Hip Pain During Pregnancy: Causes, Relief & When to See a Doctor

Question
I am 22 years old and 36 weeks pregnant with my first child.  For the last week or so I have been experiencing sharp, peircing pains in my hips (like where they attach to the pelvic bone)that normally coincide with burning pains in what feels like my bladder when the baby moves.  I usually feel the pains in the evening after a long day, but sometimes they start as soon as I get up in the mornings.  I haven't experienced any numbness or stiffness, just these sudden shooting pains and burning that continue until I lay down. I have been sleeping with a pillow between my knees since I was 5 months pregnant because I know my expanding uterus is putting pressure on nerves.  Could it be that the baby is pressing on my sciatic nerve (or another nerve), and if so, why does it only hurt sometimes and not all the time.  And what could the burning be? By the way, baby is head down (don't know if that's critical info). I have been doing research to find out what this is and what could be causing it, but have been unsuccessful.  Please help.  Thank you!

Answer
It certainly sounds like you have Sciatica. The sciatic nerve is located in your back and the weight of the uterus causes sporadic firing of the nerve and shooting pains that usually radiate down the outer thigh or hip (sometimes all the way down the leg to the foot). Tylenol may help, or a heating pad or a warm shower. However, it will not really disappear until your deliver the baby. It is quite common and is nothing to be concerned about.