DR has advised me to stop BFing - thoughts?

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

I have quite severe hip pain - part of the problem is that I was referred for physio 20 weeks ago now & still don't have an appointment.

I've been going to see a chiropractor twice a week for 20 weeks at £35 a pop. It does help - for like 48 hours and then it's back to being agony.

The Dr has suggested today if I stop BFing it will help as the hormone that relaxes my body will stop being produced and my hip will then stop being so resistant to staying where is should.

My son is 27 weeks now and has taken well to eating solids, he has three meals a day and BFs usually at 7am, 11am, 2.30pm and then has a bottle of either formula or expressed at 6.30pm. This does vary, he sometimes has more in the day depending on how hungry he is.

I would quite like to keep feeding him, mainly due to convenience but I don't have super strong feelings either way.

Is the GP right though?

[Liara]

He may be, he may not be.

The question you have to ask yourself is: if you stop feeding and your hip does not get better, how will you feel?

If the answer is you will just go 'oh, well' then it may be worth giving it a try. If the answer is you will be gutted, then you should try everything else before first.

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

I wouldn't be gutted, but I would be disappointed TBH. If it just stung a bit now and again I'd just muddle through, but it's agonising, it's much worse than any aspect of labour/pregnancy :(

Some days I cant get the baby out his cot immediately when he wakes and have to wait 5-15 mins or so. Other days I've had to cuddle him to sleep on the floor as I've got stuck down there getting him off his mat.

If I just knew when this physio appointment was coming it might be a bit more bearable, but the GP has no idea!

[McBaby]

I thought there was no evidence breastfeeding prolonged SPD pain after pregnancy.

[GentlyGentlyOhDear]

If I was ain that much pain and it was impacting upon other aspects of my parenting, then I would stop.
Could you cut down to maybe one feed a day and see if that makes any difference?

[KirstyJC]

If you are paying for private chiropractor help already, would it be possible to pay for private physio? Maybe one week miss the chiropractor and get physio instead? See if you can get an answer sooner, as 20 weeks is a horrendous wait - have you or your GP checked they have actually received the referral? (I got referred twice to physio and both times the appointment was within a few weeks, although I expect that does vary depending on where you live).

Also, I got SPD with both the last 2 of my 3 pregnancies - and it went immediately after the birth with both, despite BF for 21 months with the 2nd baby and still going at 2yo with the 3rd (although I do have some lingering sciatica). I also heard that there was no evidence that breastfeeding prolonged the SPD so maybe you ought to check that with the specialist physio before you stop BF, in case your GP isn't up to date with the latest research? Would be a shame to stop for no reason.

I jus googled quickly and found this information - not sure how accurate it is but made an interesting read: www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk/practical-suggestions/feeding.html

Hope you feel better soon.

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

I'l give that a go GentlyGentlyOhDear, if it doesn't stop the pain and I want to go back to BF alone there is still a chance that I could.

McBaby, that's what I thought? But more importantly I have very little pelvic floor control - I'm thinking that might also be causing the pain as my whole core muscles are essentially, fucked.

[MavisG]

Chiropractor doesn't know what s/he is doing: 40 treatments is ridiculous & would horrify an able practitioner. Yy to pp - no evidence bf prolongs it & anyway relaxin levels v low by now and with this level of bf - Drs can talk about bf as if it's the same at 2 years as 2 weeks. Pelvic Partnership (on phone, can't link) will send you list of chiropractors and osteopaths recommended by other SPD/PGP sufferers.

[5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs]

What mcbaby says, this came up on a bfeeding group on fb recently and there is no evidence that stopping feeding will improve the spd/hip pain.

I had SPD what helped was core exercises and wearing tight jeans/pant is control knickers to holkd my pelvis steady. It gradually got better and stopping bfeeding didn't make any difference.

[5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs]

Yes you need to improve your pelvic floor!!

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

Thanks KirstyJC, I had thought about going to see a physio but I don't know a good one and also I don't know what tpe of one I need as I don't know if it is the joint itself or my pelvic floor that is the issue? :/

My initial thoughts were to go for the GP referral and once I knew what was what then to get private treatment alongside that. I've also been looking for a postnatal pilates class, but having no luck. I live in Bristol too, not exactly in the sticks!

The more I think about it the more isolated I feel, it's so frustrating. :(

[stumpleton1]

another vote for stopping the chiropractor and using the money to see a women's health physio as soon as possible. maybe ask the doctor for the name of the local women's health physio. or ask the health visitor team/midwife team? it does sound like pelvic floor/core is the issue.

you poor thing, this sounds very hard to cope with.

re pelvic floor, I wanted to get mine strengthened up and am starting classes with this group soon (note I have no vested interest in it, haven't done the classes yet so cannot speak for the value/likely success of it. I just think it looks like a sensible approach to strengthen things to withstand functional movements... and a hell of a lot more fun than just doing squeezes)

foofoofunbox.com/

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs - ha, I know! But I cant :$ I feel squeezing but I'm not squeezing the right bits I don't think. I had a 3rd degree tear with no after care other than a check at 8 weeks to say it has healed ok.

[5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs]

There is a pelvic floor exerciser you can get on prescription, or you can buy it for £20. It was triasled via mnet and ius supposed to be very good.

www.pelvictoner.co.uk/?gclid=COiF5tn2u7YCFa3HtAodDg4Alg

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I had terrible SPD with my first, 9 years ago now, i was living in Saltford (midway between Bath and Bristol), I ended up pretty much wheelchair bound. I was put under the care of a physio (I think she was a specialist in pregnancy related physio issues but my memory may not be correct with that) at Bath RUH who initially just talked me through birth options but post birth completely sorted me out, it took four months of work. Initially she taught me very basics like how to get up off the floor. I'd get stuck just as you mention and litterally not be able to work out how I could get up.

DS couldn't suckle so I expressed to feed him but my hips were stabilised before I stopped expressing so for me the feeding wasn't an influencing factor.

[Runningblue]

You poor thing, that sounds awful, and truly crap still waiting for an nhs physio... I had spd which carried on after pregnancy, my nhs physio told me that breastfeeding can prolong the symptoms after birth, and, lo and behold, i had spd and hyper flexible joints until my hormones returned to normal (about 6 weeks after quitting bf) after bf for 10 months.

A lot of spd treatment is self help and awareness of how you align your body. I don't mean that to sound patronising, i found i kept the spd from worsening this time around by what happened first preg.

This leaflet i got from the hospital was v good with self help tips... Might be some useful stuff there? www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/patient_information/maternity/1047n1%20SDP.pdf
And agree with others to ditch chiropractor and have private physio

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

Thanks everyone, I got that fofofun thing, it looks promising, thanks Stumpleton1. The pelvic toner, I know, psychologically I could not use, but thanks 5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs.

WouldBeHarrietVane, I'm not very good with medical people. I just nod and smile and listen to them and come on here and ask for advice. I just find them very scary & intimidating! What kind of a consultant would I ask to be referred too?

Runningblue that leaflet is very helpful thank you so much. I do do most of it already and have a support belt thing, nothing helps it's just getting worse and worse :(

The main action that wipes me out is sitting/standing and any sort of leaning forward/bending. I literally can not get my baby into a car seat by myself. He weighs 20lbs, not your average 50th percentile 6 month old! I also can't bath him. I sometimes go in the bath with him and then someone takes him off me and then hauls me out after.

The pain is across the top of my right bum cheek, down the right top part of my leg, and in my lower back.

[Fazerina]

Hi! I have hypermobility syndrome, flat feet and had severe spd in pregnancy, which pretty much stopped after delivery. I'm currently still BFing my 23-month-old and in pain most of the time, but I think it's more to do with co-sleeping and lying in a bad position the whole night than breastfeeding.

I would also get physio and if the
wait for the nhs one is too long, just pay for a few sessions privately. In my experience, the physio sessions are not really required for more than a handful of times just to make sure you are doing the exercises in the right way and minding your posture. Once the immediate cause for the pain in your pelvis is corrected and you are able to strenghten your core, I'm sure you'll feel more comfortable.

I wouldn't give up breastfeeding for this reason, as I don't think the prolactin levels would be very high anymore with the amount of BF you mention. I would only stop, if it otherwise felt like the best thing to do for me and my baby. Hth.

[BaronessBomburst]

I had physio for very similar problems. It turned out to be a muscular problem which was sorted out in a few sessions. I'd been in agony on and off for over a year, and sometimes couldn't even walk. I had such deep knots and tension in my muscles that they were pulling my pelvis out of alignment and putting stress on my joints. My physio gave me a series of deep massages, and some exercises to strengthen everything up.

The prolactin/BF thing is a bit of a myth. There was some research which measured the actual levels. I'll try to find it and post it in the morning as I'm off to bed now. I think there may be some old threads about it too.

[ClimbingPenguin]

I was referred to a specialist physio for my pf. Similar circumstances to you and it worked great.

[pinkbear82]

When it comes to private Physio the clinic should have a Physio who specialises in post natal Physio. Lots of physio's are also trained in pilates and can offer advice on this too. Good clinics sometimes run their own classes. Some physio's aloe combine a type of acupuncture with treatment, if suitable, and this can really help offer relief of motors.

Call a few places and ask - good receptionists will be able to answer you and be you in quickly.

If you have private health cover check if it covers Physio - lots do and if so should also recommend clinics for treatment.

Nuffield hospitals offer private Physio, but a google search should provide you with local ones - all physio's have to be HPC registered and you can check this on the website - just in case you want reassurance of who you are seeing.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll find it useful - it can take time, but you should begin to feel benefits after a few sessions.

[pinkbear82]

Ugh, auto correct!!

There's an 'also' and 'symptoms' to replace random words!!

Off to do 100 lines of ' I must re-read before I post'!

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

Who have you been referred to?

Check that it is a womens health. I used to be a physio receptionist and we had physios that helped women with ante and postnatal issues. Their waiting listbwas never this long.

[Runningblue]

Like jamies magic torch, i was referred to a womans health physio- seen in about 4 weeks....

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

I've been referred to women's Health, got my letter today my appointment is 16th May. I got in touch with Spire Hospital & am just waiting for someone to call me back.

Fingers crossed it will be better soon. Is ice or heat better does anyone know?