SPD in second pregnancy - worse than in first pregnancy?

[PixieCake]

Can anyone share their experience of SPD second time round?
Was it worse in your second pregnancy and did it come on earlier? Did it take longer to heal?

I had pretty bad SPD from about week 35 in my first pregnancy. 13 months after giving birth I am still suffering, despite trying pretty much everything, and it's really got me down.

I would like to have another child but am worried that I will be wheelchair bound, especially since I never recovered from the first bout of SPD. Plus I would have a toddler to look after.

However, I've been told that this time I will be able to manage it better because I will know what to look out for and who to consult etc.

Anyone got any advice please? Or did anyone have SPD 1st time round that didn't recur?

Thanks x

I was under the impression that if you had SPD first time round you would have it in future pregnancies. I had it first time round but no problems second tine round (back pain but pelvis fine?!) not sure if it was to do with presentation. DS was back to back and DD not.
Have you been back to GP or physio if you are not better? I would make all possible plans (eg can anyone help at home if you do have it badly). If you are as lucky as me then you may be fine!

I had it really badly in my first pregnancy - using a wheelchair from week 28, rationed to 300 yards walking a day.
However I was fine by 3 months post-birth thanks to lots of walking and postnatal physio. Was told I had about 60% chance of getting it again but hopefully would be less bad if caught early.

Now I'm 27 weeks and while I do have SPD, it's much less severe - still walking (slowly) over a mile twice a day. Other preg symptoms are worse though - had no morning sickness at all first time...

Are you still having physio and have you tried an osteopath? Between them I'd hope they could help a lot. Failing that your toddler will love riding on an electric wheelchair/scooter with you!

Thanks both. Great to hear that it isn't always worse in a second pregnancy.

I'm ploughing on with the osteopathy, physio and pilates, I'm just depressed that it has been going on for so long. I would like to get pregnant again in the new year and my osteo says she will help me through it (although it is costing a bomb!) but is it stupid/irresponsible to try to conceive again while I still have SPD?

Mine came back, and came back earlier than in the first pregnancy. Sorry. :(

It is true that you are better prepared the second time around though. I was very clued into what was happening, and got treatment much earlier. I also knew a lot of my triggers and was able to deal with it myself better. I also pushed for treatment after I delivered. Did you get that with your first? It's possible to sort out problems postnatally while the ligaments are still soft.

Not that that's a good reason to have a second, though, obviously.

Another thing to think about - and it's not great news - how is your toddler at coping for themselves? Mine was not at all physically competent and I had to do a lot of lifting her into car seats (because she couldn't climb in herself) and that sort of thing. The physio told me that there was no "safe" way to do it, so I just had to suck it up that it was making my SPF much worse (lifting and twisting at the same time). :( It's worth thinking through your day and working out what would be hard with SPD so that you can have plans in action for when you get pregnant.

The good news - it was totally worth it to get a second child. :)

i had it from around the same time as you in my first pregnancy but got over it pretty quickly after birth. I was jogging again within a few months and my stomach tone seemed decent.

Second time around (3 years later) it kicked in at 14 weeks. I've had a good osteopath but at various stages and then always from around 32 weeks it's been pretty miserable (now 36 weeks).

My son fortunately was old enough to accept that I just couldn't pick him up anymore, etc, though I do still have to hoist him onto the toilet and stuff like that at times.

best wishes.

I'm sorry to say that mine got worse with each pregnancy, but this pregnancy is with twins.

The pain is unbearable!!! My legs, groin, fango bone, hips, it actually has travelled all the way down my legs.

I can hardly move to be honest.

But like I said I'm having twins so hopefully you will be fine.

Good luck

Are you still breast feeding as that continues pumping relaxin around your body which makes SPD worse.

MrsT speaks truth about considering how you will look after your LO if the SPD comes back. A two year old still needs a lot of carrying around and will find it hard to understand why mummy is unable to put them on the swing/ catch them in a supermarket/ lift them onto a chair etc
I left a big gap between children on purpose, though my SPD had come on considerably earlier than 35 weeks. Do not underestimate how ghastly it is to be in terrible pain and in sole charge of a rampaging toddler. Do you have family etc who could step in and take over?
Sorry to be the voice of gloom.

I had SPD with my first, starting quite early, about 20 weeks iirc. with my second it started even earlier, definately by 13 weeks. But I'm 23 weeks with my third and haven;t had a problem so far. I think, and it's purely anecdotal, the difference has been my lack of a desk job this time round. I think in a bizarre way, keeping far more active has actually helped my pelvis this time round, and I'm lighter this time too which has maybe helped. I'm keeping my ingers crossed it'll hold off this time. If you can spare the money, reflexology worked miracles for me both times. I'm not a believer in hippy-dippy woo crap but I know reflexology transformed me from a woman hobbling with pain to one who felt normal, within the spac eof an hour, and the results lasted a good few weeks. It's worth a shot.

Sorry another doom-monger - definitely started earlier with DC2 and then earlier still with DC3. It's hard to say if the pain was worse because although you are more prepared, and know what movements to avoid (eg I did lots of breaststroke when pg with DC1 as every guide/midwife/random person on the street says swimming in pregnancy is good for you), you are so bloody knackered from looking after the other child/ren that you feel it more, IYSWIM.

Sorry. Fingers crossed for you...

Just repeating what MrsT said about the age of your toddler - while I was hoping for a year's age gap, it's actually not a bad thing that ds will be 3.5 when dc2 is born, as he's at an age of understanding the concept of mummy needs to sit down lots and isn't carrying you, can take himself to the potty, pick things up for me, and can go to nursery on a scooter or walk, so only need the pushchair to get him back. And can climb into bed himself. And has enough road sense to stop before crossing a road.

Also being 3 and verbal and potty trained means a lot more friends and family and neighbours are willing to babysit or collect him from nursery, as he can say what he wants. That's been a huge help - my parents now love having him for the day rather than having me and him round but me still needing to do all the nappies etc.