Understanding Pelvic Pain in Late Pregnancy: What to Expect

Question
I am 39 weeks pregnant. I just went to the doc today and he said that I was effaced 30% but that my cervix was only dilated to 1. I have been having extremely bad pains in my pelvis. It seems like with every pain I can hear a crack down there. I know that's not normal. I told my doc about this pain and he said that it was the way the baby was positioned. Today he said that she had not dropped all the way. So why the pain. Why do I feel like my pelvis is going to break at any moment? I have also been having some clear discharge every since this morning, what does this all mean?

Answer
I recommend scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor. It sounds like you may be developing sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which is when the joints in your pelvis begin to separate. This is actually completely normal for pregnancy- as hormones will cause these joints to soften to allow for birth- however, some women have more of a problem with this than others. A licensed chiropractor can help ease this pain as well as give you advice on how to carry yourself in order to help you. You may also want to invest in a maternity girdle, which can help ease the pressure on your pelvis.

Please let me know if I can help you further or with anything else.

Best wishes,
Helen =)