Hilary Duff Says She Has ‘Lighting Crotch’—Which Is Actually a Common Pregnancy Pain

We are so in love with Hilary Duff’s positive, unfiltered, honest approach to pregnancy and motherhood. The Younger star, who shares son Luca with her ex, Mike Comrie, and daughter Banks with husband Matthew Koma, is currently expecting her third child. And though by baby number three she’s definitely a prenatal veteran, every pregnancy is different, and this one includes a not-so-fun surprise: lightning crotch.

Duff revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, currently guest-hosted by Brooke Baldwin, that while this has been the “best” pregnancy of the three, she’s also dealt with brief but intense bursts of pain right where the kid comes out. “I texted my midwife the other day and I was like, ‘What’s up with the stabbing pains in my vagina? I’m not feeling this,'” said Duff. “It feels awful, like you’re being struck by lightning. And she just wrote back and she was like, ‘Oh, lightning crotch,’ like it was no big thing. And I was like, ‘This is quite traumatic.’”

“It’ll just strike and all of a sudden you’re, like, doubled over and then it’s gone,” she continued. Duff explained that as the body gets ready for labor, the baby drops lower, “so you can actually breathe…fill your lungs up with air, which I haven’t been able to do in months, but you get stabbing pains in your vagina.”

Hilary Duff isn’t alone. “Lightning crotch” is a pretty common third trimester issue, which is unfortunate for sufferers but comforting overall. Moms-to-be, it’s not just you! According to What to Expect, there is no clinical term for these painful pelvic symptoms, but thankfully, they are not a sign of any illness or distress. To relieve the pain, try wearing a support garment or finding a comfortable position. And if the “lightning strike” lasts longer than a few seconds, or is accompanied by another symptom, check in with your doctor.