chores that involve lifting, like grocery shopping. tummytape is a gentle product you self-apply. It gently lifts the skin and provides increased local circulation, decreases inflammation and changes the brains perception of your belly which can decrease the pain. To get started with tummytape, check out our most-loved collections.

When you’re walking, avoid sudden changes in direction, and when you stand up from a seated position, just stand still for a moment before moving. This can decrease the sudden stretch felt through the ligaments that causes the pain.  If you feel yourself about to sneeze or laugh, bring your chest to your knees or your knees to your chest to avoid a sudden stretch. Avoid lifting too heavy and when you do lift something, imagine blowing out a candle as you lift. This can help engage your abdominal muscles.

Stretching your lower back will also help balance out the stretch you’re feeling in the front of your hips and belly. You can try the cat camel pose and the child’s pose to stretch out your lower back. Laying on your back and bringing one knee into your chest is another good stretch to try. The good news is that this condition is only present during pregnancy and shouldn’t bother you in postpartum. If this is something you think you are experiencing or want to know more about, I recommend reaching out to a pelvic floor trained physiotherapist near you and we would be happy to answer all your questions and create a treatment plan specifically for you!