REALLY painful stomach « Back to Group Discussions

[mamaharrison]

ladies, I have been in terrible pain the last few weeks and I am at the point of being out of my mind now with this....

I had a BIG belly with DD, but I didn't carry this far out front and never got a stretch mark despite a 55lb weight gain. I don't know what I have gained this time {don't weigh myself}, but DH and I both agree that it certainly isn't more and likely is less than with DD, yet, this time around I am so far out and got a bunch of stretch marks early on that have grown considerably in the last month. My belly button is flattened and my poke out if I go 4 weeks of more {with DD I remained an innie the whole time}. I deal with SPD and did with DD, too, and so am not unfamiliar with pelvis pain and have had round ligament pain, too, but this is different!

My belly is so painful and sore that it feels like it is on fire all the time. It hurts to have the weight of a shirt on it let alone to brush against a surface or have my DD accidentally knee me in the night. It is sooooooooooo painful that I cry daily about it. DH seems to think it is from the stretch marks--I am in too much pain to trouble shoot this myself {worst patient ever!}. If I could give a visual of what it feels like you would see terrible black and blue bruising all over my belly--that's how it should look based on how it feels! It hurts when baby moves or kicks, too--so not just from the outside, but from the inside, too.

So....is this from stretch marks?! any other thoughts? Can I rub arnica gel on it? DO I have a hernia?! TOrn muscles? Uterine infection that is making me tender?! Anyone else experience this level of pain from just stretch marks or was it something else?

help me trouble shoot this please! I am miserable.

[purposefuldoula]

Dana!! first of all, sending you big hugs without our bellies touching!!  Second, I had my visit last night with my mw and we were trying to brainstorm why I have so much pain. and we really didn't come up with a whole lot. One thing though, that I think is pretty true, is that we are stretching a lot sooner than the times before because our bodies remember what it's like to be pregnant.  Of course this doesn't happen with every pregnant woman, like my friend who just had her 5th baby and has never had a braxton hicks contraction! But, I find it's true for a lot of my friends and me. Also, my mw was wondering if all of the magnesium I'm taking is leaving my muscles so relaxed, (especially while I'm sleeping,) that they are getting sore from not being engaged as much.  Wearing a maternity belt or a faja has been really helpful on how I'm feeling. I can't go grocery shopping or to the park without one. In fact, I just leave my belt in the car, since when I'm at home, I just hang out at the kitchen table, on my ball, or on the couch. 

Also, are you having any distocia in your abdominals? That could be a source of pain as well. We checked mine yesterday but I was still alright down there. 

One thing that I am dealing with is low iron, and I'm trying to get that back up. Since low iron can be a source of lots of problems, I'm thinking that I'll be feeling a little bit better after it goes back up. 

I hope you feel better!! We are almost in the homestretch!! 

[purposefuldoula]

Also- almost forgot to mention this- all of the pubic pain I'm having is mostly from this little guy not engaging in my pelvis. His head is pretty much resting on the TOP of my pelvis, where it joins. NOT COOL dude!!! I keep telling him not to be afraid to go into my pelvis, but I'm sure that won't happen until I go into labor.... 

[Lilac11]

Sometimes I have a "black and blue" burning surface pain that feels like it is not my uterus and not my skin but between the two - for this reason I have always assumed it was my ab muscles.  For me: top of bump only, and only a few inches across and only for a few hours here and there - but when I have this pain it reallllly hurts so I sympathize.  Hope you can get some relief and an explanation!

[mamaharrison]

Thanks ladies for the sympathy, love, and suugestions. 

Natalie--I wish I could find a support band that worked for me, but I have given that up. I am not an easy woman to fit @ 5'11'' and 250ish pounds. They just don;t make things that are proportioned for me--those belly bands are like rubber bands around me and they tend to hurt more than help anything. Tried all of my wraps, but i just end up having pain in my shoulders from having to tie so tightly in order to get any kind of lift out of it. So, yea...that would seem to help, but isn't an option :( but even still....i am not sure I could handle the compression on my skin because it is that sore. I don't think it is the magnesium, i took this much in my first pregnancy too and didn't have this effect. I haven't seen MWs in almost 4 weeks {missed an appt in the middle} so I haven't discussed it with them yet :( I think my kid is doing the same hover that yours is doing right above the pelvis! 

[sweetestday]

Is it more your skin or your muscles that hurt? My skin hurts when it stretches, and I've found sugar scrubs and vit E oils help a lot. I never got stretch marks with my first, either, but with my second baby I was full of them.

[esp831]

Oh mama, this sounds tortuous, I'm sorry!  I've been brainstorming, and this is the only thing I can come up with.  While pg with DD2 (early on) I strained an abdominal muscle while exercising.  Although it healed, once I got to be about 6 months pg, it became more and more painful in that area and the surrounding tissue, muscle, and skin was on fire!  I did not have any stretch marks at that spot, but I think the unhappy muscle nerves radiated outward.  It was miserable, and I distinctly remember my shirts making that area super uncomfortable.  It was worse after I ate (muscle stretching).  Maybe yours is also a muscular issue?  I did not have it with DD1, who was a bigger baby, so I can't explain size into it either.

I hope you find some relief soon! 

[mamadiamond]

sounds like irritated/inflamed muscles. i have had this a few times when i've strained trying to get out of bed or pick up dd wrong, though nothing as bad or long lasting as what you're describing. i'm also carrying much farther out this time and have noticed my abdominal muscles being a lot more touchy and i have to really be careful about how i move. which is easier said than done with a toddler!  i would definitely try arnica and also cold packs if you have any (i've got a big cloth bag full of dry beans that i put in the freezer because it gives relief without being too cold).

[mamaharrison]

Thanks ladies. It isn't muscles--it is my skin and my facsia {connective tissue} underneath. It is from the stretch marks, for sure. I happen to have very toned abs so it isn't separation or hernia  {I would not have thought that, but after speaking with MW, my massage therapist, and my chiro I guess I can accept that}. So, after much exploring and trouble shooting with them and myself {I am an LMT, so it is very frustrating when I am in pain and can't figure out why} I have decided to do some kinesio taping over my belly to see if that can get my some relief for the remaining time I have. I started using arnica gel, soaking my belly in warm epsom salt baths, and using a hot water bottle over the area all day yesterday and notice a significant improvement today/this morning. Also, using lavender EO as a pain reliever topically has been working, too. 

Thanks for all your thoughts and sympathies <3

Can't wwait for this babe to come earthside!

[phatchristy]

Maybe some unrefined coconut oil as well to kind of soothe the area?

I got most of my nasty stretch marks with my second pregnancy.  UGH.  Have not had any new ones since that one.  Just the way she 'hung out' that time.  Sigh.