SPD help

[FTMdueapril]

I'm pretty sure I've got SPD and I'm wondering if anyone has any useful tips,
I've tried a bath and a hot water bottle and paracetamol and still in a world of pain.

You need to book a physio appointment ASAP. If they think you have SPD or PGP they will give you a support belt and suggest exercises. In terms of what you can do yourself.... try not to walk a lot, sit down to put socks/shoes on, try not to open your legs, when you get out of bed do it with your legs together, try to avoid being on one leg.

Some people find osteopath helpful... it didn’t help me but worth a try

Dont have a bath it will make it worse!
Rest rest and rest. You need to tell your midwife/dr so you can get reffered for some physio.

I feel your pain. Spd is awful!

Ah sorry I meant to say, I’m always nervous to have a hot water bottle over the front of my groin as that’s where baby’s head is and it feels a bit dangerous but I use one of those heated bean bag things in the microwave and when I lie on my side before bed I drape it over my lower back and hip which does provide a small amount of relief. Unlike PP I do find baths soothing but it’s just hard to get out.... so i have to make sure my partner is there to heave me out. (It’s very undignified!)

Depending how it works in your area, a self referral to physio might be possible. That’s how it works here and it’s been incredibly fast for me, I’ve been seen within two days each time I’ve needed it. You have my sympathy, it’s miserable. I’m 29 weeks with dc4 and am in almost constant pain. I had spd with 1 & 2 but nothing like this. Ive been given a large tubigrip type bandage but I can’t stand how it feels on my stomach, far too constricting. I’m using crutches for the times I have no choice but to walk any distance. Something that’s helped just within the last week is getting a cheap memory foam pillow. I tried one before I was pregnant and hated it as I usually sleep on my front, but now I’m on my side it’s incredibly comfortable. That and a good firm pillow between my knees has made a small but noticeable difference to my pain at night. Dh is rubbing ibuprofen gel on my back at night but according to the back of it it’s not it be used over six months of pregnancy, no idea why.

Thank you all, I haven't been diagnosed but have been struggling for a couple of weeks now and a friend suggested it could be SPD and upon googling I have all of the symptoms.

Will this have any impact on labour, do you know?

Hope those of you suffering feel better soon!

Think I have PGP - grateful for any tipswww.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/3466482-Think-I-have-PGP-grateful-for-any-tips

This thread had some great tips.
It's awful, I hope you get some relief.

I had SPD last time. Labour was very quick and straightforward. SPD symptoms disappeared immediately afterwards. I have it again this time. I'm 20 weeks and it's getting progressively worse. I use a bag of frozen peas on my groin in the evenings for relief! I have found that cutting out all exercise is helping. No walking the dog, yoga, even my antenatal physio class. I really feel the difference. I wear a support belt for standing when cooking etc. And I turn over in bed by keeping my knees together and turning by degrees. In fact keeping your knees together is just good advice all round.

Definitely a pillow between your knees at night, it helped me so much.

I had this in my pregnancy just gone and you’ll see on any spd or pgp posts I usually add my little bit 😉 I was referred to physio but for me it was pretty useless. Best suggestions were not to overstretch keep knees together when getting in/out of bed or cars. Take stairs one by one so each one step then bring the other foot onto same step if that makes sense. Use a decent pregnancy pillow if you can afford to get one, if not use pillows between your legs/knees which helps keep them aligned during the night rather than folded over. Rest as much as possible and think about things which keep you off balance, for example hoovering, maybe you can ask someone else to do it. Keeping as stable as possible helped me. I massively massively benefited from an osteopath and they should be able to tell you about their experiences in treating pregnant women.
It didn’t affect my labour as I was mobile and gave birth standing up (highly recommend!!) It can affect you in labour if you have to have interventions or give birth on your back. Ask your midwife about mobile birthing if possible. Hope that helps a bit. P.S. my lo is 4.5 moths old now and I have no issues anymore 😀

I had SPD mildly with DC1 and with a vengeance with DC2. Lots of good advice above. Only thing to add is that if you work in an office you might find a cushion on your seat is useful. I had a specific support cushion and I still use it now as it still twangs a bit in an office chair -DC2 is 16 months old.

No other lasting symptoms and I had a straightforward water birth, gaining my mobility pretty much straight after.

I had horrendous SPD from 12 weeks
It is the worst! I'd recommend physio asap, don't fanny around waiting for the NHS just book a good private place if you possibly can. No exercise, not even walking until you've been seen and given exercises. Frozen peas on your pubic bone, keep your knees together when getting out a car/turning in bed or whenever you move. Use a rucksack so weight is evenly spread.

I found it did affect labour. I couldn't walk at all, had to use a kidney bowl for wees, but the good news is that it disappeared as soon as my baby arrived.

It is awful, I'm sorry. Good luck!

I had physio today for SPD, I’m 22 weeks. Had it in my previous pregnancy as well. It wasn’t overly helpful because there is little they can do for it.

Our NHS don’t give out the belts anymore you have to buy one yourself. They also try not to give crutches unless absolutely necessary because they believe that keeping moving as much as possible is the best option.

My GP also said that if needed they would prescribe codeine for the pain. But I’m reluctant to take that.

I had late onset SPD with my second pregnancy. Didn't rear it's ugly head until I was about 32 weeks. Ended up being too late for a hospital physio appointment (by the time I'd got one baby would have been born) so I booked a private consultation with a chiropractor and I found it helped enormously. Other than that, a pillow between your knees in bed and as much rest as possible. You have my sympathies OP it's not fun

Oh, and like a PP, my symptoms disappeared immediately after the birth thankfully.

Physio gave me a small spiky ball. I use it against a wall to massage my bum muscles. You have to really go for it, 5 mins each side min and it HURTS. I find it gives some relief though.

SPD in both my pregnancies.

Rest as much as possible. Limit unnecessary walking, especially stairs if you can.

Physio helps if you can get it to adjust your gait a bit and pillow between the knees at night.

I have had 2 VERY quick and easy labours (4h and less than 2h). Have always credited my loose pelvis.

I was on crutches at the end of my pregnancy and it did affect my labour, I was in extreme pain afterwards and couldnt walk for 3 weeks afterwards.
It seems that it can really vary person to person, hopefully you will be fine.

Get a physio appointment ASAP. 34 weeks and on crutches

Almost 36 weeks here, on crutches and in agony almost all the time, esp in the morning so maybe I’m doing strange things during the night?? Pillow between knees in bed helps, didnt find physio much use, maybe just me though!

Hi ladies, I couldn’t remember which thread I had a huge moan about my SPD but just wanted to update you, from the second my baby was gone I haven’t felt a single symptom. Literally 7 months of agony just disappeared. It’s amazing that two days after a c section it’s still less painful getting out of bed and putting my leggings on that my SPD was.

Hope that helps reassure anyone feeling down in the dumps.

Great to hear that @le42 and congratulations on your new baby! How was ELCS for you?