Pain In The Bump
This site is run by qualified, UK based Physiotherapists.
All recommendations on this site are 100% evidence based and are provided following reviews of clinical research which has been published on medical literature publication sites such as Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane and PubMed, which we, as Physiotherapists, have full access to. We do not recommend anything that has no scientific backing.
Where possible we analyse systematic reviews and / or Meta analysis research papers to help give us a better overall view of what works best for specific pregnancy related conditions and symptoms. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are often written by an independent panel that provide a comprehensive review of all relevant studies on a particular clinical or health-related topic or question, this helps to eliminate any bias and determine overall trends and patterns in statistics.
When you buy through the recommended links on this site we earn (a very small) affiliate commission. This keeps the site free of ads or sponsorships meaning that all advice is completely independent.
Common Questions We Get Asked Are:
Why does my thumb hurt all the time after having my baby?
This is more common than you might think. Thumb pain arises due to the sudden change in lifestyle that comes with a new baby. You might have gone from sitting at a desk several hours a day, to lifting a baby several times a day, its very different and your thumbs are not prepared. Check out our section on thumb pain or De Quervain’s syndrome for the answers.
Why are my heels sore every morning?
Another common complaint and we can blame change in lifestyle again. You have gone from sitting at a desk or walking around in your shoes all day, to walking around the house (often) in bare feet and you’re now carrying a growing baby in your arms most of the time, the impact through the heels is huge. Check out or section on foot pain and plantar-fasciitis for the answers to this problem.
Why do I have pins and needles in my hands at certain times and not others?
You may or may not have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome. Anybody can get it (although it is more common in women) but it is especially common in pregnancy. Increased fluid in the body can cause increased pressure on the wrists where the nerves pass through and this can give you pins and needles in the hands. It might wake you up at night because your circulation slows down as your heart rate slows, allowing that extra fluid to accumulate. Check out our hand and wrist advice section for what treatments can help relieve these symptoms.
Why do I have pain in my groin when I get out of bed?
The pain can be just when getting out of bed but it can also be associated with other movements like getting out of the car and going upstairs. The pain is sometimes referred to as ‘lightening’ crotch as it can be a really sudden / sharp pain. It is all to do with the pelvic girdle (the area responsible is referred to as the pubic symphysis joint). Check out our Pelvic girdle pain or SPD sections for more information on what can help these symptoms.
Who Are Pain In The Bump?
Hello! We are a small team of female Physiotherapists (from the North of England) who set up this site due to a shared interest in all things maternity, with the added bonus that we are all also mums.
We wanted to create a research-based platform for pre and postnatal ladies to come for reliable, medical advice and information, on any of their symptoms or ailments, especially those pesky aches and pains that just won’t go away.
As a Physiotherapist you always get asked a lot of questions, “what works best for ‘this’” and “what should I do about ‘that’” and “why have I got pain ‘here’”. Over the years we noticed that the same questions kept arising from the maternity community. They were either questions regarding their current pregnancy or following the birth of their baby but often they were related to difficulties caring for their new baby (or babies) because of the change in lifestyle that came with it. Things like; pains in their upper back when feeding the baby, pains in their wrists when lifting the baby, new low back pain that they’d never suffered with before, pain in the neck when trying to sleep, the list is long!
When we asked what they had been advised so far, the answers were always the same…..
“It’ll get better once the baby arrives”.
“Don’t worry, once the baby is up and moving around that will improve”.
“Just avoid doing that until the baby is born”.
“There’s not a lot that can be done while you’re pregnant”.
So, this was the motivation behind setting up ‘Pain in the Bump’. It is a site to help you answer all of the questions that regularly arise during and after pregnancy, that are not related to the baby itself (it can’t all be about the baby!!). Questions that are so often dismissed as just ‘short term issues’ are finally being addressed and all in one place, at the click of a button (because not everyone has a friend or family member that they can quickly ask these questions to).
Mission Statement
Our mission is to change the way that pregnant ladies and mothers of young children seek medical advice online. We want to give women more time to focus on their pregnancy and their baby than on their pain or discomfort, by providing reliable, up to date information and advice, 24 hours a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can message us via email or via our Facebook messenger button and we will get back to you within 24hrs. It will always be a qualified, Female Physiotherapist that messages you back. We can give advice and a proposed diagnosis based on your symptoms but we can not make it specific to you as that would require a full assessment with a full medical history discussion. If you are concerned about your symptoms at all, always speak to your own GP first, the website is for guidance and information purposes only.
The Physiotherapist who replies will give their name and can provide their Physiotherapy registration number (HCPC number) if required. You can check this number online via the HCPC website, this provides details of all qualified Physiotherapists working in the UK.
We use the biggest and most popular online medical research databases such as Pubmed, Cinahl, Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library. Some of this information is free to the public but some is for members only (we, as physiotherapists have full access to all systems).
No, we are all Physiotherapists and our expertise lies with treating the mother only. When it comes to your baby or related pregnancy conditions such as preeclampsia, always speak to your midwife or paediatrician.
Probably one of two reasons; either it is not something we can advise on as it needs to be treated or monitored in person by a healthcare professional OR it hasn’t been brought to our attention yet, in which case, please drop us a message so we can discuss it further with you.
No. Always consult with your GP regarding any medical concerns you have. We have provided treatment options on our site based on the most recent research available. These are things that you could speak to your GP or midwife about before trying. Not all treatments are suitable for everyone due to their own individual past medical history.
Absolutely, head over to our Facebook page and join our secure pre and postnatal ladies group. It’s the only time you get to talk about yourself and not the baby!