How to relieve pelvic pain in pregnancy
And why it might be happening to you
Pelvic pain during pregnancy is often brushed off as a normal response to the body adapting to a growing baby.
While it’s true that your body is undergoing significant change, and ligaments and muscles stretch as the uterus expands; severe, constant or debilitating pain isn’t normal – but relief is available.
Many common pregnancy discomforts – such as sharp pains in the pubic symphysis, deep aches in the hips and lower back, and restricted mobility or the ‘pregnancy waddle – are often signs of underlying imbalance in the body.
What most people don’t realise, is this pain commonly stems from misalignment and tension in the ligaments, muscles, and connective tissues that surround and support the pelvic bones and organs.
Why Am I Experiencing Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy?
The pelvis is the foundation of the body’s balance and movement.
If the pelvis is misaligned – there will be imbalance throughout the body above and below it, too.
During pregnancy, the pelvis also supports the additional weight of your growing baby and the changing postures and movement behaviours your body adopts.
This can exacerbate and amplify existing misalignment, or trigger new imbalances in the body.
When the pelvis is misaligned, it can have a ripple effect on the entire body. As baby grows, this misalignment can restrict the space available to them, increasing the likelihood of less-than-optimal foetal positioning—such as breech or posterior presentation. This can lead to longer, more difficult labours and a higher likelihood of interventions.
Several factors can contribute to pelvic misalignment during pregnancy:
- Hormonal changes: The hormone relaxin, which is produced in higher amounts during pregnancy, softens ligaments and joints to prepare the body for birth. While necessary, it can also exacervate instability and misalignment in the pelvis.
- Posture and movement habits: Carrying extra weight in pregnancy can shift your centre of gravity, causing you to overcompensate by adopting new postures that place additional strain on your pelvic region. Reclined positions, or positioning your weight unevenly (such as cross legged, leaning, carrying a baby on your hip, sleeping positions, even how you get in and out of your bed or car), can further influence pelvic ligament misalignment.
Previous trauma or injury: Old injuries or pelvic trauma (such as from childbirth, accidents, or surgery) can create asymmetries in the pelvis that may be exacerbated by the physical demands of pregnancy.
Baby’s position: A misaligned pelvis can affect the position of your baby, potentially leading to more pressure and discomfort, as well as a higher rate of complications during labour.
Relieving pelvic pain in pregnancy
By focusing on pelvic alignment and releasing tension in the supportive soft tissues, we can address the root cause of pain rather than just the symptoms.
In my practice, I support clients with pelvic pain utilising Internal Pelvic Release Work and external Pelvic Alignment techniques.
As soft tissue relaxes and the pelvis realigns, pelvic ligaments and organs return to more optimal positions, pain diminishes, and movement becomes easier.
Many clients experience not only pain relief but improved posture, more effective pelvic floor function, better sleep, and a greater sense of physical wellbeing and vitality overall.
Additionally, creating balance in the pelvis can have a profound impact on the labour and birth experience.
An aligned pelvis allows more space for baby to move into an optimal position for birth, reducing the risk of interventions and promoting a smoother, more efficient labour.
The Role of Pelvic Alignment and Internal Pelvic Release Work
The good news is that pelvic pain doesn’t have to be something you just put up with during pregnancy.
By addressing the underlying cause of the pain, it is possible to enjoy relief, improve mobility, and even positively influence your baby’s position in preparation for labor.
As a specialist in pelvic bodywork, I utilise techniques such as Internal Pelvic Release Work and external pelvic alignment practices like Spinning Babies® and Optimal Maternal Positioning to restore balance to the pelvis.
- Internal Pelvic Release Work: This gentle, manual and client-led therapy involves working directly with the connective tissues of the pelvis, through the wall of the vagina. Gentle pressure is applied to key areas allowing tension to release, in combination with the woman’s own breath. It’s particularly helpful in releasing the deep-seated tension surrounding pelvic floor muscles, which commonly contributes to pain, discomfort, and misalignment. By addressing these imbalances internally, we create more space and flexibility within the pelvis, allowing for greater comfort and mobility.
- External Pelvic Alignment Techniques: Spinning Babies® and Optimal Maternal Positioning practices focus on creating space and balance within the pelvis by using supported positions and passive stretches that restore pelvic alignment. These techniques also encourage more balanced movement, both in your body and for your baby, helping them settle into an optimal position for birth.
Pregnancy is a time of transformation and growth, but it doesn’t have to be a time of pain.
If you’re experiencing pelvic discomfort, it’s worth exploring whether misalignment or tension might be the cause.
Through pelvic bodywork techniques like Internal Pelvic Release Work and external pelvic alignment, you can find relief, restore balance, and prepare your body for a more comfortable pregnancy and smoother birth.
As a perinatal bodyworker and birth educator, my role is to support birthing families in making informed and empowered decisions about their birth and wellbeing. As part of this process, I want to share the latest evidence-based information, statistics and treatment options on a wide range of health conditions. And pelvic pain in pregnancy is just one complication I’m seeing remarkable results with in my practice. If you’d like support for pelvic pain and pelvic floor health, I invite you to book a consultation for Internal Pelvic Release Work.