SPD

[mum2boys2010]

Hay ladies, I'm 19 weeks pregnant with my 3rd, I'm struggling with SPD, Iv asked my midwife to refer me to physio therapy but that was 5 weeks ago!! Iv got an appointment next week to see my GP to see what he can do. I can't sleep at night because the pain is so bad, Iv got pillow all around me to support me but it's not helping. When I get up in the morning I feel like I'm bruised. I'm finding it so hard to cope with, and with two other children, working and running a house I don't know what to do!! Can anybody recommend anything that might help me?

I have private physio and it's helped massively. She strongly recommended a Serola belt so try one of those.

Know what you mean about bruising pain in the morning. I’ve been doing some yoga before bed it really helps been doing some yoga before bed it really helps been doing a class and the teacher told me what to do and what to avoid. There’s also lots of videos online you can follow. As the other poster said a support band helps too.

Second serola belt. Be very careful re yoga as the "opening up" type exercises can do more harm than good. Keep off your feet as much as you can (easier said that done!)

At the end of the day I recommend icing your groin to bring down the inflammation and/or heat pack on your bum if you're feeling shooting pain in your glutes. Rolling spiky ball on muscles can also be helpful.

Really recommend seeing a specialist Physio if you can - I've been seeing one 2x weekly since 24 weeks (am now 36 weeks) and it has made a huge difference. $$$ though! Last pregnancy was completely immobile by 38 weeks and for a good month after DS was born so really determined to avoid that this time round.

I saw a private chiropractor who was amazing, would definitely recommend finding someone who specialises and seeing them.

In the same boat here and also 3rd pregnancy. Follow up with your midwife re physio. My midwife made 3 referrals and countless phonecalls. In the end and after waiting for 12 weeks (having had it badly from 8 weeks) I complained to PALS and the next day I had an appointment. I found out through a contact at the hospital that all referrals were being ignored and so PALS was the only route to go. So definitely chase it up and do so regularly.

My contact actually said that it was vital I was assessed and to pay for private in the interim until an appointment came through. It didn't come to that in the end. When I had the appointment I was assessed and told that a support belt would do nothing for me due to where the pain was and how it was triggered. So they don't help everyone.

My personal tips are, clench bottom cheeks when walking upstairs (this was a physio exercise in my last pregnancy and still helps now), keep your legs together and clench your bottom when turning in bed and know your limits. Make sure you sit regularly in small bursts - this is find has helped me the most. I currently sit down every half an hour, even just for 3 or 4 minutes. I do find that when I sit in the evening I can't get up after! Other things that help are applying heat and massage in the area. Take paracetamol when it's especially bad and try not to do heavy lifting. I know the latter is hard, I have a 22mo and often need to carry her, so am teaching her more independence.

Thank you ladies, I phone an osteopath today to see if I can get an appointment with her, it's just so hard having to wait! Also I ordered a belt to see if that help. Xxx