Anyone else feel like they’ve been punched in the fanjo?

[TheAquaticDuchess]

For the last day or so I have been suffering with a brutal pain in my pubic area and upper thighs, just like I’ve been punched. Is this normal? Should I be worried?

(22 weeks if relevant!)

Sounds like pelvic girdle pain. Speak to your midwife for advice, you may need physio. Helpful things I've found are:

• Drawing my legs up before getting out of bed
• Have a plastic bag on your car seat so that you can swivel rather than step out of the car
• Walking backwards helps when it's really bad
• Not pushing a pushchair or shopping trolley of you can help it
• A midwife recommended Pilates but I felt generally too rough to try it

Hope you can find some relief!

Yes it sounds like PGP - Search PGP and SPD (Same thing different name) on mumsnet and you will find lots of good advice X

Oh my word -as soon as I read your description I knew exactly what you meant

Posh name is pubic symphysis dysfunction and a physio can help you with this with exercises and a support belt

Top tip -keep your knees together as much as possible when you are getting out of bed, in and out of the car etc

Bloody hurts and I remember it well -you have my sympathy

Yep, that’s how my PGP started. Physio and/or seeing an osteopath can help.

Try to keep your legs together as much as possible, sit down to put trousers/knickers on, roll onto your side with knees together to get out of bed, and definitely avoid pushing shopping trolleys and buggies if possible. You need to balance rest and activity.

I’d also recommend a pelvic support belt, I have a Serola one and am still using it.

For most people it either goes or improves dramatically after the birth. Mine improved a lot after the bump dropped and the baby started to engage - but my baby is almost 7 months and my pelvis still isn’t right so be aware it can linger.

@MyCatReallyIsAGit

Best name

My PGP continued merrily for 2 bloody years postpartum - I finally cured it with a physio program called the ‘o.p clinic’ in Australia! maybe have a google. DM me if you have any questions- I am a total evangelist for the clinic now because it changed my life and I’m pregnant with my second - not sure I would have wanted to be if the PGP pain hadn’t been resolved. I know some people suffer for years and years x

Thank you so, so much! Will definitely implement these suggestions and read up on the o.p. clinic.

Yep pgp I spoke to my midwife about it a few weeks ago. Other tips to add on here:

You can take paracetamol to ease pain
Sleep or rest on your side with a cushion between your legs
If you can take a warm bath to help relax muscles

@TheAquaticDuchess

The o.p clinic won’t be a lot of use to you in pregnancy sadly - it’s an intense physio program of exercises and weight lifting to change the way your body moves, and therefore prevent constant re-injury of the pelvis.. In pregnancy, it’s obviously not a good time to take on such a program while you’re growing a baby..

BUT: for anyone who has still has PGP pain AFTER pregnancy- definitely look into it

In the mean time, @TheAquaticDuchess you might find these stretching exercises give some relief throughout pregnancy ; I’d avoid number 6 though;

@Gerdticker, thank you very much - I will take a look at that!

@Gerdticker thanks so much, I will check it out!