There are many aches and pains a woman may expect to go through while being pregnant, even before you get to the birth! So much so that women will often not seek to solve pains and issues as they come up, believing that pain is just part of the pregnancy package.

This isn’t always true, especially if pain is holding you back from normal activities like rolling over in bed or getting up out of a chair.

Common complaints women experience during pregnancy are Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction(SPD) and round ligament pain. SPD occurs because of increased stress on the pubic symphysis, which is a joint at the front of your pelvis that is involved in pelvic stability, walking and birthing, and forms part of the pelvic bowl that the fetus sits in. With this increased stress comes irritation, inflammation and pain around the pubic joint.

The Round Ligaments are two of many ligaments that support and stabilize the uterus to the pelvis. The round ligament attaches from the top of the uterus and travels through the groin(specifically the inguinal ring) and attaches onto the labia majora. So if you are feeling pain in the lower corner of your belly or groin, it may be due to excessive tension on the round ligament.

During pregnancy, the mechanics of your pelvis, abdomen and legs change and adapt to the ever increasing needs of your growing baby. The curve of your spine changes shape depending on stage of pregnancy, your stance becomes wider and more stable, and your uterus grows upwards and forwards.

The female body is wonderfully equipped to facilitate the radical changes that take place, though it’s easy to see how quickly this can lead to a pain for the woman. SPD and round ligament pain can occur because of dysfunctional mechanics or an imbalance of tensions in the pelvis and body as a whole. Osteopathic treatment can release restrictions in the pelvic joints, decompress the abdomen and improve the functional mechanics of the hips and legs to assist the body to adapt.

Osteopathy during pregnancy is aimed towards helping each woman’s body to be adaptable and dynamically balanced throughout pregnancy and into labour.

Please contact your doctor or midwife first if you are experiencing any of the following.

• severe constant or cramping pain
• fever and chills
• pain when passing urine
• bleeding
• a feeling of faintness

Osteopaths at ATUNE offer appropriate treatment for the wide range of complaints that occur during pregnancy. To find out more, contact ATUNE or book an appointment.

Article by Atune Osteopath, Katie Nancarrow.