What is Lightning Crotch?
Lightning crotch is a very common sensation during pregnancy, especially toward the end. It is often confused with round ligament pain, though there are some distinct differences of which to make note. Women who experience lightning crotch describe the feeling as a sudden sharp or burning pain in the pelvic or vaginal area. Not fun! Round ligament pain is a more dull, aching pain that typically lasts longer than a second. While lightning crotch may happen at any point during pregnancy, it is most likely to occur during the third trimester. Unfortunately, the severity and frequency of lightning crotch varies among women. So if you were hoping to gauge when it would happen for you and how long it would last, I can’t help you there, my friend! Personally, I started experiencing it infrequently around the second trimester. It has definitely ramped up now that I am in my third trimester, and I have noticed that it happens more frequently when my baby goes through growth spurts. It helps to identify patterns like this, so that I can know what to expect and remind myself that it is temporary; it won’t last forever. A moment of pain for a lifetime of glory!
