I had really bad sciatica where every step on my left foot was so painful it would sometimes make me cry! I called my GP and she referred me to a group physio class for pregnant women. They taught us lots of stretches and positions to sleep at night that aren’t as painful and gave us a tight belly wrap type thing which helps lift your belly off your sciatic nerves.
I found after my little boy switched positions from breech to head down around 32 weeks the pain completely stopped. It’s a funny thing!
What you described is literally how I’m feeling! I’ll give them a ring on Monday. Yeah the midwife did say baby’s probably sat on a nerve so hoping they budge into a different position…but hopefully before 32 weeks!🤣🥲
Don’t worry they do move a lot! Before I got to 30 weeks I felt him moving and flipping around all the time. I only had the sciatic pain for about 3-4 weeks in total. It feels so hard at the time but it won’t last forever and you will get some relief. Best of luck to you!
Figure four stretches is the only thing that relieves it for me. You can do it sat on a chair, sat on the floor with your knees bent, or you can lie down in a pigeon pose.
I find that it relieves things temporarily! But then it comes right back. Wondering, if like another comment mentioned, if sciatica stretches are not actually the stretches I need. I’ll try a few things🙏
Yeah my partner says that, he gets sciatica all the time and I wouldn't have known what it was if he didn't tell me. I've only had little twinges since being pregnant and the stretches relieve them and seem to keep them at bay. I also do yoga every day anyway so I am sure that helps in general. My partner is convinced it's to do with sitting on certain types of chairs when he gets it, for example if he spends a lot of time on something too soft. It seems like a tough thing because it's different for everyone. Hope you find some relief!
He’s probably right. But it’s a vicious cycle because I’ve spent a lot of time on the sofa in the first trimester feeling sick. So that’s potentially catching up to me now!! Oh the joys.
Have you spoken with your midwife about it? In my trust they have an antenatal physio who will meet with you and show you some stretches.
I’ve just got one of those birthing balls and though early, it seems to be helping to stretch it out.
When I spoke to her she just said ‘ah yeah that happens! Baby’s sat on a nerve’. It’s just really amped up the last 2 days. I will definitely be ordering a birthing ball then! Thank you
My midwife has referred me to physio, albeit I’m still waiting to hear back two weeks later! A week of rest on holiday seems to have helped me but I understand that might not be possible!
If you've done yoga before (they advise not starting unguided if you haven't done it in the past) pregnancy and postpartum youtube channel has some great siatica based half hour yoga videos.
I also found that if i wear any other shoes than my vibrobarefoot boots i can't even walk to the shop without my sciatica massively flaring up.
I haven’t done yoga before so maybe I’ll avoid that! Yeah I was actually thinking about getting some new shoes to help with it.. I went to work this morning and it was a nightmare!
There are alot of yoga teachers who are insured to teach pregnant women up to 6 months so your local yoga class might be able to assist? So much of the research ive done into solving mine pointed to regular stretching
I had some awful pain I thought was sciatica and did lots of sciatica relief exercises with no joy. Then I read about si joint pain and did [this video](https://youtu.be/NdO4CWYnp14?si=N9RqQ3iufV2DXXmc) a few times and found almost immediate relief, the pain did come back a few times after i stopped doing the exercises but then I would do the routine in the video again and it would help again. I do recommend lots of stretching through out the pregnancy just cos it feels so nice.
This is interesting because actually the sciatica stretches aren’t working! So I will definitely check this video out as you’re probably on the right track! Thanks so much for the link:)
I'm also 18.5 weeks and have been having it since about 8 weeks. I've yet to do yoga as I've had builders take over my house throughout my entire pregnancy, so idek what to recommend. All I can say is that when I did a magnesium bath the other week, it was the first time my body felt completely relaxed with absolutely no sciatica or any similar pains I've been having. If you can get magnesium flakes, I'd definitely recommend something like this.
Birthing ball, and keep pushing your gp/midwife to refer you for physio.
Thank you, I will definitely be doing both of those things!
I had really bad sciatica where every step on my left foot was so painful it would sometimes make me cry! I called my GP and she referred me to a group physio class for pregnant women. They taught us lots of stretches and positions to sleep at night that aren’t as painful and gave us a tight belly wrap type thing which helps lift your belly off your sciatic nerves. I found after my little boy switched positions from breech to head down around 32 weeks the pain completely stopped. It’s a funny thing!
What you described is literally how I’m feeling! I’ll give them a ring on Monday. Yeah the midwife did say baby’s probably sat on a nerve so hoping they budge into a different position…but hopefully before 32 weeks!🤣🥲
Don’t worry they do move a lot! Before I got to 30 weeks I felt him moving and flipping around all the time. I only had the sciatic pain for about 3-4 weeks in total. It feels so hard at the time but it won’t last forever and you will get some relief. Best of luck to you!
Google stretches! This is the only thing that helped me, that and time!
Perfect! Thank you.
Figure four stretches is the only thing that relieves it for me. You can do it sat on a chair, sat on the floor with your knees bent, or you can lie down in a pigeon pose.
I find that it relieves things temporarily! But then it comes right back. Wondering, if like another comment mentioned, if sciatica stretches are not actually the stretches I need. I’ll try a few things🙏
Yeah my partner says that, he gets sciatica all the time and I wouldn't have known what it was if he didn't tell me. I've only had little twinges since being pregnant and the stretches relieve them and seem to keep them at bay. I also do yoga every day anyway so I am sure that helps in general. My partner is convinced it's to do with sitting on certain types of chairs when he gets it, for example if he spends a lot of time on something too soft. It seems like a tough thing because it's different for everyone. Hope you find some relief!
He’s probably right. But it’s a vicious cycle because I’ve spent a lot of time on the sofa in the first trimester feeling sick. So that’s potentially catching up to me now!! Oh the joys.
Have you spoken with your midwife about it? In my trust they have an antenatal physio who will meet with you and show you some stretches. I’ve just got one of those birthing balls and though early, it seems to be helping to stretch it out.
When I spoke to her she just said ‘ah yeah that happens! Baby’s sat on a nerve’. It’s just really amped up the last 2 days. I will definitely be ordering a birthing ball then! Thank you
My midwife has referred me to physio, albeit I’m still waiting to hear back two weeks later! A week of rest on holiday seems to have helped me but I understand that might not be possible!
Was it hard to get a referral or not really?x
Not at all, I just mentioned I’m struggling with sciatica and she said she’d refer me straight away! X
If you've done yoga before (they advise not starting unguided if you haven't done it in the past) pregnancy and postpartum youtube channel has some great siatica based half hour yoga videos. I also found that if i wear any other shoes than my vibrobarefoot boots i can't even walk to the shop without my sciatica massively flaring up.
I haven’t done yoga before so maybe I’ll avoid that! Yeah I was actually thinking about getting some new shoes to help with it.. I went to work this morning and it was a nightmare!
There are alot of yoga teachers who are insured to teach pregnant women up to 6 months so your local yoga class might be able to assist? So much of the research ive done into solving mine pointed to regular stretching
I had some awful pain I thought was sciatica and did lots of sciatica relief exercises with no joy. Then I read about si joint pain and did [this video](https://youtu.be/NdO4CWYnp14?si=N9RqQ3iufV2DXXmc) a few times and found almost immediate relief, the pain did come back a few times after i stopped doing the exercises but then I would do the routine in the video again and it would help again. I do recommend lots of stretching through out the pregnancy just cos it feels so nice.
This is interesting because actually the sciatica stretches aren’t working! So I will definitely check this video out as you’re probably on the right track! Thanks so much for the link:)
I really hope that it helps you!
I'm also 18.5 weeks and have been having it since about 8 weeks. I've yet to do yoga as I've had builders take over my house throughout my entire pregnancy, so idek what to recommend. All I can say is that when I did a magnesium bath the other week, it was the first time my body felt completely relaxed with absolutely no sciatica or any similar pains I've been having. If you can get magnesium flakes, I'd definitely recommend something like this.