To ask about persistent pelvic pain 1 year after birth

[Luckystar1]

Posting here for traffic, so apologies if you think iabu!

I gave birth to DS a year ago, and suffered from SPD from about 13 weeks pregnant. I am quite petite and DS was a relatively big baby who lay low the entire pregnancy so my pelvis took a lot of pressure. I saw a physio once during pregnancy who dismissed my concerns.

Immediately after birth the pain subsided, but it came back within 6 weeks and is still here. I attended private physio sessions which slightly improved things but not fully and the problem still persists.

I can't walk very far without experiencing pain (which then becomes worse over the course of that day into the next few days), this then means I struggle to do lots with DS as I really struggle if I have more weight on one leg than another.

I'm still breastfeeding twice a day now. Is it likely to improve when I stop? Or does this sound more serious than a pregnancy/hormone hangover??

I had the same and it faded gradually from about the 1 year mark, but did only seem to go completely once I started weaning (we weaned at about 2 - was a very gradual process that took a few months in the run up to her 2nd birthday). I found that seeing an osteo really helped though - they'd click it back into place and that would fix it for a while (only a week or so to begin with, but longer the longer postnatal I got). I found the osteo treatment much more effective than the physio.
My friend also had SPD postnatally until she weaned - she weaned earlier at about the 1 year mark, and then it took 6 months or so to clear.

Thank you Wax, that's reassuring. My big concern at the moment is what if I get pregnant before it gets better (not intended yet, but maybe soonish), will this exacerbate the problem?!

I know you can't answer that, but it's good to hear I'm not abnormal!

I started going to an osteopath when Ds2 was 13 weeks after yet again catching the bus home from the shops because I couldn't face the pain of walking up a short hill on the 400m walk home.

It made a substantial difference to the pain level and my mobility. It gave me chance to strengthen the neglected muscles to aid recovery.

3 months after that appointment, I had stopped limping and felt ready to try C25k.

GPs are pretty rubbish about SPD/ PGP. When I went at 34 wks pg with Ds1, I had done my final agonising trip around the supermarket holding back tears. Apparently it was pregnancy aches and pains. I ended up unable to leave the house independently in the final weeks as I could neither drive nor walk to the nearest bus stop.

Osteopath. Who then after a while told me to take up pilates. Can't say that was an instant cure, but has changed so much for me. (Has been like a gradual unravelling of issues.)

Ok osteo seems to be the general consensus thank you!

I will look into one now. And thank you for sharing your experiences. I was recommended Pilates so I really ought to look into that too.

Actually I am pregnant again! I asked my osteo the same question, as I was a week or so pregnant when DD had her last breastfeed and so the SPD had only just subsided by a matter of a few weeks. I was worried it would instantly flare up again. She said it probably would be worse this time and hit earlier, but touch wood, I've not had any twinges yet. I'm 16 weeks. Last time it hit at 20 weeks so not in the clear totally, but I think it's a good sign that it hasn't hit already considering the state my pelvis was in! I'm seeing the osteo every 4 weeks for her to re-align everything, to try and prevent it kicking in. So you might be ok!

Oh yes pilates was brilliant. My osteo told me to specifically look for a body control pilates teacher - there is a register of them. They have to do really intensive training for a couple of years so know their stuff, more like a physio, whereas general pilates teachers might only have done a weekend course or something. I was seeing one locally before I got pg and she was great, but sadly doesn't do antenatal classes.

Have you seen a women's health physio? After having DD1, I wasn't in that much pain, but one of my pelvic joints wasn't aligned properly. as far as I understood it, the joint is a load of ridges which fit together and mine had popped over one ridge.

I had this:

• >

Instead of this:

Go to your gp and get a referral, I think I'm pretty lucky my gp's are very good with refferals. I still suffer (occasionally) and dd2 is almost 3. I have started doing very basic pilates and found it helps in general for day to day but if I have a flare up of pain it's far worse. I am currently seeing a physio who suggested I may need to see a hip specialist.

Ah ha! Well congrats Wax! Fingers crossed you get through unscathed! I'm currently on day 43 of my cycle of what I had 43 days ago could be considered af! Who knows with this breastfeeding malarkey!

I don't think the physio was woman's health specifically. I lived quite rurally and have now moved to a small town so I don't have a great deal of choice and I have no one to take DS so I can't really venture too far. Your illustration is amazing though!!

That's interesting Death, who did you get referred to initially? A physio?

See a better physio! I had spd early on in pregnancy. I kept it at bay with cranial osteopath and acupuncture (both ones who specialised in pregnancy). It went away at birth but came back about 14 months later when my periods returned. At that point I found an excellent women's health physio and we did lots of work on my deep abdominal muscles and I started pilates classes taught by physios. I then got pregnant again and was expecting it to come back earlier and worse, but it didn't at all! A few twinges early on and towards the end, but nothing really! I was so surprised, but I put it down to the physio and Pilates I did between pregnancies

If you're in London I'm happy to recommend the people I saw - send me a pm.

Sorry for the slow reply. Yes I first got reffered to a physio who gave me pilates exercises etc they actually agrivated my hips more. The physio then decided I actually needed to see another physio on the team, who specilised more in pilates. The second physio talked a lot about strengthening my core and deep abdominal muscles as I had quite bad disastis recti also. Things are better but I'm currently waiting on hearing about the refferal.

Ok thank you. Good luck, I hope you get sorted out soon. We would've been screwed as cave women!!!