Spd - make it stop

[Nuttytart534]

Hey all, I'm suffering so badly with Spd, I just don't know how long I can cope with this pain!, I've been suffering since I was 24 weeks (now 28) and I can barely walk. 😭😭😭 I suffered with my last pregnancy but this time it's far worse... Anyone know anything that might help?

Acupuncture helped me a lot. I found someone who specialised in women’s health.

Also, mine was worst between about 20 & 3 weeks and then eased a lot.

Osteopath or chiropractor with knowledge of pregnancy issues. A list of practitioners and tips is on the pelvic partnership website - this website is your new bible.

Get crutches. Cease all unnecessary activity that aggravates it.

By this time last pregnancy, I was on crutches. I'm ok. Can't walk far, but can go to the shop, etc...

Osteopath, seconded. I firstly saw a physio who supposedly specialised in pregnancy, and it was a waste of time (and money). Later found out by reading on MN that physio is usually a waste of time for SPD/PGP, because it's a bone problem. Osteo sorted it right out. One appointment, and the pain disappeared after a few days. I agree that the Pelvic Partnership website should be your first port of call!

I had this with all 4 pregnancies, earlier and worse with each one, crutches with the last 2 for the last 6 weeks (that was fun, 3 kids and the school run).

I agree about physio - complete waste of time.

Only things that helped me were:

Weekly osteopath appts (as and when could afford)
Pragnacy support belt
Sleeping on a firm mattress but on a couple of soft sleeping bags
Wearing Birkenstocks which were incredibly comfortable, but only when pregnant, weirdly.

Post births, my pelvis.has never been right since and I suffer with regular spasms and stiffness 10 years later, for which I see a chiropractor and that helps.

I totally sympathise, I had badly too. Things that helped me were
A good osteopath regularly
Stand and walk as little as possible
Never stand on one leg
Keep knees together, when rolling over or swivelling out of car etc.
Sleep with a pillow between your knees and on your side.
A tight elastic pregnancy support belt, especially when standing for long or walking.
Hope it helps and you feel a wee bit better.

More tips

Black bag on your car seat so that you swivel out really easily, knees together.

Pregnancy support belt.

Birthing ball for sitting and leaning on to ease the pain.

In my case physio gave me some great stretches and exercises to support my pelvis. So not a waste of time as some have said. She also provided the belt and crutches free.

Am so sorry you are suffering. Mine is terrible and I didn't have it in my first pregnancy so has come as a real shock with just how crippling it is.

I have got the belt, pillows, physio exercises, silk nightwear, take paracetamol, all the recommendations (minus osteopath due to lockdown) but to be honest none of it has eased it for me and its just gotten worse week on week. If I do too much its agony, yet if I sit down and rest all day its just as painful.

I was up at 3am last night in tears after trying to turn again in agony. I am counting down the minutes until this baby is out and I hope it eases.

Good luck xx

Don't know if it's possible to make it stop, but definitely get a support belt and try physical treatment mentioned above.

You can stop it from getting worse by pretending you are have only one leg and avoiding doing anything to separate them, particularly activities that make you lean your weight on one hip. I'm sure you know a lot of these already, but you have to consistent and extremely strict with yourself and it will make a huge difference.

• No hoovering
• No mopping
• no pushing a trolley (unless in a straight line - it's turning corners that's the problem because you lean on one hip to turn it. I found I could manage by stopping the trolley and turning by holding the sides)
• No crossing your legs when sitting
• No carrying a child on your hip (front carry only when necessary)
• Stairs one step at a time. Lead with the good leg going up, bad leg going down. Remember with "good goes to heaven, bad goes to hell"
• Get into bed by sitting on the side, then swinging both legs in together
• Roll over in bed by putting your knees together and lifting your hips to move
• avoid driving
• get into and out of car by swinging legs as one
• avoid walking, and def no fast walking for exercise
• keep hips higher than knees when sitting. A wedge cushion is good for this. Or a gym ball. Never sink onto a squishy couch.
• memory foam mattress or mattress topper
• sex can be awkward! Make sure it's worth it

Basically become as princess-ish as you can. Get someone to pick you up at the door of the shop, get someone else to hoover and wash floors, take the lift whenever possible, etc.

This sheet for getting off the sofa and out of bed - really really helped:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BY61HB0/ref=cmswwrwaaapifabcct813FbP61A4G7?encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Rest rest rest rest

Your partner needs to be doing everything they can to help.

Osteopath and go up and down the stairs on your bum. Frozen peas on your pubic bone too.

Again rest the more your complete rest now the more improvement you will have to survive the rest of it.

Not me but I've seen a few women in a cycling group say riding their (upright!) bikes was the only way they could get around without pain. One of them cycled into hospital to be induced!

Thank you for your suggestions. I have been given a support belt, which doesn't seem to be helping this time. I do all the 'normal' suggestions - legs together, swivel in and out of car etc... I'm just so fed up. My partner isn't able to help like he did last time due to illness himself. Im just struggling emotionally with it. 😭 I felt bad last pregnancy when I spent the entire summer on sofa unable to go out with my 8yr old and 12 Yr old now 4 yrs on and throw a 4 Yr old in the mix I just feel so useless. My now 17 and 12 Yr old really help but doesn't stop me feeling shit! Covid doesn't bloody help either...
Thank you all again for your suggestions.

I pillow between the legs 'helps' but unfortunately for me it was still there for a couple of weeks after I had the baby!! I feel your pain

@Nuttytart534

Thank you for your suggestions. I have been given a support belt, which doesn't seem to be helping this time. I do all the 'normal' suggestions - legs together, swivel in and out of car etc... I'm just so fed up. My partner isn't able to help like he did last time due to illness himself. Im just struggling emotionally with it. 😭 I felt bad last pregnancy when I spent the entire summer on sofa unable to go out with my 8yr old and 12 Yr old now 4 yrs on and throw a 4 Yr old in the mix I just feel so useless. My now 17 and 12 Yr old really help but doesn't stop me feeling shit! Covid doesn't bloody help either... Thank you all again for your suggestions.

Are you able to see an osteopath (one recommended on the Pelvic Partnership website)? I did have to pay (think I could have got a GP referral, but I didn't have time and I did have the money - somewhere between £50 and £100, iirc), but it only took one appointment. Before the appointment I could barely walk. I tried the other tips like a belt, pillow, stretches etc, and nothing helped. The osteo just solved the problem completely, put me back into place! No idea how they do it, it didn't feel like he was doing anything much.

Unfortunately the lasting effects still follow me round to this day following my second pregnancy. I wouldn't get pregnant again if you paid me! I'd be in a wheelchair!

Yes, I remember now that osteo helped too. That combined with the acupuncture got me through pregnancy 1. I also paid privately. NHS as helpful as a chocolate teapot. Took ages to get referred to a group session during which they had us sit on rock-hard chairs (notorious for aggravating spd symptoms!) for hours while they spouted info about spd, a lot of it incorrect. The belt made things worse for me.

For me it also began to ease around 30/32 weeks. To the point that I was able to pound up and down the many flights of stairs in our block of flats when overdue and it caused no problems during labour.

Also if it’s any consolation, mine was far far better in pregnancy 2 (2.5 yrs later). I put that down to working with an excellent women’s health physio in between the pregnancies to improve my core strength. And doing lots of Pilates.

And I’ve had no lasting issues. Beyond the occasional twinge in my pelvic joint region just before my period. Maybe 4 or 5 times a year - lasts less than a day each time.

Best of luck to all those suffering with this. It is really miserable.

I might be one of the lucky ones but I got really bad SPD around the same time you did and it eased off after about 6-8 weeks (can’t remember the exact timeframe). I remember crying thinking how the hell am I going to do this for the next 15-20 weeks. But now I’m 34w and I’ve only had it very mildly for the last month, so it could go!
What I did:
-Like others have said, I got lazy. Stopped doing any household jobs that i could, definitely no bending chores and anything I did I only did for a short time. I appreciate your partner can’t really help so maybe just either let things slide a bit or try and rope a friend into it
-YouTube SPD exercises, channel called pregnancy and postpartum tv. I did the 6 exercises for a couple of weeks before it stopped- could be coincidental but I reckon they helped and they don’t take long/much skill
-stopped walking anywhere with up or down slopes/hills. Realised my dog walk route was very up and down and switched it for 2 shorter round the estate walks a day instead, got me moving a bit each day but not as intensely
Hope this might help a little!

Well I'm not going to hold my breath on it going away anytime soon. It lasted right up to labour and beyond for a while. 🤦🏼‍♀️I wonder if just pushing through and maybe do a few exercises or stretches may help 🤷🏼‍♀️ however I have to be a little cautious not to aggravate my fibromyalgia too! 🤦🏼‍♀️ Please don't think I'm giving excuses just feeling quite trapped....

I went to the osteo on crutches and managed to ditch them it really is worth a try.

Oh my love, I feel your pain. It's awful.

Exercises and stretches can help, but only on advice from a professional. It's worth every penny you can spare for less pain and stress. Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy

Fully sympathizing op , unfortunately for me 11 years later I still suffer at times , I also have bilateral sacrioliitis will need hip replacements and have been hospitalised twice because my bottom half just stopped working ,pregnancy would be nice they said lol ...... joking aside hope you feel better soon op x

Did anyone get any painkillers from the doctor that helped? I’ve not slept all night as I can’t sleep on my side (overdid it doing jobs in the day and paying for it now). The pain is the worst it’s ever been , I’m crying with it. Paracetamol does nothing. When I had sciatica pre-preg I used Valium but not sure if I can take that in pregnancy?

I had codiene from the gp for spd