SPD, how did you all cope???

[HeavenK76]

I've got spd and am now at a stage that I can't walk/stand anymore.
I'm 20 weeks and booked in for an appointment with the physio (urgent)
Well I'm blessed for sure cause we've got our own restaurant so food is not a big problem, I don't HAVE to cook and because of the staff at the restaurant, my hubby is able to stay at home and look after our 6 DC.
But as I'm not able to move a lot and am house bound atm, I'm wondering how you ladies all cope with house chores, cooking, looking after kids, laundry, ironing etc. etc.
Who helps you out? IF anyone at all!!

I can't do anything at all, which makes me feel rather useless. :(

I don't know how I would cope if had children- am in agony a lot! Have had time off work, now reduced hours. Have good and bad days, do what I can on good days and try not to get too down on bad days. I've had 1 physio and 1 on Monday where I'm hoping to get a support belt. I also found pregnancy pilates amazing at giving other exercises to help movement. ..in terms of who could help friends? Family? Pay for a cleaner?

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0897934806/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1394946238&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

This book has been recommended to me as the only thing to work, if you follow it you will be almost pain free I've got numerous friends who swear by it.

Follow the exercises and it should help you greatly. It's the opposite of what your told.

Ok link did not work

Relieving Pelvic Pain During and After Pregnancy: How Women Can Heal Chronic Pelvic Instability

This is name it's £13 on amazon

Oh Heaven I am so sorry you have this, I had it with my first from 18 weeks and now it's starting again with my second at, you guessed it, 18 weeks. By the end I was immobile, had to sleep downstairs on a camping mattress because I couldn't get up the stairs. I work from home and by the time my husband got back from work (around 2.30pm) I hadn't had anything to eat or drink all day because I couldn't move.

I was referred for physio this time and they said that really there's nothing that they can do and I needed to be referred to women's health at the hospital where I am giving birth so they can keep on eye on it. During my last pregnancy I wrote a post on another website with all of the exercises I was told might help (did them but I don't think they did anything as I couldn't move). I'll have a look for it in a few.

I am dreading this time because I know how bad it gets and now I have a two year old to look after, all of my family live overseas and my husband's family don't drive so like the first time 'round we are on our own and just have to suck it up (and keep taking that codeine!).

Oh and a support belt! An absolute and total must-have.

Exercise 1: On hands and knees, breathe in, expanding pelvic region. On out breath, draw belly button back towards spine while raising right hand forward. Reverse and do with left hand raised out. Six times on each side, twice a day.

Exercise 2: On hands and knees, move your spine in a wave - on out breath, point tailbone down and continue movement up through the neck. On in breath, do the same in reverse (easier to describe this one in person). Six times on each side, twice a day.

Exercise 3: (this one feels awesome), one hands and knees, is more comfortable to keep the wrist taking the pressure into a fist position rather than flat on the floor. Keep left hand on the floor, and thread your right hand between your arm and knee, twist as far as is comfortable (I can feel this from the base of my spine up through my neck). Do the same in reverse. Six times on each side, twice a day.

Exercise 4: This one sucks and really hurts. Lay on your left side, rest your left arm out on the floor above your head and rest your right hand on the floor in front of you. With your legs slightly bent so your feet and back are aligned, raise your right knee towards the sky but keep your ankles/feet together so you're opening up your legs like a clamshell. Don't let yourself roll backwards, do this up against a wall if possible. 10x on each side, twice a day.

Exercise 5: On hands and knees, like exercise 1 but when you are raising your right hand forward, you are lifting your left leg backwards, keeping your back flat.

When finished, sit in a chair and with your left leg bent, put your right ankle up on your left knee (like if you are trying to sit cross-legged but can't quite make it) and lean forward into a stretch. Then do this on the other side.

Lastly, and I've heard everyone should be doing these - wall pelvic tilts. They feel really good and are also good for sciatica. Stand up against a wall with your feet planted on the floor in front of you a foot-length away from the wall. Curl your tailbone under and tilt it upwards, and this should press your lower back into the wall. Hold for 5-10 seconds, then release. Repeat 10x, twice a day. This also helps pelvic floor muscles.

I showed symtoms of it from about 16 weeks. I'm now 36 weeks and I can barely walk. I could cry. I can barley open my legs without my groin feeling like it's going to snap. Feels like some one has kicked me in groin.

I'm pregnant with my first I hope it doesn't effect child birth

Sweetpea, the (admittedly anecdotal) evidence would suggest that it can make labour easier as your pelvis is already nice and loose. My obstetric physio certainly said this can be the case and my last labour was very quick after having SPD symptoms from 14 weeks.

This time round it started about 9 weeks and I've now got a support belt, a prescription for codeine and crutches. I don't use all three every day but the crutches especially have made things much easier, though they're not particularly practical with a 2yo!

Oh that's really comforting to hear. (as I hobble to the loo lol)

I don't even have never to walk very far now let alone push.

I've opted for a water birth to help with pain

It's really good to hear from other ladies although I feel sorry for all of you at the same time cause this pain is absolutely awful.
I'm hoping to get a reasonable belt from the physio and crutches if possible, just to try and get out of the house for a little while. Fx
Getting sick of being at home all the time.

My osteopath fixed me up every couple of weeks. :)

I also learnt to do the manoeuvre she used on me myself, although it's better if you get someone else to help you with it. The manoeuvre is described in detail on this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1846101-Did-anyone-take-painkillers-for-SPD along with the responses of a couple of the ladies who tried it for themselves.

Hope it works for you - it saved my mobility (and my sanity) in both pregnancies. :)

I was pretty much like you a couple of weeks back at 18 weeks. I was almost resigned to be in agony for the rest of my pregnancy. Fortunately though My physio was fantastic. She spent over an hour poking and proding and realigning and four days later the pain had all but gone. Three weeks later it still hasn't come back so I am crossing my fingers.
Physio might not work for everyone but if there is something obviously wrong then it can do wonders. My pelvis had rotated someway and the physio was able to put it back to normal.

I have had spd with all my pregnancies, each time it got worse. With my last on after quite a traumatic birth I came home and literally ran about the house - even after crap birth it was amzing to be able to move my legs again and not have to hold on to something for every step!

I am 35 weeks now and literally crying on the school run each day clinging onto the pushchair for dear life. I will be glad when its over, my useless midwife is so sympathetic!!

This will be the last baby!