Hips hurt when lying on my side... any tips?

[SarahBear]

So, I have a big fluffy sleeping bag that I used so I'm not sleeping on a flat bed. If I sleep on a flat bed, I hurt. I use it mostly as extra cushioning, but some nights I HAVE to sleep on my back, so I use it to basically sleep sitting in a reclining position. I can't always sleep like that though and will sleep on my side. For a while, it was enough to have the sleeping bag for extra cushion and a pillow at my hips for extra cushion also. Lately though, If I sleep on one side too long, my hip hurts, so I switch to the other side. That's fine and all until that hip starts hurting and I switch back. I flip back and forth and sometimes it's a matter of choosing a hip that's uncomfortable over a hip that hurts. I also have a pillow that I use between my legs sometimes. I remember night time aches being an issue last time, but was wondering if anyone might have any tips for things that helped them.

 

[alexspargo]

Ugh, me too! I cannot find a compfortable way to sleep and I wake up because my hips are hurting all the time. I don't have any suggestions though. I think this is just something I have to deal with until baby is born

 

[ambertwogood]

Put a pillow in between your thighs/knees but only high enough to make your knee parallel to your hip bone. I think spinning babies website has some comfort tips on it too. But the pillow really helps me. Also leaning forward on your side where your belly button is down by the mattress helps take the pain and pressure off. You can sleep on your back, I usually prop myself up, but you will naturally change position when your bodies had enough, so don't worry about hurting baby. My doctor said it was OK, so I rotate from each side and then occasionally back. Or try sleeping in a recliner BC the pressure isn't on the back when your sitting propped up like that.

 

[hanni]

Yep, same! I've got no tips but stalking for some!
Can't lie on either side for more than 20 minutes or so without waking up and having to switch. Can't lie on my back or else I can't breath. Throw in the restless legs, indigestion and its safe to say I'm exhausted all the time. 😩

 

[ambertwogood]

Oh and they make these huge memory foam wedges to lay propped up on your back with support. They are a lot bigger than the little pregnancy pillow wedges

 

[Radkat]

I'm a back sleeper so sleeping on my side hurts my hips and shoulders. A pillow between my knees does help. Then I put another pillow under my other hip (if I'm lying on my left side, it's under my back/right hip), because I will end up on my back. My dr said it's fine. I'm usually more comfortable on my back with my hip propped up a bit, but flip all over the place all night.

 

[RebeccaR19]

I've been having the exact same problem for about 2 weeks now. I do find that a pillow between my legs helps the best. I also wedge an extra blanket under my belly and that keeps pressure off of my hips.

 

[SarahBear]

One thing I can be glad for in the sleep department is that my bed-sharing daughter has not been insisting on sleeping ON me lately. She goes through spurts of that. I also recently night-weened her because my sore nipples couldn't tolerate her lazy latching. Even when she was latched properly, couldn't take her CONSTANT nursing. My nipples are tender these days . She still nursed off and on from 5:30 to 7:30 this morning, but it sure beats what it was before I started refusing to nurse her in the night. She also seems to be adjusting to it. At first, she'd be crying out for milk and trying to claw her way in. The last couple nights, though, she didn't try until 5:30 AM. Still didn't appreciate that I didn't nurse her until she was out cold when nursing her to sleep.

 

[northern_me]

The only thing that helps me is to get up and walk. Which is no help at all, unfortunately.

 

[Surprise26]

I had a 30 degree wedge pillow ($30 from amazon). That kept me in a recline position. Otherwise propped a stardard pillow under one hip to relieve pressure. I can officially say that immediately after giving birth this morning, all hip pain is gone. Hooray!

 

[SarahBear]

I had a 30 degree wedge pillow ($30 from amazon). That kept me in a recline position. Otherwise propped a stardard pillow under one hip to relieve pressure. I can officially say that immediately after giving birth this morning, all hip pain is gone. Hooray!

That's good to hear! I don't specifically remember having issues after Violet was born, but I didn't know if that was really the case or if it was a fault in my memory.

 

[sweetcee]

I had hip pain as well as knee and ankle joint pain. My midwife told me to up my calcium intake and take a magnesium supplement at bedtime. Not sure if this is the same issue but it definitely helped. Still uncomfortable, but no shooting pain anymore. Maybe ask your OB/MW?

 

[amy8686]

I really struggled with this until I tried TWO pillows between my knees, and that's currently working for me. It does leave the top thigh too high, not perfectly aligned where it should be, but I've decided that's better than constant pain/numbness.

 

[SarahBear]

I actually haven't had any pain the last couple nights. I've adjusted how I use the sleeping bag for support, but I don't know if that accounts for the change. Seems like a minor change. I have no idea, really.

 

[MrsKChicago]

Sometimes a tiny change makes a big difference.

I've had hip pain for ages - I used to fall asleep on my side and then flip to my stomach, and I'm having a hard time just sleeping on my sides. I tried random bed pillows in various positions for support, and they didn't help. DH got me a Snoogle (a big C shaped pillow that goes under your neck around your shoulder, behind your back, and then between your legs) for Christmas, and it's made a huge difference. I added a little wedge pillow under my belly, and that's helped, too. I also realized a couple nights into using the Snoogle that I'm getting less pain if I don't use an extra head pillow, even though I'm usually only comfortable with two. I'm still tossing and turning, but I don't think anything will cure that in me, I'm just not a sound sleeper. But it's better now.

 

[horseybird]

I found putting a duvet rolled up on the mattress a big help. I folded a duvet three times and lay on that as well using all the pregnancy pillows. I'm 11 days since birth now and the pain from laying on my hips went as soon as I delivered. Hang in there xx

 

[hanni]

I found putting a duvet rolled up on the mattress a big help. I folded a duvet three times and lay on that as well using all the pregnancy pillows. I'm 11 days since birth now and the pain from laying on my hips went as soon as I delivered. Hang in there xx

I'm glad to hear it should go straight away!




I've discovered using my OH as a leg prop helps a lot. My OH isn't as impressed 😂

 

[Zephram]

With my first when lying on my side I put a pillow between my knees and then a thin pillow underneath my bump, so my bump wasn't falling onto the mattress but was instead resting on the pillow. This took a lot of stress off my hips.

 

[Phoenix82]

Omg sounds sooooo familiar!!
However my hip pain seemed to be worse on one side and I've realised it is ligament pain - I'm seeing an osteopath but it's a slow process.

I'm 32 weeks pregnanct and have been suffering since 10 weeks and a, struggling on this problematic sleep

I was told lying on cushions will make my pain more as the ligament will stretch out of place more

 

[SarahBear]

Omg sounds sooooo familiar!!
However my hip pain seemed to be worse on one side and I've realised it is ligament pain - I'm seeing an osteopath but it's a slow process.

I'm 32 weeks pregnanct and have been suffering since 10 weeks and a, struggling on this problematic sleep

I was told lying on cushions will make my pain more as the ligament will stretch out of place more

Well, I don't know what exactly was causing my pain, but this isn't my experience. I actually haven't been in too much pain since that one update where I explained that I was using pillows for support in a different way than before. I've had some discomfort on occasion, but no pain at night.