Pelvic and hip pain has a way of making the simplest things hard — rolling over in bed, climbing stairs, getting out of the car, putting on pants. If your pelvis clicks, grinds, or stabs at the front, if sharp pulls catch the side of your belly when you move too fast, or if your hips ache no matter which side you sleep on, here’s what’s actually going on — and what helps.
The hormone relaxin loosens the ligaments holding your pelvic joints together — useful for birth, less useful for walking around beforehand. When the joint at the front of the pelvis (the pubic symphysis) gets extra mobile, it can cause pain at the front of the pelvis or groin, sometimes with clicking or grinding, typically worst with stairs, single-leg movements, or separating your knees. This is symphysis pubis dysfunction — SPD — also called pelvic girdle pain, and it’s far more common than most people realize.
The round ligaments anchor your uterus to your pelvis, and as the uterus grows they stretch. Sudden movements — standing quickly, coughing, laughing, rolling over — can tug them sharply, producing a brief stabbing or pulling pain low on one or both sides of the belly. It’s most common in the second trimester, startling but harmless, and typically settles within seconds.
Side-sleeping every night, a shifting centre of gravity, and hip stabilizer muscles working overtime around looser joints add up to deep, achy hips — often worst at night and first thing in the morning. The gluteal and piriformis muscles carry most of this load, and they’re usually where the tension lives.
Massage can’t re-tighten ligaments that hormones have loosened — no honest practitioner will tell you otherwise. What it does, and does well, is release the muscles working overtime to compensate: the glutes, piriformis, hip flexors, and low back that clench around an unstable pelvis and generate much of the day-to-day pain. Easing that muscular guarding reduces pain, improves how you move, and often improves sleep — all delivered in supported side-lying positioning that keeps your pelvis comfortable throughout. For SPD specifically, massage pairs well with pelvic floor physiotherapy, which addresses the stability side of the problem while massage handles the tension side.
When to call your care provider
See your doctor or midwife promptly if pelvic pain is severe enough to seriously limit walking, if pain comes with bleeding, fever, or regular tightening that feels like contractions, or if what seems like round ligament pain lasts more than a few minutes or keeps intensifying. Pelvic pressure that feels like the baby is pushing down before 37 weeks also warrants a same-day call.
Your appointment starts with a conversation about where the pain sits — front of the pelvis, hips, low back — and what movements set it off. You’ll settle into supported side-lying positioning with your pelvis kept comfortable and level, and your RMT will work through the glutes, hips, and surrounding muscles, adjusting depth to what your body allows that day. Treatment is covered by most extended health plans in BC, and you can book online any time.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about symptoms that concern you.
Related guides
Pelvic pain rarely travels alone. If pain shoots down the back of your leg, read our guide to pregnancy sciatica. If your lower back is carrying the load too, see easing pregnancy back pain — or start with the complete guide to prenatal massage in Vancouver.
If you’ve never had a massage while pregnant, it’s normal to wonder how it all works. Here’s what to expect.
How do I lie on the table with a bump?
You won’t lie face-down. Sessions use comfortable side-lying positions with a full set of supportive pillows and bolsters for your belly, back, and knees — most clients say it’s the most comfortable they’ve been all week.
What do I wear?
Undress only to your comfort level — many clients keep underwear on, and some prefer to stay fully clothed for a modified session. You’re securely draped with sheets at all times, with only the area being worked on uncovered.
What if I need a break or a bathroom trip?
Just say so — anytime. Pregnancy bladders are part of the job, and your therapist will pause and re-drape without a second thought. The session is yours: pressure, temperature, position, and pace all adjust to you.
Can I come in my first trimester?
Massage is most commonly booked in the second and third trimesters. If you’re in your first trimester, check in with your doctor or midwife first — and mention it when booking so your session can be adapted appropriately.
Does insurance cover it?
Treatment is provided by registered massage therapists (RMTs), so it’s covered by most extended health plans in BC. Check your plan for your RMT coverage amount per year.
What is SPD, exactly?
Symphysis pubis dysfunction — also called pelvic girdle pain — happens when pregnancy hormones loosen the joint at the front of your pelvis, making it extra mobile and sore. Pain at the front of the pelvis or groin, clicking, and trouble with stairs or single-leg movements are the hallmarks.
Can massage fix SPD?
Honestly: no single thing fixes SPD while relaxin is still doing its job. Massage manages it — releasing the glutes, hips, and low back muscles that clench around the unstable joint and cause much of the daily pain. For the stability side, pelvic floor physiotherapy is the ideal partner; the two together cover both halves of the problem.
How do I know it’s round ligament pain and not something serious?
Round ligament pain is brief — a sharp pull or stab on the side of the belly triggered by sudden movement, easing within seconds to minutes. Pain that persists, intensifies, comes at regular intervals, or arrives with bleeding or fever needs your care provider, not a wait-and-see.
Is hip and glute massage safe during pregnancy?
Yes — it’s among the most requested prenatal work, done in supported side-lying positioning that keeps your pelvis comfortable and level. Your RMT screens your health history and adapts depth to your stage of pregnancy and how the tissue responds.
How often should I book?
For active pelvic girdle pain, many clients start with sessions every two to three weeks, adjusting with symptoms — hip and pelvic load climbs through the third trimester, so visits often get more frequent near the end.
Ready for relief?
Experience gentle, professional support for pregnancy pelvic and hip pain. Our therapists release the glutes, hips, and low back muscles that clench around an unstable pelvis — easing SPD, hip aches, and the strain of carrying it all.
Appointments are tailored to your needs and safety, with side-lying support and a calming environment. Booking is handled by our partner clinic in downtown Vancouver through their secure online scheduler — pick a time that works and you're set.
Where you’ll book
The guidance on this site is provided by Oceana Massage — a registered massage therapy clinic in the heart of downtown Vancouver, with RMTs experienced in prenatal care. When you’re ready, booking takes you straight to their secure online scheduler.
Oceana Massage · 119 W Pender St, Suite 114, Vancouver · oceanamassage.com
Common questions
The hormone relaxin loosens the ligaments that hold your pelvis together so your body can prepare for birth — but looser joints mean the surrounding muscles work much harder to keep you stable. Add the shifting weight of a growing belly, and the pubic bone, hips, and sacroiliac joints can all start to complain. When the pain centres on the pubic bone or makes stairs and rolling over in bed difficult, it's often called pelvic girdle pain.
Massage can't tighten loosened ligaments — nothing can during pregnancy — but it can ease the muscles that clench up to compensate: the glutes, deep hip rotators, inner thighs, and lower back. Releasing that guarding tension is often what reduces the day-to-day ache and makes walking and sleeping more comfortable.
Yes — the work is external, on the muscles of the hips, glutes, and low back, with you supported comfortably on your side. A prenatal-trained registered massage therapist knows which techniques suit each stage of pregnancy and adjusts pressure to what feels right for you.
Side-sleeping — the recommended position in later pregnancy — puts direct pressure on whichever hip is down, right when your hip joints are already working overtime. A pillow between your knees keeps the top hip from dropping forward, a mattress topper softens the pressure point, and switching sides periodically gives each hip a break.
If the pain makes walking, stairs, or turning in bed genuinely difficult, tell your doctor or midwife — pelvic girdle pain responds best when it's addressed early, and they may add pelvic floor physiotherapy alongside massage. If your lower back aches too, our pregnancy back pain guide covers that side of things.
Ready for more comfortable hips? Book a prenatal massage with a registered massage therapist.
