SPD - tips on pain relief and can it be cured before the birth??

[RosieStrachs]

Midwife says I have spd - terribly painful groin, even when lying down. Better in the morning but come the evening, very sore. Would people recommend seeing a physio or acupuncture or chiropractioner? Any tips for helping it - can it be 'mended' in time for the birth (am now 25 weeks)? Is it still ok to swim (backstroke) and do yoga? Thks!

[lisad123]

swimming is good but not breast stroke. Sleep with a pillow inbetween your knee's. DONT move anything with your feet, push a trolly or pushchair where possible.

No hints on pain relief, but laods of hugs your way.

[pinkteddy]

Unfortunately I think only the birth itself will relieve it. Get yourself to physio - midwife should have referred you, most hospitals have a women's health team who specialise in this kind of thing.

Swimming good as lisa says and don't stand for too long. Could try a tens machine for pain relief. I feel for you mine was awful but the physio did help. Push for it. Good luck

[DumbledoresGirl]

Be warned, giving birth does not always cure it. I still have it (occasionally) 5 and a half years after last giving birth.

[Twiga]

Your mw should be refering you to a physio - push her on this next time you see her. Spd cannot be cured as such before birth (laxity caused by the hormone levels in pg) but can be massivly improved with the right physio support. I've had spd with all 3 pgs (currently 29 wks), was mild with dd but ended up on crutches with ds and feeling wonky for a couple of months after birth - support both those times was rubbish and with ds too little too late. This time have had earlier referal and am now seeing physio once a week. She's given me some simple excercises to do including pelvic floor and the diff in pain level has been huge. I'm seriously creaky first thing in the morning and you can hear my joints crunching, very painful but is def improving.

Things which can help off the top of my head - try to keep knees together when turning over in bed, getting out of the car etc - carrier bag on carseat helps with swinging legs round tog as makes seat more slidey. Do not sit with legs crossed or sit cross legged on the floor - try to use a firm seat where you can have feet tog flat on floor. Take paracetomal if you need to take the edge off. Also interestingly make sure you're resting plenty and not too stressed - my physio pointed out to me that tiredness/stress can all contribute to how much you feel pain, so be kind to yourself.

Insist on referral and if you can maybe phone mw rather than wait til next appt. Also don't worry about subs pg doesn't always follow that you will have it multiple times some of us are just unlucky.

[tkband3]

An osteopath will really help. Didn't have it myself but 2 friends did and both saw osteopaths and swore by them. Find one in your area here. Or if you are in or near London or Manchester try the foundation for paediatric osteopathy. They are a charity specialising in treating children and mothers-to-be and you only pay what you can afford.

[NappiesLaGore]

i had spd with last pg.
i took loads of arnica 30 tablets several times a day... and (luckily) hired a nanny to do all the chasing about after my two toddlers.
so arnica, and rest, and oddly enough, my spd got better before i gave birth.

[teasleepfood]

Physio is definately the way forward. You can also get a support belt from them to wear when walking to stop you wobbling too much. It is usually the amount of relaxin hormone making your ligaments a bit soft which allows your pelvis to move too much when walking - this extra movement causes pain where the pubic bones join at the front. A belt may not get rid of the problem but it will at least make you take small steps and so avoid making the problem worse. Things to avoid are any big onesided things such as stairs two at a time, kneeling down on one knee (you may already not be able to do this). Also try getting in and out of the car by sitting down first then swinging both legs in together (as if you were wearing a miniskirt and trying not to show your pants). The same goes for turning over in bed: keep your knees together and shuffle your bottom over, then let knees drop to the other side as you roll. I had 7lb twins and rotten SPD - the advice works, it's just hard to remember to be good when you still have a life!
Get thee to a physio girl!

[NappiesLaGore]

yes, ask for referral to physio, but ime all they can do is show you what not to do, which you know anyway owing to the crippling screaming agony you get the instant you try any of it...

[RosieStrachs]

Thanks for advice - am going to get a referral to a physio on Monday. In the meantime, a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea-towel between the legs (nice!) seems to be helping. Shame, it was going so well until now. If anyone tried acupuncture and found it made a difference, would be interested to know - will try anything! Also, recommendations on support bands would be great. Appreciate it...

[Fleecy]

I had physio during both pregnancies - didn't help much the second time to be honest. I did find it helped to sleep with a pillow between my legs and not to sit cross-legged. As lisa said, don't use a trolley and don't use a lawnmower or hoover either if you can help it (any excuse eh? )

I found a tight support belt round my hips really helped me too.

When it comes to the birth, I made sure DH and the midwives knew not to put me in any potentially damaging positions. However, after DS I had a third degree tear and had an epidural for the stitches afterwards. I went to sleep (figured I'd make the most of a bit of peace and quiet while I had the chance!) and woke to find my feet up in stirrups. Not sure how else they could have done the stitches to be fair but did find it took longer to heal that time than it had with DD when the spd went away very quickly.

[teasleepfood]

Oh, another tip if it helps, giving birth needn't be in the missionary position! This may be helpful to midwife and doctor but hell for your SPD. Try kneeling up and leaning forward over support, that way baby can come out with gravity and not too much strain on you. Anyway, that's a long way off...

[Fleecy]

Oh, also, when I saw the physio she said the midwives often refer people who can be 'fixed' before the birth. She said they get two types of spd referrals. The first are women who have had something move a bit inside with all the relaxin or whatever it is. A quick adjustment can put things right and leave them pain-free for the rest of the pregnancy. She said only very few women have true hormonal spd which can't be fixed and you would then have to wait for it to clear up after the birth, although it can be managed to minimise the pain.

So definitely worth asking for a referral as you might find you're one of the lucky ones and they can straighten you out beautifully

[NappiesLaGore]

TRY THE ARNICA
im fairly convinced it was what worked for me.
mind you, i thought raspberry leaf tea worked after my 38wk first... and all the tea in china wouldnt budge the second till 41 weeks

it is SO worth a try tho.
i had elasitcated bands but i sent them to mners when i didnt need them any more. cant remember who made them, but i got the co name off the phsio..

[RosieStrachs]

Slightly freaking out now! Cross with myself for not taking more care, but it just seems to have crept up on me - can't pin-point anything have done to cause it, other than perhaps breast-stroke swimming. Kicking myself. Oh well, these things are pretty common I guess...

[NappiesLaGore]

good god, birth in missionary position sounds hell... on your knees in a birth pool, tis fabulous. so much freedom of movement.

[NappiesLaGore]

you havent caused it rosie, it happens. even to me

[AbstractMouse]

Oh poor you I had this with ds, was a nightmare so painful. I agree with whole keeping your legs together thing, for me turning over in bed took about 30 mins lol. Hopefully your physio referral will turn up before you give birth (stupid hospital).

For me the pain subsided a hell of a lot when I gave up work, funnily running about after lazy Midwives for 12 hours at a stretch does your pelvis no good . The day after a shift I was good for nothing, crawling slowly to the toilet and spending a lot of time in bed (poor dd ). I didn't suffer at all in my first pregnancy, just occasional sciatica, so not every pg is the same.

I would see everyone you can afford whilst waiting for NHS referral, lets face it it's unlikely to do any harm.

If at birthing time you still have the spd, make sure it is written in big capitals on your birthing plan. If you have previously measured a "safe" distance for parting your legs, they should help you find a suitable position to birth in.

I have seen lots of women unable to move after birth due to spd, lots on crutches and in wheelchairs too. It's a very overlooked problem if you ask me.

[RosieStrachs]

Thanks for all advice. Saw an acupuncturist yesterday and that seems to have helped temporarily - plus the above stuff. Fingers (and legs!) crossed...