Does Pelvic Girdle pain go away?

[ImmyMc]

I always assumed that it would, but today (I'm 31 weeks) I have pain so bad in my pelvic bone at the join with my left leg that I can hardly move or walk. I googled it, and I found something that said it doesn't always go away. Now I'm terrified, as this is truly awful.

Did yours go away after the birth?

I was told by a physio that it can take about 2yrs for the pain to fully go away and honestly, that's about how long it took for me.

My hip's still a bit wonky, but not nearly as painful now.

The pelvic girdle partnership website has a lot of great resources but the main takeaway I took from it when I first read it, is that often the standard line you will be told is that it's all hormonal & will go away after birth but that's actually not necessarily true & certainly not a guarantee. So it's probably worth asking to be referred to a physio (or paying privately to see one) if the pain is causing you issues as it could last after birth and I'd imagine that the earlier you start treatment, the better for your recovery. It's also important to inform your midwife, if you haven't already, as they should take it into consideration with your birth plan as additional damage can be done to your pelvis if they're not aware & careful of any mobility issues you have due to PGP, during your labour.
I'm 28 weeks & haven't seen my midwife since it's developed but I've booked in to see a chiropractor this week because I'm so worried about it being a long term problem & affecting my mobility when I'm trying to care for my baby.

I’m so sorry you are hurting. It really is awful. Mine has now, finally, gone away 99% of the time, still have the occasional kicked by a horse feeling when I push something heavy with my foot but 99% gone. I’d say the birth improved it a lot, yes, so it was maybe 60% better after delivery, but the pain and immobility did remain in some form until my youngest DC was 5-6 years. I have a few children and several pregnancies along the way though so I did press the reset button on my recovery a few times by getting pregnant again. PGP is my first pregnancy symptom though, I don’t need a pregnancy test it’s that reliable.

My PGP was gone by about 9months post partum but I still get the odd twinge now at almost a year pp if I do anything that forces my legs apart quickly eg slipping on a wet/icy floor.

Mine got a lot/mostly better after delivery, though weirdly some of my other joints (ankles and wrists) became looser, and I had to wear a wrist splint at night for a few months as I developed carpal tunnel syndrome. However I did see a physio regularly throughout my pregnancy, and again after the birth, firstly for a general post birth check and then whenever I felt the need. What she does is assess the way I am moving and help me to move better (I’m currently pregnant again with PGP, and she usually releases the muscle under my right foot as it gets very tense from overcompensating for the loose pelvis, which helps “reset” me). So I think maybe the recovery speed can depend on how you have managed the PGP during your pregnancy.

Mine went almost immediately after birth (maybe a week or so).

Mine went three days after having the baby. Such a relief. But my pelvis was wonky for years after, when I finally went to a chiropractor (a gentle one!) they sorted it and it cured my residual lower back ache. So my advice is to see someone as soon as possible afterwards.

Mine disappeared after giving birth but I also paid for physio in the weeks leading up to the birth, which drastically reduced my pain anyway. Hospital physio was rubbish

Mine didn’t go away. I have 3 children and had amazing physio after the 3rd and it has finally gone unless I really, really push it.

Mine was actually a few different things that culminated in pain, so as above, I would strongly advise seeking help ASAP post birth.

While pregnant I found osteopathy (hmm I suspect that spelling is dodgy!) very helpful!

Mine was entirely gone within a year of giving birth without doing anything specific for it. I just realised one day it wasn’t there anymore. I’d forgotten about that little pregnancy joy, I really feel for you it’s grim

In summary: See an osteopath.

I initially went to a physio, it was worse than useless even though the practice supposedly specialised in perinatal (she didn't even know about pregnancy sleep guidance). Gave me some useless exercises and advised me to keep moving as much as I could.

Then I found the Pelvic Girdle Partnership website. Realised the physio had talked rubbish. Booked an osteopath listed on there. MAGIC. The osteo barely touched me, I couldn't believe he had actually done anything. Yet, within two or three days, the pain had completely vanished.

Completely vanished and never came back. All he did was realign my hip (or pelvis, I suppose). This was before the birth so I never had to wait and see whether birth would magically cure it. The osteo already had.

So - book an osteo. And in the meantime, minimise your movements. Good luck.

I kid you not, mine went away the day after I gave birth! I had other pains (and a prolapse) to contend with, but the PGP, which I had from 22ish weeks with DD2, vanished overnight.

Mine vanished within a week after birth. I was shuffling like a 90 year old and spent a fortune on physio.

I had dreadful PGP and sacroiliac joint dysfunction. I gave birth vaginally 9 days ago and I would say it's about 95% resolved already.

It's taken almost exactly 3 years to fully go. Callanetics helped a lot, nothing else did.

This was the worst part about being pregnant for me. I too was shuffling around and literally could hear my bones crunching if I so much as turned over in bed. Went the day after I gave birth!!

Mine went about a week after birth. I got a really good physio which was passionate about woman's health on the nhs. She gave me loads of exercises and told me how to bend/ pick things up etc correctly and followed up loads with me. it was in the middle of the pandemic but in normal times she ran group sessions. I think I was quite lucky but it's definitely worth asking especially if money is an issue.

You poor thing. It’s horrible. Don’t just see a random osteopath, use the PGP Partnership’s list, as one made mine so much worse (but then another cured me, almost instantly, after 9 months of barely being able to walk, most of that post-birth. It was so utterly shit. But these days, a decade on, I can do squats and all sorts, nary a twinge. And had I seen the good osteopath sooner I’d not have had that time using crutches and a wheelchair. (I did see an nhs physio, the exercises would have been helpful had I not had a slightly twisted pelvis, as it was they did next to nothing).

I was on crutches prior to birth but by the time we were discharged when dd was about 20 hours old I was walking fine despite a second degree tear and felt the best I had in months. I did subsequently end up back at my physio as when I tried to recommence exercise when she was a few months old I found it wasn't as good as I thought it was and that some exercise such as running really exasperated it. DD is now nearly 3 and up until I fell pregnant earlier this year I'd say we were finally near enough 100% better, other than the odd twinge (pulling feet out of Welly boots and hoovering seemed to be the longest lasting triggers!)

I was on crutches prior to vaginal delivery 9 weeks ago. Couldn't walk the length of myself without my hips giving in it was so bad

PGP gone immediately after birth. I still can't believe it