SPD/PGP help - has anyone else suffered?

[Shazzzzz]

Hey,

I think i have started with SPD/PGP - know as symphsis pubis dysfunction / pelvic girdle pain.

It seems to get worse as the day goes on, is this normal? And if can anyone help with ways the help the pain that would be great!!☹️

I've just ordered myself a birthing ball as it came highly recommended! Currently waiting for amazon to deliver it today! 😂
So many mommies on here said how good they are with helping with your hips!
I literally can't wait for mine to turn up! 😁

@lockdownpregnancy ahhh i already have one of those! I will try it thank you 😁

Do you find it gets worse throughout the day? I woke up this morning and felt ok but now i have the waddle, literally feel like ive been kicked in the vag!! 🤨

😂😂😂😂 @Shazzzzz
Yes the more the day goes on the worse it gets.
I work from home 3 days a week and 2 in the office. I have to get up every half hour or so for a waddle around as otherwise I just seize and then can barely move at all!
Oh such fun times eh! 🤪🤪

I always link this Website on SPD threads. Loads of useful info and also a list of physios and chiropractors that actually know about SPD (lots don’t!)

pelvicpartnership.org.uk

In answer to your actual question, it does get worse as the day goes on and as the pregnancy goes on but for most people (but not all) disappears suddenly as soon as the baby is born.

Keep your knees together when getting in and out of the car, some people sit on a plastic bag to help them spin. My pregnancy pillow was a godsend, big U-shaped one.

I didn't have SPD but had terrible PGP in my sacroiliac joints (SIJD I think my GP/Physio called it?). It persisted a long time after DS was born too, probably because I massively overdid physical activity before I realised it wasn't helping and made things worse.

See a GP/Midwife ASAP and they can refer you for antenatal physio urgently. TAKE IT EASY. Follow the advice on the pelvic partnership website. Don't open your legs too wide and make sure when you give birth your midwives know this and don't push you to open your legs wider than you can. Sleep with a pillow between your knees - I still do this 15 years on or I wake with back ache.

@lockdownpregnancy The things we put up with!! Im permanently at home at the minute and been told to take as many breaks as i need so taking full advantage on lying on the couch every hour or so 😂 definitely looking forward to starting maternity leave!

@Anniemabel Thank you i will take a look😁 i remember this happening with my first but cant remember when the pain went!

@ToTheTwees i have been looking at pregnancy pillows but had a large u shaped one in my first pregnancy and found it just got in the way!- will try the keeping knees together in the car also thank you 😁

I had it really badly and was in a wheelchair with it. It still plays up now. I don't think I'll ever be the same again.
I just had to shuffle everywhere and crawl up the stairs.
Good luck

@Roomba i definitely had PGP in my last pregnancy and had physio to help but cant really remember it helping too much. This time its a little different to where it just feels like someone has kicked me in my lady bits 🙈 its seems worse when i stand up.

I do sleep with a pillow inbetween my legs already going to get a pregnancy pillow, i see my midwife in a few weeks so will mention this to her 😊

@ballsdeep a wheelchair! I bet that was really painfull ☹️ After having my first i found if i made any sudden movements my pelvis would click which went on for around 2 and half years

[quote Shazzzzz]@ballsdeep a wheelchair! I bet that was really painfull ☹️ After having my first i found if i made any sudden movements my pelvis would click which went on for around 2 and half years[/quote]
My whole side used to click and drop it was awful. I'm hoping it will be ok . I had it really bad on my second and then my third was horrific. Fingers crossed for you

Hi! Forgive me I’m going to cut and paste my PGP post response here....

PGP and SPD are the same thing - PGP is just the newer name, as it more accurately describes how the whole pelvis can be affected, not just the symphysis pubis at the front.

• [ ] My SPD started 12 weeks in my first pregnancy

• [ ] There is a lot of info out there so do reach out

• [ ] My SPD continued after labour and I was eventually diagnosed with ‘osteitis pubis’, a term for injury/inflammation in the pubic bone area. I found an incredible physio online who offers a program to help you learn to move differently, and stop injuring yourself. (It’s called the O.P Clinic if you want to look it up ) It worked for me, and stopped the pain * if anyone has PGP pain that goes on for months/years after childbirth, I urge you to look this up*

• [ ] However that might not be your experience; for most people it goes away after the baby is born!

• [ ] After what I’ve been through I feel like an expert though!! Currently 31 weeks in my second pregnancy and using exercises to keep the SPD pain to a minimum

• [ ] My advice -
• [ ] - think of trying to help your pelvis keep stable. So wear flat well fitted shoes Only, no heels or sloppy slippers.
• [ ] - keep your knees together as much as possible. Walk with small steps
• [ ] - when standing, stay even on both feet and push down into the earth through your arches. Stand tall.
• [ ] - sit only on good firm chairs, stay straight, no leg crossing. Try to have knees lower than pelvis

• [ ] - buy a Serola belt; I wear mine low and tight under my bump, it literally holds me together!
• [ ] - sit on a plastic bag in the car, it can help you swivel round when you get out, with both knees together
• [ ] - long pillow between knees and ankles at night in bed Is a game changer

• [ ] My greatest relief from pain is from careful stretching. This video on YouTube is great; all the stretches are on the floor so you can take it slowly. (I would not recommend number 6 for SPD) Exercise 7 is my current favourite!

Woops here’s the link

One other thing, it doesn’t always get worse and worse. Mine was pretty sore at 12-26 weeks, and bad again 22-28 weeks

Now 28-31 weeks it’s really calmed down. I think this is down to me doing plenty of stretching, and perhaps my hormones have settled for this part of pregnancy.

Last pregnancy I had a great birth in the water so it doesn’t also mean your birth will be terrible. My advice is stay GENTLY active, do gentle stretches a few times a day, and lie down on your side with A long pillow between knees when you feel crap

Best of luck! X

Find a good chiropractor or physio who actually knows about this (not all do) - it helps al ot.

Ice the very lowest part of your back, just above your bum. The reason the pain increases over the day is largely due to inflammation from the moving around. Ice helps to relieve that. (doesn't help underlying condition, obviously, but helps with the additional pain from inflammation).

Get one of those belts a previous poster has mentioned. It helps to keep your pelvis in place. They are not particularly comfortable to wear - especially when it's hot - but they are incredibly helpful and make a huge difference.

@lockdownpregnancy

😂😂😂😂 *@Shazzzzz* Yes the more the day goes on the worse it gets. I work from home 3 days a week and 2 in the office. I have to get up every half hour or so for a waddle around as otherwise I just seize and then can barely move at all! Oh such fun times eh! 🤪🤪

With my first DC, I had a health and OT assessment on announcing my pregnancy. The SPG had already kicked in and I was given the fanciest office chair in the history of the world - with a piece that had been very carefully cut out to reduce pressure on the base of my spine and pelvis. It was life changing (although did take a long time to arrive due to it being personalised for me!). Unfortunately, those were the days of working for a massive City firm.... the chair cost over £1,000!!!!!

I had this very severely. I used to do yoga daily and by the end of my pregnancy I couldn't walk. (Not saying this will happen to you!)

There's different reasons you can get it and ways it affects you. Something to consider is work on strengthening the muscles that surround your pelvis rather than stretching them. I wouldnt want to advise specific exercises as I'm not a medical professional (just spent a small fortune on it).

Get a referral to the maternity physio and get advice now

Yes. it's really tough.

I had it from 10 weeks with my first, and 4 weeks with my second, ended up on prescription painkillers for 6 months with each, and needed a wheelchair to do more than hobble round the house. It was really hard.

Mine mostly went after birth, but I have some lingering affects a couple of years on.

You have my sympathy. PGP kicked my arse and I won't be having a second child because of it. It got worse as the day went on and much worse as my pregnancy went on.
My husband had to wheel me in for my ELCS. And I was basically house bound. I had to start my mat leave early because I couldn't drive to work and sitting at my desk was excruciating.
I had some NHS physio when I was pregnant which helped a bit. Ideally I would be able to see a physio not who specialises but I just can't afford it. DS is 9 months and I still have some issues but things are much better than they were.

@Gerdticker Thanks for all the advise i will definitey look into in more detail when i have finished work for the day - glad i have a desk job! I am currently 22 weeks and it got worse yesterday, its the same today so guessing this is me for the rest of my pregnancy now and can possibly only get worse ☹️

@BlingLoving will definitely look into the belt! Would ice on my back help? as the pain is literally in between my legs?... i have a special pregnancy chair so that is boxed off! Im working from home and they delivered it too me 😊

@doadeer i hope not but i am waddling at the min, ive just got up to make a drink and it just feels like im bruised down there 😑, may ring my midwife tomorrow rather than waiting a couple more weeks to see her!

@Babyboomtastic mines currently got worse at 22weeks, i am 22+2 today! I cant remember when i had this with my first but i remember it wasnt so bad to what i feel now!

@mylittlesandwich bless you! To put you off another it must of been awful! Depending on how this is for me for the next 17 weeks i may be saying the exact same!!

I did have a fall that resulted me to doing the splits when i was 38 weeks pregnant last time so maybe that could play a part in the SPD feeling so painful this time round 😬

My ball has arrived!!!! Been rolling around on it for the last hour whilst working on my lap top! Good times! 😁

@lockdownpregnancy 😂😂 gonna get my other half blow mine up later!

I had SPD with two pregnancies.

The first time was my first child so had more time to rest but it started half way through and got worse as the pregnancy went on. It started like you, like someone had kicked me.

With my second walking left me literally in tears and I ended up with crutches which really helped.

I was given pain killers but refused to take them and I was offered an early induction with my second as the pain was so unbearable

The only positive was the pain disappeared as soon as I went into labour !

@Shazzzzz I think the ice at the base of your spine can't hurt. My pain was always more lower back/hips than between legs though. But the chiro/physio could advise on that too. I just know that you have to deal with the inflammation on top of the actual pelvic pain. Good luck!

How had I forgotten the gigantic elasticated belt that held my pelvis together? The antenatal physio gave it to me and it was the most useful thing of all! No idea how that slipped my mind. Got to say, it wasn't the sexiest look, but it really helped.

Hi OP! My pregnancy ball has been shoved in the corner as it's making me feel really sick! I have motion sickness at the best of times but that just makes it worse! Never mind! Back to the dining chair I go! 😂