Pelvic girdle pain or sciatica?

[Msbluesky32]

Im only 17 weeks into my first pregnancy but Im having a bit of trouble with pain in my pelvis. The midwife said it was probably sciatica, but Im not so sure, I looked up the symptoms and it doesnt seem quite right... its mostly painful in the mornings and things like bending to put my shoes on are agony! I tried to put my shoe on whilst standing on one leg and that was excruciating. Anyone else experienced something similiar?

I've had troubles with my sciatic nerve outside pregnancy, and it was totally different to the pain I've been experiencing in my pelvis during pregnancy (I'm 32 weeks now with No. 2).

For starters it's at the front by my pubis bone, rather than down the back of my bum cheek. Then I get pain when opening my legs (turning over in bed, getting out of bed, etc).

Sciatica I treated very well with Acupunture sessions. For what I presume is SPD, I'm seeing physios and osteopaths and inspite of the pain not going away, it's not getting worse... In my last preganancy it went after I'd given birth, so perhaps in 8 weeks time I'll be able to stop hobbling around like an 80yr old woman!

I hope you get some treatment for whatever you have, either way, there IS something you can do, if your doctor is sympathetic!

Like Happysurf, my PGP felt like my pubic bone was being sawn in half. If that is similar to what you are feeling, you need to avoid stretching the ligaments in your pelvis, so keep knees together when sitting/standing/rolling over in bed (it can help to hold a rolled up towel between your thighs - my yoga teacher suggested doing this while brushing my teeth) and dont do things on one leg!

IME sciatica feels every different - nerve pain down through your bum cheek and down your leg. There are some yoga exercises you can do to help this, but you need to be careful if there's a chance you do have PGP/SPD.

Not sure if it is your thing, but pregnancy yoga was great for me - exercise, guidance from the teacher about not overstretching and breathing exercises which were useful for birth too.

Thanks both, TeaandHobnobs - yes Im starting pregnancy yoga next week and am hoping that will help. I read a couple of horror stories about people not being able to move at all because they left their pain! Eeek! Mine feels like its in my left bum muscle and I dont have much trouble in bed, more getting out of chairs and bending to put shoes on. I also get pain when I push things like the shopping trolley.
Happysurfwidow I hope you feel better soon!

MsBluesky - I have recently posted on here under Oesteopath and SPD pain. It may help, I thought I had sciatic pain but was told last week I had a twisted pelvis, which she fixed in one session. It was the reason I suffered with SPD during my first two pregnancies. I found out you are also more prone to this if you have over stretched ligaments also called 'over mobile' (are able to bend your legs and fingers quite far!) as the muscles cannot support you as they should.