SPD?

[Brighteyes]

Hi

I'm 30 weeks pregnant and in a lot of pain.
It feels like I've been kicked hard in the groin and the muscles running from the pubic area to the top of my inner thighs feel really sore. I also have a aching pain right at the bottom of my bump.

I'm having trouble with everyday things such as getting in and out of the car, walking up the stairs and getting dressed. The worst though is when I'm lying in bed and I try to roll over, its agony.

Do these sound like symptoms of SPD or is there anything else that could be causing the pain?

I plan to discuss this with the midwife at my next appointment but thats not for another 2 weeks so any advice of what it could be and ways to relieve the pain would be much appreciated

[busyalexsmummy]

It does sound like spd
*Try-putting a plastic bag on the car seat when getting in/out

*Ask your partner(if you have one) to help you get in out of bed, keep your legs together and ask him to lift your legs round onto the bed

*ask your partner to help you get dressed

*try a support belt-this helps some sufferers but not others, you can get them quite cheaply on ebay

*research it on the internet for postions to use and not to use in labour

*when rolling over keep your legs together


I remember the pain well!

[mogwai]

I have similar though milder problems at 24 weeks. There is no pain if I press on my pubic bone. Walking is fine. Turning over in bed makes me cry out loud!

I saw a physio, he wasn't an obstetric specialist and being a bloke, he wasn't about to start poking about my pubic area. He thought it was SPD. I spoke to two midwives this week, they both disagree and say it sounds more like ligaments stretching. Apparently I'm at the "classic time" for this to happen and it may start to clear up about 27 weeks.

So looks like you are a bit late for that? I'd advise you to phone the hospital antenatal dept, speak to a midwife and ask to see the obs physio. They may be able to treat the symptoms or give you a specially designed binder to minimise the impact, as the physio said to me, I think left untreated it can get worse, whereas it can be controlled.

The last post gave excellent advice, I'd also recommend sitting down to get dressed. Keeping legs together help a lot. You also need more chocolate, obviously

[tamula]

busyalexsmummy has it down pat, it sounds very much like SPD to me, I am a student midwife and we reccommend the same, keeping legs closed when manuovering yourself about and practising your pelvic floors, do them as much as possible as this helps to pull the muscle surrounding your pelvis back into shape thus lessening your pain.

If it gets worse insist on seeing your GP who can refer you to physio. Mild forms of SPD are very common in pregnancy and most women get a tad without even being aware of what it is. But its the severe cases that can be debilatating sometimes even resulting in hospitalisation and a c-section. So keep an eye on it and seek help if you feel its really ruining your life with pain and discomfort!

[pupuce]

It does sound like SPD.... I have found that osteopaths specialising in pregnancy are VERY effective at helping (unlike phsyios which is the traditional thing MW send you to as they are on the NHS) - we use to have a physio on mumsnet, she had SPD and she went to an osteopath ! Usually they are private though if you have medical insurance they would be re-imbursed. Physio are free.

Ask your MW if she knows a good osteaopath locally.

P.S. I had SPD twice so I know from personal experience also several fo my clients (I am a birth doula) had it and also found either physio useless or osteo fab.

[pupuce]

Tamula - Mumsnet had 2 years ago a woman who had a severe case of SPD, she was wheelchair bound (her London OB physio at Queen Charlotte and never seen such a bad case!) and she had a wonderful waterbirth !

[tamula]

I have SPD now, but quite mildly and I find the pelvic floors help me. My friend who had twins in August had it too and she had physio which helped her, aside from that I have no other personal experience of it.

I am s STUDENT midwife and I'm just saying what I have learnt and was told!

I'm sure to every comment posted on here there is a flipside or an opposite, we're just pooling ideas not being right or wrong.

[Nemo1977]

hi it does sound like spd..
i would phone ur midwife and ask for refferal to physio or osteo who can give u some easier ways to move and they also give u these nifty shorts things that look like cycling shorts..lol

it is a horrible thing but it does tend to disappear as soon as bubs is here...not much help i know
take care

[Brighteyes]

Thanks for all your advice ladies. I will get in touch with my midwife ASAP and see what she can get arranged, alternatively I will go private (would pain anything to avoid this discomfort).

In the meantime I will you your tips busyalexmummy which sound great although maybe not as good as mogwai's advice to eat more chocolate

Those shorts sound really flattering nemo hope I get a pair

[Brighteyes]

pain??? I meant pay.

[hnnappies]

Im 23 weeks pregnant just and am already really suffering with SPD to the point that i will be on crutches very shortly (desperatly trying to stay away from being in a wheel chair).
My problem is agrivated by the fact that i have three young children ranging from 4 down to 15months. The youngest has been ill and wants to be carried constantly which is the thing that is causing me the most pain at the moment.
anyway i guess my advise is the same as everyone elses.
GET HELP - midwife, physio, health visitor can also advise as to help avaliable
Dont lift things - virtually impossible if already a parent. If you have to be very careful.
Try not to twist -
Try not to go up and down stairs - i now try to only go downstairs once in a day
Be careful doing house work - if someone else can help you thats great.
Get a support belt - they help me but then i dont have a huge bump.
CHAT - most of all depression can be a battle especially if you have to ask for help where you wouldnt normally. Try to talk to others with SPD or who have had it to get support. Its hard coping with it all but with care it should improve after the baby arrives. HUGS
From Sam P
p.s. email me if you want to chat

[csa]

brighteyes, you may find that going private is not as expensive as you think it might be. mine charges about £35-£40 a session and you may not need many sessions at all. i've had 2 so far and have noticed a remarkable difference after just one session. but make sure it is a physio that specialises in pregnancy - try physio - that's where i found mine. they appear to be usually a network and if they don't specialise in pregnancy, they will recommend you one in the area. good luck!

[motherinferior]

Fashionable ailment?

Pah. All that means is there's been a bit more coverage of it so more women are recognising what they've got. And maybe that ridiculous bloody statistic of how 'rare' it is will be finally put to rest (it was based on one study, in one hospital, of women reporting with recognised SPD, not all of us who pootle on wondering why we're in such pain).

Makes me so ANGRY

[jud2905]

Hi

as a physio who has had SPD and treated women with SPD it is not a fashionable ailment but a very disabling one! It has only recently started to get more coverage and as such some midwives/ obstetricians are not fully aware of what can be done to help.

My advice would be to push for a referral to your physio (this can be done via your midwife/ GP or consultant) who will assess you and provide you with advice, a support belt if necessary and the exercises you need to ensure the problem goes away after birth. It is important you get this advice ASAP to avoid any further strain to the symphysis pubis during childbirth as there are certain birthing positions which are better for you. Hope all goes well.

Judith

PS- for further info and advice visit www.spd-uk.org

[RnB]

Message withdrawn

[rosies]

as a trained maternity reflexologist, i do know certain trigger point techniques to help aleviate SPD, once it is diagnosed.

i would recommend seeing someone like me, who has been further trained and knows how to deal with it... ask whoever you speak to if they have experience.

they can then show you some of the techniques, which are quite specific and not covered in a routine treatment.

best wishes.