Glute Pain In Pregnancy – Reasons, Remedies & When to see Doc

Being pregnant you tend to expect mild aches and pains after all you’re making a new life. But one thing you may not be expecting is glute pain in pregnancy. Although it is common, butt pain can hang around until your little one arrives, fortunately, there are ways to help ease your symptoms.

glute pain in pregnancy

What is  Glute Pain In Pregnancy

Glute pain is a common matter in pregnancy, a doctor can easily detect the reason & prescribe the proper solution.

The pains you experience during pregnancy can be intense. Conditions like sciatica, pelvic girdle pain, and hemorrhoids may appear as you progress giving you mild to extreme discomfort. Glute muscle pain in pregnancy can linger longer than you would like but rather than suffering for your whole pregnancy opt for at home remedies or talk to your doctor.

Pregnancy Discomforts

Our bodies are put under immense pressure when pregnant. Your body is transformed into the perfect host for aiding new life. Whilst your body is working hard it’s no joke that you take the strain of the extra hormones and weight causing pain and discomfort.

With your body working overtime your ligaments relax as your uterus expands leaving unique pressure points on nerves and joints. 

To be fair we have highlighted pregnancy to be a real pain in the butt but what we wish to examine quite literally is why women suffer from glute pain in pregnancy? 

Why Am I Suffering From Glute Pain During Pregnancy?

To diagnose why you may be suffering from butt pain can be difficult to pinpoint. We know everything is loosening up and your baby is growing at a fantastic rate but there are many reasons why you are feeling the dull ache in your backside. To examine this further check out many causes of butt pain below.

  • Hemorrhoids 

If you have hemorrhoids then you may experience pain or aching near your anus itself rather than in your butt cheeks. Veins and blood vessels can become swollen and enlarged when pregnant due to the increased blood volume and pressure your body is under. 

You can contract hemorrhoids if you strain too much on the loo which coincides with another common symptom of pregnancy, constipation. 

Hemorrhoids can appear as your body expands meaning that your second and third trimesters may not be the most comfortable. 

I was unlucky to be a receiver of these in my second pregnancy. I blame it on the fact I was moving home and probably did a bit too much, sanding and painting is not a job for you if you are pregnant that’s for sure!

I feel it was my body’s way of saying “Hey, I’m already working overtime, take it easy.” For me, hemorrhoids themselves weren’t particularly painful but annoyingly uncomfortable.

Other symptoms of hemorrhoids include:

  • Itching around the anus
  • Aching pains
  • Feeling sore 
  • Bleeding after pooping
  • Lumps can form on the inside or outside of your anus.
  • Sciatica

The dreaded compression of the sciatic nerve can leave you in mild to moderate pain starting from your lower back and going through your glutes and down your thighs.

Anyone regardless of pregnancy can suffer from sciatica but add in a growing fetus and an expanding womb and hey presto there’s your reason for the pain in your butt. 

Symptoms of Sciatica are very different from that of hemorrhoids, look at the list below:

  • Aching in the lower back, butt cheeks, and/or thighs.
  • Burning sensation in legs
  • Feeling the need to stretch 
  • Painful to transition from sitting to standing.
  • Pelvic Girdle Pain

Another delightful side of pregnancy is pelvic girdle pain. This pain begins in your pelvis. Ligaments and joints are affected by hormones allowing them to increase in elasticity. 

This doesn’t mean you are now more flexible, but it does mean you could be the bearer of some excruciating pain.

Your bump is still growing and as more pressure is added your pelvis can cause pinched nerves resulting in pain.

Some symptoms of PGP are listed below:

  • Painful to walk
  • Grinding feeling in your hips
  • Painful when having sex
  • Discomfort when walking, standing, or sitting.
  • Transitioning movements becomes difficult without sharp pains.

As you can see PGP symptoms can be closely linked to the symptoms of Sciatica which is why you may get a misdiagnosis. The main difference is that PGP affects your whole pelvis, not just your butt.

  • Contractions

Lastly, there’s the winner, the one thing that you have been anticipating for 40 weeks. The start of labor. 

Genuine contractions can cause glute pain during pregnancy and are most likely to happen as you are nearing the end of your pregnancy. A hormone is signaled to the uterus to make it contract and whilst we cannot even begin to describe what this will feel like for you we can give a vague indication of what you may expect.

Your bump itself will become solid during every contraction. Each episode should have a pattern and pains will get closer and become longer if you are genuinely in labor. 

During my first pregnancy I had the pleasure of laboring in my back. It started with intense pressure in my lower back that got worse as I progressed into established labor. 

If you suspect that the pain you are contracting then it’s a good idea to time them. If they are in a rhythmic pattern and becoming more intense then phone your doctor. You may be meeting your baby sooner than you think. 

How To Relieve Glute Pain During Pregnancy

The one thing we can all agree on is no matter what is causing your pain in the butt you wish to seek relief without harming your baby.

Pain in glutes during pregnancy is so common but it doesn’t mean you have to suffer. To get relief you will first have to identify what is causing your pain, a doctor can diagnose you based on your symptoms you describe so ensure you give concise clarity when seeking advice.

To get relief from hemorrhoids you can buy creams and ointments to soothe your swollen veins. Be sure to check the safety precautions as many may not be suitable for women who are expecting. 

Using a more natural approach can also be soothing, things like taking a warm bath, not straining when having a bowel movement, and increasing fiber in your diet will all naturally aid your anus to better bum health.

If Sciatica is your issue then you can perform pregnancy safe stretches. Medical News Today has amazing techniques for you to follow. These can also help Pelvic girdle pain but also using support aids like a bump band can support the extra weight you are carrying. 

When To Ask A Doctor

It is always a good idea to keep your doctor in the know with any new pains or niggles, they can recommend pregnancy safe pain relievers to take the edge off but you must certainly get examined if you are suffering from any of the following:

  • Constant pain 
  • Significant blood loss
  • A gush of liquid which could be your waters. 
Wrapping Up

To conclude, glute pain in pregnancy is a part of the rough side of pregnancy but symptoms reside once you have had your baby. 

Without the pressure of the uterus bearing down on ligaments and nerves you can expect relief fairly quickly. 

Hemorrhoids however can stick around for a while after you have had your baby but what can you expect? You have done a little more straining than you’re used to, to get your watermelon sized baby out of your grapefruit sized vagina. 

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