Coccyx Pain after Childbirth

[Paininthebottom]

I gave birth to my DS in early March 2020 (just before the lockdown). I realised fairly soon after giving birth that something was wrong with my coccyx as I was in agony and I couldn’t sit down. I kept saying to midwives, doctors, etc but everyone just dismissed what I was saying and said it would get better on its own.

Two weeks after giving birth I was still in agony and spoke to the GP on the phone, who recommended I have a pelvic scan. The scan happened to be on the first day of the lockdown and when I arrived they said that all appointments were cancelled but they were willing to see me as I was the only one there. The radiologist said this was the wrong type of scan for my injury as it was at the wrong angle and wouldn’t show anything. As such, it was clear to her the injury wasn’t visible but sent off the scans anyway. I never heard back from the GP, except for a prescription of cocodamol that I needed to have for 6 weeks as I literally could not sit down. Even after this is was pretty much crying at home in agony with a newborn in a lockdown, it was awful.

I kept speaking to midwives about the pain during phone visits and a trip to hospital for my sons tongue tie, and a few suggested I dislocated my coccyx but it was never confirmed by anyone. At my postnatal review with the GP I mentioned it again and she said that some women get this but that it gets better on its own and nothing can be done for it. She seemed to not care as my son was also being checked at the same time and needed jabs then.

I was in agony for 5 months with this and then finally I had a click one day when I was in the bath (like something went into place) and it calmed down. I still get a dull pain after sitting for a while, and it has started getting worse again since returning to work. It’s gotten worse again since commuting.

I’m now 2 years postpartum and still in pain. It’s nowhere near what it was before but it’s getting me down and I honestly don’t know what to do. I’ve tried cushions, medication, exercise, etc but very little helps. I’m scared about trying for baby number 2 in case I injure myself again. The worse thing is I feel like no one believes me. It’s like medical professionals don’t think it is a thing, or think I’m making a fuss.

Any advice or even stories of people going through the same thing would be helpful, I just feel alone and hopeless with it.

I have a dislocated coccyx but from an accident not childbirth and have seen a physio who specialises in pelvic trauma, inuding women who've suffered injury during labour.

Damage to the coccyx in childbirth is very much a thing and I know how debilitating a dislocated coccyx can be (so much for being a redundant part of the body!).

I really recommend you seek out a physio who specialises in women's pelvic trauma/childbirth injury. Mine explained to me that the dislocation will have ruptured ligaments and there will be a fair amount of soft tissue damage. Honestly, it's slow progress but appropriate physio is transforming my life.

Oh wow, your post brought back vivid memories of something similar I had - you have my utmost sympathy! (DS is 16 now and I still recall the pain...)

Giving birth to DS he was facing the wrong way and was born via ventous and somehow knocked my coccyx out of place on his way out. It was excuciating! It was not too bad sitting, okish standing...but moving between the two was utter hell - I would literally be in tears just moving. The medical folk all just helpfully mumbled about how 'it can happen sometimes' and did naf all to help. Mine lasted a few months then slowly vanished thankfully...but it sounds like yours is more damaged if it's been so long. I think you need to make more of a nuisance to get checked properly.

I really hope you get it resolved soon, it sounds awful

Oh I totally feel for you. I've still got pain 18 months later, altho I do feel listened to by professionals... Just nothing's happened about it. It must be really really frustrating for you to be palmed off like this. Your pain is real, debilitating and there probably is something that can be done about it. Just because it's a "women's injury", we shouldn't be ignored. Totally pisses me off!
I paid about £50 for an initial consultation with a women's health physio and then similar again for a follow up appointment. She was so good and asked me "women's" questions, very practical questions about birth, but also about periods before then and I really felt she was trying to get a feel for who I was. It was definitely£100 well spent, so I'd recommend that. I found her because she also offered Mummy MOTs, which I decided I didn't need, but made me feel confident she would really get what my issue was.

Interestingly, I have also fallen on my tailbone and it was so painful, and I was seen by an NHS physio. He didn't think I needed anything further and it did get better after two weeks. So I know that tailbone injuries take a while to heal, but there is such a massive difference between like two weeks and two years.

Thanks for all the responses, I really really appreciate it. I appreciate that with the pandemic a lot of my difficulties may have seemed insignificant in comparison, and services just weren’t available. My fear is if I try to speak to the GP again I’ll just get palmed over again, especially if I try to seek physio. I think I still have a fear of not being listened to. Private might be a better option at least

Did you birth on your back? Have any intervention?
Despite my intentions my health during labour meant I had to have an epidural and then DS was born via ventouse. I too had coccyx pain and couldn't sit without it for about 8-12 weeks. But sounds like I got off lightly!

Women's health physio sounds like a good idea but if you're concerned about you 2nd birth maybe a chat with midwifes about birth plan and avoiding another injury might help?

Possibly not helpful…. I had this with my first baby (back to back, forceps) and was in agony for ages. It wasn’t until I had my second baby 22 months later that it resolved. DS2 had a huge head and must have knocked my coccyx back into place!

Hey, I’m not sure if this post is still active - but was wondering how you were getting on? And if you had started trying for baby no 2?

I had a very traumatic birth of my DD August 2021 and like you experienced a lot of unbearable pain and while lots of appointments professionals kept dismissing me on my pain levels, saying it was in my head etc etc. eventually after nearly a year I paid privately to have an MRI which confirmed I have in fact dislocated my coccyx from child birth. I am due to have it manipulated back in to place soon but it’s only a 50% success rate. I’m very scared that it’s not going to work and this will be my life now!!!

I had this with dc2 birth, back to back, forceps, large baby. The pain was indescribable, I had oramorph for it on hospital in the days after and I couldn't sit for weeks, I had to lie on my side to bf. Even walking or standing I'd be in pain. Sat gingerly and slowly down on my u shaped bf cushion after 2-3 weeks. I was on napoxyn for weeks at home. I think it began to improve after 3 months. But I couldnt sit square on a hard surface like a bench or floor at all for probably 2-3 years, I'd sit on one cheek! Even now, 8 yrs later, I'd feel it if I sat back squarely on my coccyx on a hard surface.

@Hohofortherobbers this sounds very similar to me, although I was pulled down the bed while I was still in foreceps so I effectively crushed under myself. HELL!! The pain sounds very similar to mine, not being able to sit down with my newborn is something that still upsets me now. I’m on a lot of medication just to manage the pain but it’s still sore.
did you have any intervention? Steroid injections etc?

No, just anti inflammatories and time. It was so so painful. I'm very active and sporty, it held me back for a long time.

I had this after both births! It was horrendous. I could barely move either time. Physio and acupuncture helped massively. I had NHS physio too (referred by GP). I feel for you, it's miserable!

I’m a year on from birth and have this if I sit on a hard seat for any length of time. Interestingly, I had a c section so can’t attribute a bad birth to the injury.

I'm pretty sure that I also dislocated my coccyx during childbirth and I had the absolute best possible delivery but still had it. It was rather painful sitting that night.
However, at some point during the night, while breastfeeding perched on the edge of my hospital bed because of the pain, I noticed a bit of a crack in the area and days later once again but much harder. I guess that it just moved back into its normal position because the pain went away and therefore I never had it checked. I did have a pretty dreadful bruise in the area, whether related to it or not I don't know.
I assume that in many cases it resolves spontaneously, like it did for me, but if it doesn't, raise hell to get appropriate treatment, the disregard for women-specific pathologies and pain is truly appalling and unacceptable.