VB or ELCS with SPD?

[MrsPaynie]

So, I'm after a little input from anyone that has suffered with SPD and what your preferences were for the birth.
I've had severe SPD with both previous pregnancies that saw me on crutches from very early and housebound from 7 months. With both previous pregnancies I had a VB, completely natural with no pain relief, not through choice but because I labored so quickly there was no time for anything else (3.5 hours and 1hour). After my 2nd birth my SPD never really went away and I was still suffering two years later when I found out I was pg again! I put a lot of this down to my midwife ignoring my comfortable width for opening my legs and forced me into stirrups for stitching after a tear.
Anyway I'm 15 weeks now and already in a lot of pain, I know just how bad it's going to get and I'm trying to prepare everything in advance. I'm debating with myself whether I should go for another VB, as I labor so easily (and actually quite enjoy it) or if I should opt for a ELCS as recommended by my physio? I'm just worried that by another VB I could further damage my pelvis permanently. But on the same hand I don't think I want the long recovery of a CS either! WWYD?

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for any input!

Thanks Mrs Paynie, very interesting.

So it looks like there are different ways of doing a CS in terms of muscle cuts, so an SPD sufferer could potentially discuss this with the surgeon beforehand.

So now I'm wondering why an SPD sufferer would risk another natural birth?

I would far rather spend 6 weeks recovering from a CS than the 2 years I have spent recovering from SPD exacerbation caused by childbirth.

Before I get shot down I should just add that I acknowledge that there can be some horrible complications from a CS, and I am sorry for the posters here who have had problems.

But since I have had a really rough 2 years with SPD affecting all areas of my health and personal life (and am now seeing a counsellor because of the emotional impact of it) a well performed ELCS sounds like heaven compared to what I have gone through.

I also understand that an ELCS is a very different experience from an EMCS.

the right kind of birth can help spd and did in my case, as i said i was lucky enough to see a consultant and physio who specialised in spd, pure luck that they were based at my local hospital. in my case after ds1 my spd was so sevre there was talk of pinning my pelvis, but this would mean no more babies!

i managed to have goo physio treatment and lots of core exercises etc to help my spd, then it was not good in pregnancy but the birht of ds2 upright, kneeling up actually helped shift my pelvis back to a better postion and i then had 3 more babies with only milkd spd and each time a good birht, upright, one water birth and no strirrups etc.

the problems is how the labour is managed IF you get a midife etc who knows and udnerstands spd and helps you to labour in a postion that is good, then that is better than a c section but if you dont have a good midwife/supportive midwife or things get complicated during delivery then the spd needs to be mananged at the same time as making sure the birht happens smoothly, and this doesnt happen, its often dismissed and they use stirrups etc, making spd worse in the long run.

its a balancing act adn you or your birth partner need to be forceful and if you can have info at the ready for a midwife etc so they can understand the issue more.

but a c section in itself does not guarantee a better recovery from spd the dmaage is done during pregnancy but he joints and ligaments loosening etc and yes depending on the type of c section it can make it workse and certeainly recovinring fomr a section in itself is not easy and doesnt help spd.

i think the key is managing labour if you can.

Thanks for sharing 5madthings

It would be amazing if a natural birth could fix my SPD like it has fixed yours. However, an MRI scan showed that there is nothing 'out of place' with me, so it doesn't sound like my pelvis could be shifted back into a correct position like yours was, as it doesn't seem to be in a wrong position to start with.

Also, my SPD was far worse after birth than during pregnancy, so although the problem was initiated by my pregnancy, I believe that my birth made it far worse. Bad enough to last for another 18 months (and counting).

It's so hard to decide what to do. I am leaning towards a natural birth but terrified that I will regret it if things get complicated and I lose even more of my mobility

Mrs Paynie, what do you think you will do?

I'm pretty much in the same position as yourself pixie. My obgyn told me the the gap in my pelvis had widened even more after the delivery of my DD, and only went back halfway to what it should have been after a few months, hence why I was still suffering two years later when I got pregnant again.
I don't see how a natural birth can help close that gap any more than a CS would? My pelvis isn't misaligned do doesnt need shifting, it is open more than it should, therefor need the gap to close back to a normal distance again.
I'm still very undecided on what I should do. Natural is what I want, of course, but I really don't won't to end up so immobile I can't play with the children and run around with them as normal anymore. But the thought of a CS scares the living daylights out of me too, I hate operations. But if it will save damage to my pelvis then I'll consider it for the sake of my children. Will wait to get some professional advice I think.

yes my obstetrician ...i watched some videos as well of a c section..dont recommend it though ...they move the ab muscles out of the way and the cut is really low down...
and i have been to a few meetings for women with SPD ...apart from one lady they all had a better recovery with a c section ...one of them didnt but she had 3 vaginal births already ...

like you i was very confused ...must have spoken to over a 100 people...the risk of it getting worse with a vaginal birth is just higher...as SPD can also cause other joints and spinal disks to get damaged during a natural labour...
its not just hte vaginal birth but the my first labour of 28 hours actually caused all the damage....i wish i had a c section the first time ...i never had spd then so was against c sections....as everyone told me 'natural birht is best...
there was not much natural about my natural birth ...it left my whole middle pelvic and lower back damamged permanently as well as my knees cuz of a rotated pelvis

just to let you know all nhs staff advised me against c section...so i decided togo private where i was given more of a choice and they acutally spent time reasearching exactly what was wrong with my pelvis etc