aching ppubic bone during period. feels just like spd. what is it?

[tiredchristmasmum]

I have a ten month old. During the last month of pregnancy, I had awful spd, couldn't stand on one legwalked like a duck, and felt like someone was pushing the two bones apart. Anyone who's been there knows what I mean!

Anyway, for the last few months, this same pain returns, during my period. Feels like I've got a babies head lodged in my pelvis, it's made worse by walking. I'm currently sat with my legs wrapped as tightly closed as I can.

Can anyone offer advice, has this happened to anyone? Should I bother gp or just accept its a part of post pregnancy trouble?
Ps apologies for poor grammar, typing on my phone while hoping my bones stop aching.
Thanks in advance

Sounds like spd, cos it probably is spd, I'm afraid. When did your period come back? I had bad spd while pregnant with DS, worse for about 6 months after the birth. Even now I get bad pain when I'm ovulating and days 1-3 of my period. Seems for some of us hormones trigger minor relapses. Can you get to a physio who specialises in women's health? I've done a huge amount of work in the last 2 years to strengthen my core and it's really helped but unfortunately this seems like something I'll have to manage at least until the menopause...

I dont know I get something similar although nowhere near as bad as you describe. Mine is painful when I stand still in the main but sitting/ walking ok. Its bearable and started after dd2 - I've never done anything about it as I'm certain it's nothing serious and in my case nothing more than a twinge in the grand scheme of things. If I will be standing a lot I take nurofen.

If it's causing you a real issue go to the doctors.

SPD can return with your menstrual cycle . Try icing the pubic bone, I find that help.m

Crossing your legs, or wrapping them around each other can make the pain worse. Contact the Pelvic Partnership and ask them If they can recommend an osteopath in your area, they can work wonders.

Thank you all for your replies.

Oh I had no idea spd was something you could suffer with postpartum. I thought it was something to endure during pregnancy and then it feels better. Right, well at least its nothing sinister.

I've done a lot of fitness and consider my core to be good, but physio could be a good route. Maybe I just need to take it easy once AF starts.
It does make me worry about a second ppregnancy, it's not planned for anytime soon, but if hormones affect my spd could I have this aching early on in pregnancy? And what would my body be like after a second child? I'm only 27, I don't want to risk hobbling about just yet..
Thanks for your replies, now I know what this is I can at least try to apply ice etc to help.

www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk

Definitely go to gp too and ask how to get an nhs physio referral - it's just worth the gp knowing this is happening imo.

I've developed hypermobility syndrome post baby, effectively spd all over and periods are awful for the one reason they affect my joints, I believe it's a mix of progesterone and relaxin being increasingly released in lead up to menstruation. (Not sure exact biology but they're to blame!)

Pilates is extremely good too. I find that site explains it well; it's a mechanical problem, osteo or physio can adjust and correct but then you have to do the strengthening exercises to keep you together iykwim.

Sorry just read your other post - even more reason to let gp know for second pregnancy as physio could be useful early on and to support towards the end etc. You might be ok next time I think it varies.

This is interesting - relaxin and menstruation

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/7789917/

Thank you so much for responses and sources, that's very helpful.

Bizarrely today the pain is almost gone, it is definitely linked to my cycle. Yes, I completely agree that when I do plan my second pregnancy, I should have physio type things in place to prevent damage in late pregnancy.
Thank you all, I feel relieved this is something I can hopefully improve

I just thought about it today, and I know you said you've done a lot of work on your core, but make sure you're strengthening your obliques as well as your abs. In fact, be careful about ab work (sorry if you are already!) but I had a small amount of abdominal separation which lessens support in the pelvis, so I've been avoiding some ab work (eg crunches) to try to help that. I found some useful info here www.befitmom.com/diastasis_recti.html

The power of the internet; I know this thread is 3 years old, but for the past 1.5 years I have been going through exactly what OP describes, and it is only just today that I am discovering what I might be experiencing. I never had SPD during pregnancy but I did have a nasty tear in the symphysis pubis disc or ligament or whatnot, and now every period is excruciating. The relaxin & menstruation article was beyond enlightening.

I wonder, @tiredchristmasmum, did you go on to have a second child? How did it go??? We want to TTC now and I am horrified at what I could be facing right now :(

Hello!!

Completely forgotten I'd posted this.
I went to the GP in the end, went onto the contraceptive pill, and no more pain!
It was definitely linked to the relaxin hormone just before my period.
Not sure if that is an option for you?

I'm actually nearly 37 weeks pregnant with 2nd.
On coming off the pill, I had no symptoms of spd resurface, but in preparation for the pregnancy, I asked the midwife for physio referral.
My experience is actually really positive- I thought that if I had spd with first pregnancy, it would be unbearable in 2nd- this hasn't been the case.
I started getting pains at 7 weeks and remember crying, thinking I wouldn't cope.
The pain then went and didn't come back until 15 weeks. At 20 weeks, I had my physio appointment, which was great, and they gave some great pointers, plus crutches.
I kept waiting for it to become horrific, but the pain again went at around 22 weeks.
Now, baby is almost fully engaged, and I have bad days where I use a crutch just for my bad leg, but I have lots of good days, and have suffered far less this time! I'm not suee whether it's because I'm moving more?
I'm aware I've still got potentially 5 weeks left if I go over, but, I consider myself to be so lucky to not be in pain and walking ok, that I wouldn't consider it to be awful for that length of time.

One thing I have learnt is that is was due to previous birth that I had after pain, and bad tearing- like you describe.

So- I would say that don't assume/panic that it'll be worse as that isn't always the case- I've spoken to others who said the same.
I did leave it 3 years between pregnancies though (well...almost) at the advice of articles id read. I think pregnancies close together can mean body is affected more as less recovery time.

Hope this helps!

I know the last comment was 2 years, but this is a great post and I just wanted to say thank you!
I've been trying to find info on spd during a period and came across this post. I have one child who is 16 mths, I've had 5 periods so far and get horrible spd pain during the first 1-2 days of my period (I had excruciating spd during the last 4 months of pregnancy). I was going to physio and am doing home exercises, it helped the pain postpartum (I know longer have pain normally) but it doesn't seem to do much for the pain during my period.
I really want a second baby, we're going to start trying next year, and I have been a little terrified at the prospect of this pain being present at the very start of the pregnancy and being just as bad or worse throughout the whole pregnancy. Your post has made me feel a bit better at least, still a bit scared but hopefully it won't be so bad 🤞 Glad to know I'm not the only one going through this!

Absolutely agree!
Love that I found this thread, I wasn't writing the correct things into Google so nothing was coming up and I felt that I was suffering alone haha!
Love Mumsnet, it makes me feel like I'm not alone in all this post partum joy haha

Bumping this old thread with my info --

I had horrible, horrible SPD with my second baby. Had months of PT but even physio said it wouldn't be fixed until I had baby, which thankfully it was. Our suspicions why it was so bad was because it was my 10th pregnancy after having 8 nearly back to back miscarriages between my first and my second. I learned that relaxin surges in the first trimester before tapering off until the end of pregnancy -- so I was suffering from what my midwife dubbed "cumulative effects of relaxin." I had two more pregnancies not make it to term after this before my successful pregnancy with my third baby, conceived when my second was 17 months old. I actually didn't have terrible SPD, which I credited to my PT! Granted, now I'm on here because my baby is almost 8 months old and I've had 3 months of horrendous SPD pain for the days (even up to a week) before my period. I have a hormonal IUD and we're not sure if that's making it worse or not. Did lots of investigations incpuding pelvic x ray and all seems ok. The relaxin angle seems to be the common denominator for this issue.

I know this is very old, but it’s been very useful.

I wanted to add that relaxin is still made if you’re breastfeeding. And some sources say this can last for a few months or a year after you stop.

Im still BF a 3.5 yr old and have back pain that’s worse just before period.
I also had SPD in both pregnancies.