Expect more help for PGP in pregnancy?

[Chiwi]

I'm totally at my wit's end. I am 25 weeks pregnant and in total and complete agony with PGP. I know this is common and it will more than likely go away when I give birth. But I do not know how I will make it through the next 15 weeks. The NHS have offered very little more than sympathetic head tilts and a badly fitting maternity belt.
I can already barely walk, I'm in severe pain and I have a toddler and a partner who is phenomenal but works shifts. He is doing everything, cleaning, looking after DD when he's here and cooking and prepping food for when he is working. I feel utterly useless.
Is there anything more I can do? Request to be done? I would be willing to pay for something that would help. It's really affecting my mood and I'm terrified with how bad this could get.

I was the same and so really feel for you. Have you been referred for physio?

I had to be signed off work at 30 weeks and ended up on crutches to get around, all while looking after my 2 year old. It was tough but you do get through it.

Mine hasn’t completely gone back to normal now even 2.5 years after giving birth!

Try tens machine and I found swimming helped

I told my midwife about my PGP and she organised for me to have physio. Could you push for this? Hope u feel better soon.

@Tigerwhocameforsupper thank you.

Yeah physio gave me the shite maternity belt but just did a lot of head tilting. I think I'm going to be on crutches before long.

Did you find anything that helped?

Get yourself to a private physio who has worked with PGP. They'll do manual manipulation and sports massage. It might not entirely eliminate the pain but it'll keep you more mobile.

The pelvic girdle partnership has a list of recommended practitioners.

Sending sympathy, I'm 29 weeks and have it badly, although much better than my first pregnancy because I've been seeing the physio since 8 weeks this time. It's utterly miserable

I paid for weekly osteopathy, plus more childminder hours at times for my older one. The osteo was definitely the thing that kept me vaguely mobile (and sane). The NHS did offer me some acupuncture, which impressed me - but it didn't work at all for me. They did say I would get crutches, but then decided not to issue any, as she was worried I'd take them as licence to do "too much".

@firstimemamma what did the physio offer? Was it more than just the belt?

Hi Chiwi. I'm so sorry to hear you're in so much pain.

I suffered from horrific PGP and was signed off work from 20 weeks (I had a pre-existing joint problem which seemed to make the PGP worse).

I was sent for hydrotherapy and while I was in the pool, the weightlessness helped to ease the discomfort. (It only helped me while I was actually in the pool though).

Nothing else helped me other than using a pillow between my knees while I slept.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news; I was told that it would probably ease once I gave birth. My son is now 5 and I still have issues with my SI joint snd pelvis.

They should've given you some exercises to do, sorry to hear they've been crap.

I used to lie on my side and my dh used to massage my hip using the palm of his hand in firm circular motions. It really helped but he must've got pretty sick of doing it!

I'd try to find someone who specialises in pregnancy - a physio or osteopath maybe. There may even be someone in the NHS who specialises in it, though they weren't much use for me. Mine actually got a bit better right near giving birth, but 18 years later I do still have back / SI joint issues that I think come from that. I think I could have had better advice around actually giving birth, the midwives were dismissive of my pain, which I think was due to SPD (as it was called then) rather than general labour pain as I was quite immobile. There wasn't so much private physio then, but I would definitely pay for it if it was now.

@TheCheeseBadge @cloverleafy thank you these are excellent suggestions.

I have been toying with both a private physio and osteopath so will see who is local and give one a crack!

Just seen your reply. Yes they (nhs physio) gave me exercises to do at home and while at the sessions they used to lie me down and just work the problem areas and just generally be hands on in terms of examining ms etc. They said I could order a belt off Amazon if I wished. Seems so unfair you've had such a different experience.

Chiropractor who specialises in pregnancy. They are very good, strongly recommend

You can have physio, but it didn't help me much if I'm honest. Everyone is different though.

I rested as much as i could (first time was easier than when i had a toddler as well) but it was prescription strength co-codamol 4 times a day, walking sticks and then if i wanted to go more than a couple of (agonisingly slowly) hundred metres, a wheelchair.

I had it from 4w the second time round.

My husband did as much as possible, we got extra childcare. We let a lot slide. It was the most difficult 8 months of my life.

It was also totally worth it (though we shouldn't have to make that sacrifice), so eyes on the prize, take it one day at a time, and one day, your pregnancy will end, your pgp will massively ease with it (and may entirely go), and the newborn period will be like a walk in the park compared to the daily hell that is a pgp pregnancy with a toddler.

Definitely look on the pelvic partnership website. I only had pgp after the birth of my second child, but it absolutely knocked me out and was excruciatingly painful. I saw a private physio for hands on manipulation and it alleviated over a couple of weeks and about 4 sessions. I don’t think exercises on a sheet can help alone, and you need the help before it gets worse!

A good physio.

I could barely walk towards the end of pregnancy #1.

Had a few niggles early on with pregnancy #2 and was referred straight to physio. They gave me exercises to do. They made a huge difference, never got it too bad on that pregnancy.

Physiotherapist will help and they’ll give you exercises which may prevent it becoming much worse (although the weight of baby in your pelvis tends to make it worse). They can also give you crutches which will help you stay mobile. You can be prescribed codeine, however baby would need to be observed for signs of withdrawal following birth. it’s absolutely rubbish but unfortunately not a lot that can be done about it.

I had this in both pregnancies. First one, NHS only and I could barely walk by the end. Second one it started earlier and got worse quickly, but I found a physio who specialised in women's health. I ended up seeing her weekly during pregnancy - she gave me exercises but also did very effective massage/manipulation every week and it made a huge difference. She was also great at recommending supports, even strapped my bump a few times to relieve some of the pressure.

It wasn't cheap, but it made such a big difference that it was worth it.

I have it too. This is my second time with it. Get a physio that is trained in pregnancy etc and they will give u proper exercises. I went last week and its a game changer.
It's about tightening the bits that are too loose and relaxing the bits that are too tight. I mean these are not complicated exercises. Also get stretching with yoga or pilates exercises. Get on YouTube.

Physio said she had a woman at 33weeks, with crutches and belt barely able to walk. 3 weeks later she was back without her accessories. It's not going to disappear but omg the difference.

I got referred to a women’s health physiotherapist by my gp. I had a tubi grip to wear, got given crutches and had regular acupuncture. For 3-4 days after the acupuncture I could really feel the difference. Good luck with getting more help. It’s just horrendous pain.

NHS physio did not help me, they just advised belt and exercises. What did help was paying for private physio in first pregnancy and osteo in 2nd pregnancy. I found osteo more useful.

Sympathies OP, it is a hellish thing. I was given no help except crutches in my first pregnancy and could barely walk, was in constant pain, etc. The second time around I had a fab NHS physio who referred me to hydrotherapy and I was walking miles until the day before DC2 was born - the difference was huge and I’d massively recommend it. Also make sure your midwives are aware of your “pain-free gap”. Good luck!

I suffered with this in my pregnancy last year, I had physio appointments over the phone. .

I found what helped most was a birthing ball, circling my hips. But it didn't go until baby was born I'm afraid and even now I'm a little stiff x

I had that with first and had to wait for 10 weeks to be seen by that time I was 36 weeks and the physio just told me it was pointless to start exercises. He showed me how to get in and out of chairs but I could not walk without agony for the last 5 weeks. If it happened again I would go private. Luckily it didn’t happen with my next pregnancy.

@Tempnamechange123 your physio sounds a lot like mine. Crazy how variable it is.
He told me at first appointment they don't do hands on work with pregnant women.