Positive birth experience with SPD/ PGP?

[BettyBi0]

After having a back injury at 20 weeks I've been left with constant lower back pain and the same symptoms as SPD/PGP. As my bump grows everything is just getting pulled further out of line and now my mobility is really limited. Can't walk far without crutches and stairs kill me now :(

I'm 31 weeks now and really worried about how I'll manage during the actual birth if I can't mobilise well or move my legs apart properly. I sometimes imagine my pelvis and muscles just won't do whatever should come naturally during labour as they feel so distorted and sore at the moment.

Had anyone experienced similar? I'd love to hear some other people's experiences if they had SPD and how they coped in labour. Or did your Dr say you had to have a c-section or let you choose one?

With DD I ended up on crutches aand signed off work at 30 weeks with SPD. During the birth at 37 and a half weeks, it didn't feel significantly different to DS, where my SPD was nowhere near as bad (no crutches, just a support belt, really mobile)

DD was born after a few days of slow labour, but active labour was only half an hour. No dr or midwife there, just a first response paramedic entering the room as she crowned and ambulance came as body was delivered. My mum says it was the easiest birth she's ever seen. My sysmptoms mainly went staight after the birth.

I was not offered an ELCS for my first pregnancy in 2006 where I had SPD.

The labour was very fast - a precipitous one and a bit early too at 36+6. Baby would have been out within the hour were it not for being transferred to hospital in an ambulance which I think put me into shock and left me with a small "lip". The midwife didn't spot it and had me push hard for an hour against it, telling me I wasn't pushing hard enough before thinking to check which most likely caused my incompetent cervix issues the following pregnancy. Anyway, aside from that which is unrelated to the SPD, it was very straightforward. I did have to keep reminding them that I couldn't have stirrups and they still kept offering. I had no pain relief other than gas and air, partly as things progressed so fast.

Make sure either you or your birth partner is able to keep reminding about SPD during the birth. Hopefully you'll only have to tell them once and they'll be good about it, but you might get a bloody crap midwife like I did

The best bit (DD1 aside!) was immediately after birth when I stood up and 90% of my SPD pain was just.. gone Most people don't have long term issues at all, I am on DC4 now and have gone back to "normal" with only the odd slight discomfort at certain times of the month within a year, and most of it better immediately post birth. But some people are unlucky so it's worth keeping a close eye on it and getting treatment fairly quickly post birth if it's not improving.

I hs horrendous spd aswell as exiating hip problems in pregnancy. Crutches from 6 months and totally non mobile withoit being half carried by 38 weeks.

I was high risk so not allowed a water birth which ive heard can be good. However it still went prwtty well!

I was 2 wewks over so was induced using pessary. 10 hours of reall constant contractions....foind out ds was back to back. Had a natural delivery with no pain relief.

I was on my back on the bed as coulsnt actually move to gwt into any other position. But it was ok. Just kept reminding midwives about the apd and they had waya to try and make it more comfortable. They recommended a tens machine....but tbh I couldnt even feel it. Haha.

Unfortunatley ds decided to tey and turn at a pretty bad time so resulted in alot of tearing....but the spd itself wasnt too much of a hindrance! Moat pwople find it disappears after birth too. :)

Good luck. I know its rough so sending you lots of happy thoughts :)

God so sorry about all typos. Toddler is having a crazy 5 hours ten mins and jumping on me like a bloody trampoline.

Thanks for your replies. My Dr had offered a c-secti

Ooops. Planned C-section if I want it or to be induced at 38 weeks to minimise risks when the baby's weight on the pelvis is greatest.

I was really hoping for a water birth which he said might still be possible depending on which drugs they need to induce me with. If I respond to the pessaries then waterbirth could still work :)

My only worry is if things get complicated I'm not sure how they would ever perform an episiotomy for forceps etc as I can't get into lithotomy position (stirrups) without agony. I have horrible dreams of the baby getting stuck and my body being forced into a position that pops my pelvis for good in order to get her out. Not sure how realistic that is but it's not as though you can say "actually I'll have a Caesarian afterall" when the baby is stuck in the birth canal.

Ugh...

No advice, but I had a lovely, low-pain waterbirth with only gas and air. Midwives understood about SPD (unlike the bloody obstetrician I saw a week earlier ) and I didn't even have a single internal exam. And I was in a wheelchair for shopping trips by the end of that pregnancy.

It is possible to have a great birth despite SPD, but you need an assertive and informed birth partner in case you're stuck with poor midwives, IMO. Maybe pay a visit to the hospital and talk with them about it?