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, can I ask for some advice from you all? I'm pregnant with DC3 (21 weeks), had very mild SPD with DC2, never that much pain, just difficulty moving. This time its much worse, and an ill advised walk yesterday led to my first day of constant low level pain and sharp twinges intermittently. It doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as some people on here, so I'd be grateful for any tips of what to do to stop it getting worse.

I wanted to ask about walking speed - do you find you can only walk very slowly? I had to slow down so much I looked ridiculous today (only walking 5 mins between car and work), and thats after a night of rest! And at what point do you need crutches (and how do you know)? Is having to walk slowly a bad sign, or normal, or is there something I should do about it?

Any help/advice would be great - I'm not that confident about what physio I'll get (not got appt til 8 july). Thanks!

Hi Kay I needed crutches because the minimal walking I had to do to get around (to work etc) was leaving me in a lot of pain by the night and almost unable to weight bear (combination of pain and feeling like my leg just wouldn't engage in the joint). My crutches reduce that and allow me to get about a bit more before it gets too bad but still the more I do the more pain and stiffness.

Walk as little as possible, follow guidelines for keeping legs together, sitting down to put clothes and shoes on etc. Look back at this thread for more tips.

I wear birkenstocks all the time now, partly because feet have started to swell. Might see what difference trainers make with the springiness but feel dubious as it all seems down to how much my dodgy leg has to weight bear.

By the way thanks to whoever suggested ice packs - I get a burning, tearing pain in my groin most days and was particularly bad last night, ice pack before I went to sleep really soothed and eased it!

I was just about to ask as well as the pain in my cocyxx and across lower back, the not being able to stand up straight etc etc...

could a burning sensation in my groin area be another sympton? (not a uti)
But elgoldenflower i think you have kind of answered that already lol

philbee I wear FitFlops most days and find them excellent. Nice and springy and goes better with what I wear than trainers would. Also have a pair of frumpy springy Clarks shoes with velcro strap for colder days. I really wouldn't think Birkenstocks are good for SPD tbh....too stiff and flat a footbed with not enough shock-absorbency. (Maybe worth you trying something else also, elgoldenflower?) A MW friend of mine recommended at least 3cm of a heel/footbed, ie. nothing too flat. She also said crocs are excellent, I just already had FitFlops from last year so suited me to keep wearing them. Also no bending down to put fitflops or crocs on....bonus!

Kayjayel re crutches....I am not needing them (yet) but did use them for the last 6 wks of previous pregnancy. I just felt I needed them , and sure enough, without me mentioning it to physio at one of my appointments, she said that's what I needed....so for me it was a case of just knowing I couldn't go on without them.

I went into town this morning and suffering for it now. Going to take a lie-down while DD naps. ALso last night was in agony after making a nice, but complicated dinner. So trying to simplify my cooking now so I spend less time on my feet in the kitchen from now on. Does anyone else find washing the dishes makes you sore? Luckily we do have a dishwasher, but I usually wash pots and sharp knives etc. by hand......last night EVERYTHING went in the dishwasher! If it has to run every day, so be it. :)

SPD is the most awful thing to suffer from. I have had SPD in all my three pregnancies with the last one starting at eight weeks. I was signed off work for the rest of my pregnancy as my employer did not want to run the risk of me getting injured at work while using crutches (work in a college with rowdy teenagers). I am thinking of trying for number four but the pain is really making me think twice. If any of you are Londoners, then the British School of Osteopaths in Waterloo have a session every Wednesday afternoon or so where they see pregnant women with Pelvic issues and they charge about £20 or thereabouts. I have never been but they come highly recommended.

The tips on the Pelvic Partnership website are absolutely fantastic.

Hope you are feeling better today iWILL.
Kayjayel I always needed to walk slowly when pain was bad, stupidly slowly. It was to do with preparing each leg to weight bear I think - elderly people overtaking me! I knew I needed crutches when I felt it was too painful to walk without supporting myweight on something each time I lifted a leg (so one leg is never bearing all my weight). However, since I told my chiro about the scan results on Sunday (baby being back to back and on right), he did some work to loosen the ligaments which suspend my uterus as said they felt uneven(!) and I am now completely crutch-free and can feel the baby's head pressing down! Still in pain but it seems to have really reduced the pressure of the head which was forcing my pelvis apart (think it may now be sideways, as it should be, not facing my tummy, so smaller diameter.)

Anyway, EDD TODAY, have just eaten a whole pineapple so if you don't hear from me for a few days.....

Thanks for those replies - elgoldenflower, I'm hoping my physio appt in a few weeks will help me assess what might help, it sounds like yours knew what you needed.

Else - that is really useful to know what you experienced, I tried to walk more quickly today after I'd 'warmed up a bit' - foolishly I thought I was better, and after 30 secs I had to stop completely, so I'm back to being a tortoise and getting funny looks! Good luck with your impending birth! Very exciting - I so much prefer birth to pregnancy! Hopefully you'll be spd free soon.

Self refer for physio its prob the fastest way and i must admit my dept were very good at accomodating you and means you dont have to faff about waiting!
I just got crutches at 35weeks and a big telling off for waiting until now to go back, i had previously been at bout 4mnths. But as its my first believed people who kept telling me it was 'normal' pregnancy thing and thought i was making a fuss about nothing. The physio took one look and said its definately not normal. Learn from my mistake!

Yes, crutches for SPD are a good thing, according to physios, and they don't often approve of them, generally. I guess they offer another way of helping pelvis to remain stable when walking is unavoidable.

No baby yet btw!

Morning all. Feeling ropey today. Caught dcs tummy bug so I was up 3 times in the night. First time caught me unawares so hurt myself rushing (ha) to the loo. Leanred my lesson and took a bucket to bed after that. Managed to wet myself the first time too

This morning it's been the other end. And a stinking headache.

I'm feeling so sorry for myself it's untrue. Normally I can keep a pma, or at least a pretence of one but today - not at all...

Buttonmoon How awful. Do you have any help? You are very entitled to feel sorry for yourself, could it get much worse?

If I'd thought about it I'd have positioned something anything under me but I'm not sick v often so it didn't occurr to me! However, I was wearing pjs so it mostly went on there. Oh gosh, the joys of pg.

No help but thankfully all dcs at school so at least I just have the dog wanting company. But being as dh has his own company which is currently based in our dining room, the phone keeps going and I'm forced to sound nice and happy and professional!

I'm sure it could get worse, but I'm trying not to dwell on that!

ooh, get the answer phone to deal with it all for today, be officially off sick. Poor thing, hope you pick up later today x

Sorry to hear your ill buttonmoon! And i agree you go to bed and are nit available to answer phones!
Iv been told to up cocodamol intake so if there are some posts that do not make sense this is why!

EITYF...go eat another pineapple (then another and another and another....), one ain't enough! And then go bounce on your ball!

buttonmoon.....hugs and sympathies your way. That sounds miserable. Last week even the combo of just terrible hayfever and PGP made me tell DH I wanted to be knocked unconcious and woken up when all this is over! Hope you recover from the bug quickly.

feisty thanks for that info. I'm not in England, but sounds like a good service for others who might live nearby.

I went for a swim again this morning. DD only had a very short nap this afternoon so I didn't get much of a rest. But house is clean and ironing done.....MIL comes to look after DD while I swim and does lots round the house for me. Couldn't cope without her help.

really iWILL? because I really will if it works!

Goign to budgens now, 3 for £3. I have been on MN all day (DS at pre school then nap) and feel quite stir crazy. Need to get out and move.

Swim sounds very appealing, good for you (so does clean house actually)

button, how are you feeling today?

Well and update for you all..
Wed I had the appointment at the hosp for growth scan, followed by consultant appointment. Scan went well, LO is measuring in between the lines, so that's a good thing :) Approx 3lbs3. Saw a different doctor to last time, she was properly lovely. I asked her a few questions, re constant monitoring, birthing pool, position etc, basically I will have to have constant monitoring, however there are various ones at the hosp and some are wireless, so I don't have to stay on the bed all the time, I can move around - great. I'm out of their criteria for the pool because of my weight - BMI 40, however there is a consultant midwife who I will see in 3 weeks time when I go back who I can discuss it all with, if she feels it's safe for me to go in the pool then they will allow it. :) So I was really pleased with that.

Saw the physio yesterday, my pain starts as a sacro-iliac joint prob, and then I also have some symphysis pubic pain too, the pain is mostly left sided back and hip pain. Have been advised - belt, hot water bottles, small steps when walking, lots of rest if walking around, not to do too much generally. She said a week off now, get the belt and hot water bottles and rest and hopefully it should settle down enough. I struggled through work yesterday, but have booked sick today and won't go back the rest of this run of shifts, will hopefully be right as reign for next Thursday again.

Hope everyone else is OK.

EITYF....I did not try the pineapple thing but I believe that for it to work it has to be tons of the stuff you eat! Any developments??

100yrs glad you had someone understanding and helpful at your appointment. Enjoy your week off, hope you get good rest & relief!

button any improvement today? Hope you are ok.

The belt has arrived. It's amazing how much difference it makes just having it on. I mean it's still sore, but then everything is all inflamed at the moment, but WOW, great stuff just now with it. :)

is it the serola belt? that's what I have and now can't walk without it!

Yep that's the one. I asked the physio what she thought of it, she said as they don't provide them they find it hard to recommend one as it means spending a lot of money, I said I would pay a million pounds to stop the pain, she understood what I meant. She said it's the rolls royce of belts, which is what others in here have said.

I'm not finding it as comfy sat down, but boy the difference walking it amazing. had undone it for a minute as I was sat down and someone came to the door, went to the door without it, :( hmmm. no more quick movements, The only thing is - how do you go to the loo? Take it off, or wear under knickers?

Oh and my OH paid half towards it too :)

I'm 16 weeks pg with DC2, and have just self-referred to my local physio department. I had SPD and sacroiliac pain in my first pregnancy that started around 23 weeks, but I'm getting the first twinges now and I'm really not waiting until it's really bad to see someone. Luckily our local department seem pretty good and they can see me next week. Does it always start earlier with a second pregnancy? Or is it just that I'm running around after DS, sitting on the floor to play with him and stuff?

Hi Ladies, glad I found this thread and am not the only one dealing with this annoying side effect of pregnancy. 29 + 2 days at the moment and have been having niggling pain since 20wks. Got worse last week so went to OBGYN on Monday and he said to get Serola Belt and if no ease within a week then go to Specialist Physio. Got belt yesterday & the relief it is already giving is great. It locks your hips in position and gently helps to support your bump (ps I have a little bump but no strength in the muscles underneath I think). He also gave me exercises to do on the birthing ball - again, these are brill. I was finding sitting on my couch sore (even though its a comfy leather one) and couldnt get comfortable but a half hour on the birthing ball makes things so much easier. Fingers crossed there'll be no need for physio.... bit nervous about someone going at the area as I dont want to move or interfere with baby unnecessarily. Good luck ladies :)

aarrggh just typed a response but it disappeared, so here it is again...

sotired no you're not the only one feeling it earlier the 2nd time round. I felt it this time prettty much from conception. What age is your DS? I'm just learning to take it easier and do things differently with DD (2.4)...minimal bending, lefting, carrying etc. No buggy-pushing. Does he still nap? If so, use that time to lie down and rest yourself (that is, if you're not working).

100yrs that's good you have the best belt there is. Glad it's helping you. It took me a while to get used to it. At first I just wanted to rip it off it was digging into me so much and I also found sitting uncomfortable, but on buttonmoon's recommendation, I got my physio to show me how to wear it correctly. Turned out I was wearing it too low down. I also had the front & back parallel, but she showed me the back bit is worn higher than the front bit, if that makes sense? Re. going to the loo, yes I have to take it off every time and it is a bit of a nuisance, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons and I'm getting used to that now too. I mostly wear it over leggings, tunic top then hides it. Or I wear a bump band under it, then clothes over that, which hides it nicely. Bump band also stops it digging into and chaffing (sp?) the skin. hth

hello septbaby. another new belt user. Yes couch is not the best place to sit. If you've no other option, make sure you've plenty of cushions behind your lower back for support and to stop you slouching!