SPD, groin pain - does it makes labour more painful?

[tostaky]

Ive got a few weeks to go still but i am a bit worried that the contraction pains will be heightened by my spd, that i wont be able to move as much as i wanted...
any experience?

It depends on the extent of your SPD and the lead up to your delivery. Last time, I was on crutches with it and fairly immobile as I couldn't walk across the room without them. I became high risk and was forced to spend 5 days in bed being induced with a blood pressure cuff on one arm and a monitor belt round my middle. By the end of the 5 days I could barely walk with crutches. When labour started, the pressure of baby on my pelvis caused a strong non-stop pain that was unbearable. The labour pains were mild by comparison so I was glad to get and epidural when my BP spiked.

This time I have SPD again but it is much milder, causing hip pain when I stand and an general ache by evening and I am still able to walk miles if necessary. I had 36 hours of false labour a few weeks ago when my baby turned breech and didn't really notice the SPD pain at all.

I had bad SPD but can't say I thought it made labour worse. Once contractions had set in I no longer noticed it.

I did find that I couldn't stand during labour, but I think this was due to factors other than the SDP (in particular because the contractions set in at short intervals (5 mins apart), were very long and mainly felt in my back).

I had SPD (was using a wheelchair for anything outside the house for the last month).

The contractions were fine with a TENS until I went to the MLU and then used a sloping beanbag and the hospital birthing pool, with plenty of gas and air.
Unfortunately the SPD got much worse in labour and as my waters broke before reaching hospital they wanted me to get out of the pool after 8 hours - at which point I couldn't sit or lie down because of pelvic pain, or go to the loo because the loo was too close to the wall, and having been awake for 24 hours I couldn't stand.

Being propped up leaning forwards on the beanbag and pillows worked quite well. The contractions were a minor distraction! In the end though I had an epidural as the pelvic pain was making me scream. Once eventually dilated I did some pushing (propped up on about 20 pillows, hauled about by MrNC and my other birth partners) and could feel the monitor on the baby's head waggling. It didn't shift the baby, but I don't think that was related to SPD or the epidural, more likely lying down for 18 hours while dilation happened.

i was using wheelchair and crutches by the end of mine. I managed labour but was told i needed to be in stirrups by doctor as DD2 wasnt breathing and they were going to pull her out, lucky for me i had a good MW who told doc no way but did end up with dh and mw holding one leg each, but tbh the pain wasnt as bad as i thought. However, still have problems now a year on

Had pretty bad SPD towards the end of my pregnancy. I was on crutches for the last two months, and was picking up my wheelchair on the Monday, and luckily went into labour 3 weeks early on the Thursday before.

To be honest, I didn't notice the SPD in labour as ds was back-to-back so the pain was all concentrated in my lower back. I had an epidural and then had to have an assisted delivery and my feet in stirrups. The midwife was great and got her friend in so they could lift my legs at the same time and slowly The only problem I had was that the doctor had to rush off to do another delivery and I was left in stirrups for about half an hour after the birth before my stitches could be done. Not sure this did the SPD any good, but no choice really.

SPD wore off over next couple of months, tho within a couple of hours I could walk across the ward without my crutches (which hadn't happened for the last couple of months).

I'm seven weeks pregnant with second baby, and worried about SPD returning. I'm DETERMINED to not get it as bad and to strap up my hips with my belt long before I get the symptoms. I'm doing my pelvic floor like you wouldn't believe!

Hey Totasky,
I laboured in a birthing pool until unfortunately it all ended in forcep's due to baby's OP position, but must say I found the water so helpful with all pains. Also that I really didn't notice SPD pain compared to labour pains.

It is SOOOOOO important however, to minimise any damage done to you SPD-wise during labour and this should be where you focus your worries, or rather efforts, as like Lisad123 I continued to suffer after birth, I think, thanks to the forceps (and my big boy).

Get whoever is with you (birth partner) to be really hot on the pain free gap measurement your midwife should have done for you, in case you forget/are too busy puffing to say (!), as it's something that may be all over your notes but won't get noticed unless you remind them lots.

I ended up having forceps as I mentioned, but my husband made sure they lifted and lowered my legs together, and also got calipers to fix to the bed, instead of stirrups which take your legs wider.

SPD is bloody rotten, but resting as much as poss and not lifting more than your babe after birth can give you a good chance of recovery.

Good luck x

i didn't notice it so much in the early stages of labour - it's bloody awful pain with SPD or without. i was still able to move around a bit, though frankly just wanted to lie on my side and moan about how i couldn't cope.
i had an epidural later on, but once it wore off to push, the SPD really kicked again. i couldn't get in any comfortable position and baby ended up coming via forceps and episiotomy.
i was in stirrups many times over during labour (because baby was in distress, and had to have his head pricked regularly to check oxygen levels), which didn't help.
SPD symptoms blessedly went away as soon as he was out, but unfortunately came back with a vengeance after one day out with him in a baby bjorn. still getting over it now ...
good luck to you!!

Do you think you can have a homebirth with SPD? Also do you think it's a sign that the baby will be back-to-back? Everyone on here seems to have needed hospital intervention...

I too have spd, i'm not on crutches but i can only walk a couple of meters without being in agony. I am due in 22 days and am having a homebirth (i hope) mw doesn't seem to think it is a complication in labour and a couple of my friends have had it and said the pain disappears after the birth which would be lovely as i really need to go xmas shopping.

I didn't notice my spd too much in labour, labour pain blots it out(sorry!)

I was worried about afterwards, specially as I ended up in stirrups with a ventouse delivery, but I was no worse.

I had SPD with DD no 2, she was induced and I honestly don't remember SPD pain (the labour pains due to induction/no time for any pain relief were all-encompassing!!).

I am pregnant with 3rd child and have homebirth planned, my midwife didn't think there would be a problem.

Hope it all goes well for you....

I had a homebirth with SPD and it was great.

The only thing I would say is that I was on crutches for the first 24 hours after she was born - the symptoms didn't disappear immediately, in fact they were much much worse. But by day three I was skipping around the house.

That's good to know folks, thanks for that. And was everything all ok for all you homebirth with spd people, as in was the labour brief, not too painful and no need for stitches?