Things You'll Need:
- An obstetrician and/or midwife, or other childbirth professional
-
Step 1
A woman who already has tailbone pain prior to becoming pregnant should consider completing any testing or treatments for this condition prior to becoming pregnant. One reason for taking care of this prior to the start of pregnancy is that some tests and treatments for tailbone pain can not be safely performed during the pregnancy.
-
Step 2
A woman should inform her obstetrician (and any involved midwife or other childbirth professional) if she has any has a history of previous tailbone injury or any symptoms of tailbone pain, aching, soreness or discomfort.
-
Step 3
Similarly, if any of these tailbone symptoms develop or worsen during the pregnancy, it is wise to keep the health care team informed of this.
-
Step 4
Female Pelvis and CoccyxUnderstand that the tailbone (coccyx) is the lowest part of the spine, and it angles forwards in towards the pelvis. This can create pressure on organs within the pelvis. The tailbone can also narrow the birth canal that the baby will pass through during childbirth (labor and delivery).
-
Step 5
Note that many medical radiology tests such as x-rays and CT scans (CAT scans) are typically avoided during pregnancy since they would cause radiation exposure to the baby (embryo, fetus).
-
Step 6
Be careful about the medications that you take for tailbone pain. Pregnant women should avoid taking NSAIDs (“nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" such as ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, naproxen, Aleve, aspirin, Bufferin, etc.) unless your doctor tells you to. Follow the same advice for stronger pain medicines containing any opioid (narcotic) substance (such as ****, Darvocet, OxyContin, oxycodone, morphine, etc.). These medications can sometimes cause problems with the baby or with delivery. Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be allowable. Discuss these choices carefully with your healthcare professional.
-
Step 7
Consider using seat cushions that put less pressure on the coccyx. These include wedge cushions (which have a triangle wedge-shape cut out so that the coccyx does not contact the cushion there) and donut cushions (which have a hole in the center). For details, please see my other eHow article on “How to Choose a Coccyx Cushion.”
-
Step 8
Avoid sitting on surfaces that worsen the tailbone pain (e.g. hard surfaces versus soft surfaces). Also, avoid prolonged sitting. Find the sitting position that is most comfortable for you.
-
Step 9
Consider ways to decrease pain without medications, such as soothing baths, local icing, or relaxation techniques.
-
Step 10
The pregnant woman may wish to consider planning to deliver the child by cesarean section, rather than having a vaginal delivery through the birth canal. Obviously, this needs to be discussed with the obstetrician and/or midwife to reach some understanding, to have a mutually agreed-upon plan, as well as a backup plan if necessary. Important factors could include the severity of the tailbone pain, the nature of any underlying tailbone injury, any history of tailbone difficulties during previous deliveries, and the size of the baby (fetus) relative to the size of the woman's pelvis.
-
Step 11
Web Search for Tailbone DoctorIf tailbone pain persists after pregnancy, it is important to inform the health care provider and consider finding an appropriate specialist to evaluate and treat this. Ideally, the evaluation and treatment should be done before the condition sets in and becomes chronic. Also, it would be best to have the evaluation and treatment completed prior to any subsequent pregnancy.
