SPD - anyone else joining me on the birthing ball?

[elgoldenflower]

Hello out there, was looking for a support thread for those of us unlucky enough to have developed SPD and couldn't find a current one.

I'm 19 weeks (EDD 26.10.11) and have been aware of pelvic pain since conception (v mild at first) but it's steadily getting worse. I now can't walk more than about 30 yds without being sofa/birthing ball - bound for the evening.

My physio is fitting me with crutches on Monday as I can't avoid a bit of walking for my work (I run drama workshops all over the place so have to travel to them and I don't drive).

So far cycling's wonderful but I'm not aloud to use my bike like a mobility scooter as far as I know so cycling usually involves a bit of walking too.

Grr just wanted to be able to rant without annoying my v supportive antenatal thread.

Hi Ladies,

After my osteo on Tuesday I felt awful all day Wednesday and then yesterday the front pubic bone pain had gone (yipee!) but my back and hips were very very sore. I saw my physio yesterday and she said that yes the right side of my pelvis had been brought back into alignment BUT the left side was now tipped forward. So basically the osteo had fixed one problem only to cause another. My physio also said that she thought I shouldn't be undergoing both types of treatment in case they cancel each other out. I think that I'll probably go with the physio because the treatments are alot less painful on both my body and my bank balance!

12 weeks to go now and I think I need to get in to a better state of mind and just get through it. Luckily I'm getting lots of support from family and friends to help look after my very active 2 year old. Role on December!

iWILL - Cocodamol is a waste of time for me - no benefit at all and I've munched through as many packs as deemed safe over the last couple weeks. Last time I got prescribed Solpadol which is 500mg paracetamol with 30mg codiene (as opposed to 8mg in cocodamol) and was getting through 2 4x daily, which was fine for first pregnancy as it took pain away but left me totally high as a kite! So not compatible with work or childcare... and need to give up before birth.

Heat helps the shoulder a bit, ice helps the pelvis, but actually my PGP isn't too bad atm - I am only 16 weeks after all! Looks like it got triggered by food poisoning 8 weeks ago and the physios have got it to calm down, so it's just a question of being careful and trying to avoid making it worse... for another 24 weeks! Seeing the NHS osteo again on Tues - she's good but wanted to play with issues I've had for 20 years, so I need to tell her to concentrate on the shoulder! Seeing MW today so will ask for advice on all my medical issues - thing is I want to stay being a 'low risk' pregnancy so I can use the MLU, so don't want to sound too scary as they're nervous enough of me as it is!

Aarrggghhhh!! Dd fell today and obviously I jumped to catch her. All the physios good work has been undone and im back to hobbling about in agony with that bloody trapped nerve as well.

shonno that's similar to what happened me 2 days after my previous physio session, undid all the good she had worked on me. Not as bad today so physio yesterday seems to have helped. When's your next appointment? Can you ring up and ask for another sooner appointment, explaining what happened? In hindsight, that's what I should have done!

Hello all,

Not been on for ages, it seems maternity leave has left me doing even less despite the extra time on my hands. I'm 33 weeks now and managing to avoid major pain by not doing too much and using my crutches whenever I leave the house. My heart goes out to all of you with LOs already who can't slow down.

After my osteopath managed to realign my hips I'm trying to maintain my mobility by going to pregnancy yoga to keep my back, bum and leg muscles mobile enough to support my overly mobile hip. I'm also loving my birthing ball more than ever. I have exercises from my osteo and then generally use it for good posture and to keep everything mobile with gentle supported hip rotation and strengthening stuff. I am getting more lumbering by the minute and just keep hoping that my hips will work enough for me to exercise or just walk without crutches after bubs is born.

Sleeping's generally rubbish apart from the odd night, the hips just get really painful and wake me up or stop me getting back to sleep. There is a part in our yoga classes where the teacher asks us to lie there and just accept and acknowledge any mild discomfort or pain rather than trying to avoid it, that has sometimes let me get back to sleep but might seem a bit airy fairy for most.

Anyway hope everyone's resting as much as possible, let me recommend online supermarket shopping (and all shopping actually), ice packs and just resting whenever possible- it can get a bit boring and lonely but mostly I manage small activities and visits from people to break the monotony. I am lucky though that I could take mat leave so early and don't have LOs to run around after.

golden lovely to see you back! Did you go on ML early?? I'm hoping to last until 37 weeks .

I'd also recommend online supermarket shopping. We were using Tesco, but have switched to Ocado after getting £15.00 off your first shop voucher, but more importantly the delivery man carried the bags to the kitchen!!

I had the strangest treatment on Tuesday, even by my hippy-love-of-all-things-alternative standards. It was sound healing with tuning forks. I know, it sounds mad. But that night I had the first pain free nights sleep for this first time in ages. It was bliss!! I over did it yesterday and ended up sore last night, but it's not too bad today... Will def be going back for more. It was very relaxing, and is apparently also good for getting baby into a good birthing position. I've had one posterior delivery and my dd turned 2/3 days before a I gave birth 10days late, so that is on my mind too.

I'm also doing preg yoga. It was our first day back last night, and it was lovely. We also do the accepting of pain thing, and I honestly think it helps.

Has anybody been signed off sick with spd?? My consultants appointment isn't until 27th, but I have a docs appointment on Monday. Is it worth going or should I just wait for the consultant?

elgolden I had been thinking and wondering about you! Glad you're ok, or as ok as you can be in the circumstances.
I also do only online shopping these days, we would literally starve if there was no such thing as tesco/asda delivery. Nor would friends & family get any birthday presents without amazon. Also did a big Boots order last week that came to about £50..... all the essentials like changing mat, newborn nappies, cotton wool, maternity pads etc.... plus some of my toiletries that I haven't been able to get into town to buy. Haven't been in our local town since June! Really missing the shops and browsing!
harrassed I don't currently work, so not signed off sick, can't advise, really....do you think you can manage 'til 27th? Would consultant sign you off anyway, or is it not something only a GP can do? Glad you're finding ways to help though. Jealous of the yoga class....there are none in my area...ok, there is one, but the teacher is currently off on maternity leave herself!!

Hello I'm new to mumsnet and have just been referred to physio for SPD. This is my second child and I'm almost 19 weeks. I was told I have sciatica in the first pregnancy but it was so late in the day that I wasn't bothered and put up with it. This time I've heard all sorts of horror stories about crutches, being signed off from work, caesarians etc.

I have physio on the same day as my second scan so hopefully this will be able to alliviate a bit of the pain - I had been doing things slowly this week to ease it, but as a couple of you just said....somehow my 3yo son threw himself off one of our breakfast stools today so I jumped and it feels like its twisted!

I would have to say though this has put me off ever having a third big time! I had a pretty perfect pregnancy with my son so perhaps its penants for being so smug!! hehe

Hi all, mind if I join you?

I'm 14+ with DC3, and developed SPD when 38 weeks with DC1, 16 weeks with DC2 (crutches from 18 weeks, literally housebound from about 24) and am now feeling it starting to rear its ugly head.

My hips are misaligned, and I have a giant dimple in my right buttock where all my muscle mass has wasted away from pregnancy No. 2 - it's very attractive I'm desperately looking for any tips or suggestions that might keep me a bit more mobile

hello newcomers!
stef83 know exactly what you mean about being put off ever having a 3rd...I only really want 2 anyway, but am terrified of an "accident" happening and having to go through it all again. Difficult having PGP with a toddler in tow...but can be useful sometimes....I use DD (2) as my picker-upper every time I drop something. She also pulls the washing out of the machine for me and passes it to me to hang up to minimise bending and lifting for me.
NFC can you swim? I started at about the stage you're at now and kept it up til 30wks, only giving up because I had ongoing UTI & thrush, and things have gone downhill from there for me. Really helped keep me mobile. Now it's too much for me getting in the car, driving to the pool, then the whole hassle of getting dressed & undressed etc. I really recommend that if you can swim. Others here finding yoga/pilates good.
Any news of 100yrs??

Hi folks.

Baby Edith Eleanor arrived last Friday safe and sound. She's perfect and was a lot smaller than prediction. But is very good and I'm loving being a mum. I have put a pic up of her on my profile. And I have written a birth story if anyone is interesting pm me.

The PGP hasn't gone yet, I am not bothered yet by the fact I'm still suffering, but I do hope it goes.

I've not read through on here to catch up sorry. Hope you are all coping with stuff ok.

Congratulations 100yrs!!! She really is beautiful! :) Hope your pgp goes soon....takes a while with hormones for it to settle down.
Enjoy your snuggly bundle, and give her a cuddle for me.....seeing this has made me even more impatient, I want my baby NOW! xx

Congrats 100years!

I've just Googled PGP because I had no idea what it was, and it explains exactly what I have much better than SPD - my pain is mainly in my SI joints which become really unstable and misaligned - causing the wasting of my muscles in my buttocks . It's nice (well, not nice but i hope YSWIM!) to know others suffer from this too, any of my friends who've had trouble have all had true SPD rather than problems with their SI joints.

Congrats 100yrs she's lovely! Hope the PGD is settling in the aftermath

Hi els! long time no post, sorry it's not cos your PGD has gone away but glad ur coping okay! I know what you mean about mat leave being busy - using up annual leave before mat leave starts next week and it's been hectic between parents visiting and decorator doing some work, including the nursery! And antenatal classes. But it's pretty boring at other times, esp when stuck in house, sore and bored...

Had been okay and then had nesting urge after nursery painted and decided that I must sort it out (decorator left everything in a big pile in the middle of the room). Bad bad bad idea, caused quite a bad flare-up all last week. Should really know better but when the urge to nest is upon me my brains go out the window! Wee bit better today, not much planned for most of the week so going to rest up and see. 35 weeks today, feeling massive and breathless as I'm a shortarse and baby has not shown any notion of engaging yet...

Hi new ladies! Hope you find this thread as supportive and useful as I have!

harrassed - I was signed off in May for a month with SPD - GP did it as I'm midwfe led care and don't see a consultant, think it would be your GP does it anyway? I found it did really help as I rested a lot, but then I don't have any LOs yet... tho I like iwill's idea of toddler as mummy's assistant!

Hope everyone had a good weekend

Thanks Ladies.

Notfromconcentrate, yes I felt the same knowing others have suffered from this too. Not nice, but comforting to know you aren't the only one.

IWILL, you will be there soon enough :)

MissusT, hope LO engages soon.

missusT I'm glad I read about your tackling the nursery and how it was a bad idea.....I'm just sitting down to a cuppa & MN before going to tackle our nursery....your warning will hopefully make me take it easy. Got DD moved into her new room last night and now her old room will be the nursery. Family all came to help with last night's work but nursery now looks like a junk heap. Was supposed to have help this morning again, but that hasn't materialised. BUT got my "assistant" toddler off my hands this morning for a wee break for me and I plan to go and fold up the baby clothes and blankets etc and pack them all away in drawers. Will try to resist the urge to tackle anything else on my own. Should be using my time off with DD away to rest up, but hey, the nesting instinct has kicked in here BIG TIME! And when I tried to tackle the folding the clothes job while DD was with me, she just wrecked all the neat little piles of vests and babygrows and muslins that I had created! So my little assistant needs further training for her job!! :)
Can also relate to breathlessness & feeling huge....I'm also a shortie so bladder, stomach, lungs etc haven't got the space they need anymore. 35+5 here.

Hi
Just wondering how everyone is doing? After 2 fairly good weeks since last physio session, I'm really sore again now and struggling. Have another appointment though on Thurs so that should hopefully help.
Slowly but surely getting things organised at home ready for baby....or rather making lists and getting everyone else to do things for me!! Frustrating I can't get on with it myself....but I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel now.....
Hope everyone else doing ok?

Hello all,

I'm rubbish at posting regularly! Now 37 weeks and hoping little one makes an appearance soon, he's head down and 3/5 engaged according to MW. I'm resting lots and managing to avoid major pain, although there's lots of discomfort. Still relying on crutches but keeping my lower back mobile seems to keep my hips from worsening.

I managed to finish off our nursery after DP did the main decorating and have everything ready now. We are aiming for a homebirth. I keep hoping and wishing that my pelvis strengthens quickly afterwards so I can go for long walks with our baby in the buggy, it's been so long since I went for a walk, I miss it so much.

I took early maternity leave as I'm self-employed with mainly term time project based work so I stopped in early August as it didn't seem fair going back for a few weeks of the Autumn term - also don't think I'd have been able. Been a mixed blessing being off for so long, have to keep busy or I can get a bit emotional.

I had a baby blessing - like a baby shower - at the weekend and having lots of wonderful women around me and their support really buoyed me up, just hope to keep my physical and emotional strength up until baby arrives.

Belated congratulations 100years!

Hope everyone's doing ok and coping with the annoyance, pain and discomfort of SPD/PGP.

Hi I was wondering whether anyone could give me some advice about birth with SPD? I am 30 weeks and have had it since about 20 weeks. Pain is horrendous and constant... physio, acupuncture, crutches and support belt don't help... have had a nightmare with advice on pain killers but basically the low dose cocodomol doesn't work and the higher dose makes me high as a kite, and baby doesn't move all day (so don't want to take them). I am in a huge panic about the pain and damage that birth could do... I can't imagine having this long term! I asked about a c section but they said no and they would only consider inducing a week early!

Hi all, 38 weeks today and have lost all energy over past fortnight, after trying to convert mad nesting energy into things that I could do... Rather sweetly, DH has been nesting - rather surprisingly without me nagging him or sighing over things I have been itching to do (eg clean out the kitchen cupboards, hadn't mentioned that and came home from a one day course and he had it done). Tis very frustrating iwill, but worth it when one's assistants finally finish their chores! The downside of getting the lists ticked off, is a 'what am I meant to do now?!' feeling, so I'm getting pretty impatient for baby to make an appearance!

els yay, good to hear from you! Glad you took mat leave early - I dunno how people manage after 36 weeks even without SPD. My LO doesn't not seem keen on engaging, so v jealous of 3/5 at 37 weeks. Granted when he does stick his head down properly it's pretty sore... so it's good you're managing not too bad. Rest definitely has been the best thing for me managing things.

Having said that, I'm sorer than I have been for a while . I tried to reduce cocodamol down a bit (to 12hrly) and regretted that! Got stuck halfway getting up off the sofa due to pain in hips, bum bones and (tmi warning) up my bum. nice. I also seem to have developed PUPP or PEP or whatever it's called. Massively itchy bump, delightful rash amid the lush stretch marks. Waiting for bloods to rule out OC. Think I will make up a non-life threatening ailments of pregnancy bingo card and see how many more I need to tick off before I can shout 'house' and claim some unspecified prize

the bean there are a couple of threads on the childbirth forum about this - on the whole they're reassuring about giving birth with SPD. The advice on the pelvic partnership website about what steps to take to protect yourself in labour are v v good. Sorry to hear you're having such a crap time - at least on this thread most of us know exactly what you're going through, which I find helps.

how's everyone else keeping?

Having elcs on thurs this week....argh! Scary thought but really struggling now so very glad there's light at the end of the tunnel now for me regarding the pgp....fingers crossed!

Hi,
I'm new to this thread and am 26 weeks on my second pregnancy. PGP has been getting continually worse since the start really. Unfortunately I live abroad and the MW's opinion is that I just have to put up with it.

I'm a SAHM so luckily can rest during the day when DD1 is napping and that helps a lot.

I was wondering if pelvic belts are as good as the sellers say. I don't want to buy a load of things and find out afterwards that they don't really help.

What would you recommend to help with the pain?

oooh good luck for tomorrow, iwill!!! Hope all goes well and it sorts the pgp . Let us know how you and lo are as soon as you're able.

V jealous, don't think my naughty lo has engaged properly yet, still bobbing up and down. V sore. Going to moan at mw this arvo. Close run thing between pgp and pupp which is most maddening!!! Got to stage of wanting baby to get a move on and come out!!!!!

hi slightlyscrambled - sorry to hear you've got an unhelpful mw - any chance of different mw or GP who might be more hepful? Can't comment as to belt as never got round to buying one of the famed serola belts (have a stretchy one from physio that I didn't like) but lots of people on here really find them helpful. Rest and regular cocodamol have helped me get thru thus far - other positives up thread are for osteo / chiropracters experienced in working with pregnant ladies. I found acupuncture helped a bit when I was really sore. Crutches v good if walking is a problem but you'd need to see a physio I think? Pelvic partnership website v v good too! HTH.

Hi ladies,

Having had an exemplary pregnancy until then I woke up on Fri am with a stabbing pain in my hip and back which has not gone away. Midwife tells me it's PGP.

It's miserable but bearable right now but I'm really worried that it's progressive, and can't seem to get a definitive answer. I work ft, commute by walking and tube (lots of steps), have to go to lots meetings plus DH has just lost his job so I need to work as long as poss. I can function but I'm really scared about losing my mobility.

Does it get worse or can you keep it at the same level?

kenobi how many weeks are you?

how are you finding walking/ steps at the moment

I know I'm lucky - but I got PGP/SPD at 14 weeks - brought on by running - D'OH!

But - since this initial flare up it actually settled down, for me if i do something weird - strange step, slip on a wet floor - it can flare up - but its tends to settle down again. Every time I've done something like this - I've thought "uh-oh is this it now - I've fecked it" - but it has calmed down again.

I paid to see private chiro and private physio for hands on treatment.

I got referred by my midwife for NHS physio - which was good advice about exercises to do to help your muscles support the area.

For me its been about

1. learning what I can and can't do (can't run even 2 steps - which happened when I was about to miss my train), working out a weird way of turning over in bed (i now actually sit up ont he edge of bed, then get back in) and how to lie with pillows between knees on side.

2. Keeping moving (within my limits) - OK some people can only rest, but try to keep moving within what you can do, your muscles. I still ride my bike and can walk ok (up to 3 miles) - you are an experiment of you - some people are on crutches or in wheel chairs - but only you can work out what you can do - and a flare up isn't necessarily a permanent set back.

I'm 37 weeks on saturday.