Meralgia Paresthetica

Hello, I'm Rachael and if you're a mummy or mummy to be you might be sat there wondering what on earth is Meralgia Paresthetica and is it as scary as it sounds? It is actually harmless most of the time and usually goes away after giving birth but it is always best to consult your doctor or healthcare professional if you have any concerns during pregnancy or if you're feeling the same way i did.

From around 14 weeks pregnant I started to notice my outer right thigh was always tingly and numb to the touch. This came along with something i can only describe as an electric shock type pain when i moved from positions such as being sat down to standing or even just rolling over in bed.

I remember going to my doctor and saying it was really bizarre as i couldn't actually feel the outer part of my thigh yet i kept having these strange electric / nerve type pains. I actually went in thinking it could be sciatica and she said it could easily be confused, but because what i was feeling was localised to just my outer thigh it was definitely Meralgia Paresthetica.

From around 20 weeks pregnant my lateral cutaneous nerve in my groin was completely compressed by my growing belly causing numbness, tingling and a constant burning sensation which didn't go away until after i gave birth! Sometimes the sensations can be eased by gentle walking but for longer periods of time it made the burning felling worse.

I ended up having an emergency c section with my little boy who was born in March of this year and once my spinal had wore off i was instantly able to feel that part of my thigh again, as there was nothing pressing down on the nerve anymore and i was honestly rejoiced in hospital that after 5-6 months i was able to feel my leg again!

The doctor advised it can take up to 3 months after giving birth for this to go away but worse case scenario if it hasn't i could have tried physio to try and release the nerve. I'd honestly never heard of this condition before i was pregnant but its actually more common than you might think. On the plus side its only temporary and using a pregnancy pillow was a big hit for me at night, much to my husbands annoyance, as it took up most of the bed every night for 6 months.

I wanted to share my story so any other mum's suffering from Meralgia Paresthetica can have some reassurance that everything should return to normal after giving birth.

See below some suggested pregnancy cushions available:

• Cuggl Deluxe Maternity Body Pillow - Available from Argos

• Little Chick 4 in 1 Pillow - https://www.littlechick.london

• Dreamgenii Pregnancy Pillow - https://www.dreamgenii.com/

• Mother & Baby Organic Cotton 12ft - Available from Argos

A big thank you to Rachael for sharing her story - To learn more about Rachael & her family visit her Instagram page https://instagram.com/rachaelife?igshid=oj09aunypjwg

Share comments below!