labour with spd, could you share your positive experiences please?

[ifIsaynodontjustaskdad]

Dc3 due tomorrow and this has been my first pregnancy where I have had spd all the way through, though with dd2 it separated at the front during labour.

It really hurts, please can anyone with positive spd labour stories tell me them as I'm feeling very nervous.

In case you want context: I've only ever been comfortable labouring kneeling up leaning forward, and have long, medical deliveries, which is what the hospital are expecting again. But.. I'm on crutches, I can't climb onto a bed, and I don't know how long I can bear my weight on my hips to kneel, let alone bear down through my hips, they hurt so much. The babies posterior so on my back is not a great idea, did anyone get their Dh to hold them up?

water really helped me. v supportive around fally apart pelvis.

I've had two successful natural labours with spd, and hoping for a third this time around.
My first I didn't even notice my spd during labour (which surprised me considering I had been on crutches and in agony for weeks) I spent most of my labour leaning on the bed or lay on my left side, but was on my back when it came to pushing, DS was back to back and any other position was sheer agony! The midwife was lovely and made sure I didn't open my legs more than I knew I could, but unfortunately DS was stuck and after 2 hours of pushing needed a little help with the ventouse so my legs had to be put in stirrups, this was the most painful part of the whole birth, but was nessasary for healthy baby as his heart was dropping with each contraction. My SPD was gone within 2 days of giving birth.
With my second the birth was far far easier. I spent the first part of my labour stood in a warm shower as that helped with the pain, then when it came to delivery again I was lay on my back with my legs only apart a very small distance. DD was born in 2 pushes! Very happy! The bad part for me was after delivery, because I needed stitches the midwives insisted on putting my legs into stirrups, they didn't do them in symmetry and I sure this is why I had problems after the birth, then leg opened my legs too wide and I screamed in pain My SPD never went away after DD and now I have it even worse this time around.
I'm hoping for a water birth this time as that is said to help, however if it's as quick or quicker than the last two then I doubt I will have much time for that.

All I can say is don't let them put your feet in stirrups! I have had 2 with spd and the first I had stirrups whilst screaming at them that my pelvis was cracking, the second time I told them if anyone mentioned stirrups I would strangle them with the straps. That seemed to work and it went ok.

I'm pregnant again, and this time planning to make a birthing stool out of a (new, clean) toilet seat (gonna cut the front 1/4-1/3 away & affix some sort of legs). This is because if the spd comes back this pregnancy I will again be unable to squat in labour, but I'd like to be in that position. I laboured a short while on the loo and that helped (though not as much as the water) so I think the best option for me is the loo seat under the water. If you're going to birth in hospital, some have birthing stools (designs vary). Or you can buy them, I think the Amish make them if you can afford the p&p.

Thank you all. Bizarrely my spd is most painful when I put weight through my hips, especially at the front but, because hypermobility is a large part of the cause, getting my legs apart isn't a big pain.

As with my others this is back to back too, so good to know it is not insurmountable.

yep i have had spd with all 5 pregnancies, it was my worst with ds1 and his labour and birth did not help, on my back, legs in stirrups etc.

with the others i stayed mobile, sat on a birth ball, laboured in a bath/pool and delivered kneeling up.

had ds4 in a birth pool, he was 10lb 13oz and his labour was by far the easiest of all.

have to say the pain of my pelvis was always worse than the contractions, but i found that it was better to just have gas and air as that meant i was aware of the pain in my pelvis and i could tell what was making it worse ie positions that were better.

with ds1 i had an epidural (it didnt really work anyway!) but it meant i was on my back and eneded up with a 3hr pushing stage with legs in stirrups! this was a disaster for my spd afterwards.

i was lucky enough to meet a specialist in spd who said active, natural labour on all fours or kneeling up is best for spd, and it did help when i had ds2 like that and it actually helped my pelvis realign.

what about leaning forward over a bean bag or duvet over a birth ball to help support your weight?

Sadly mine wasn't great. Had been on crutches for months. I went into labour while at hospital and when they checked dd2 she was in distress. They called doctor who wanted to do forceps and cut for birth but tried to insist on stirrups! Lucky I had a forceful midwife who said no way and she was dh held my legs
Was very painful :( but dd2 was ok so that's all that mattered. I still have problems now