Driving and pelvic girdle pain/SPD

[SickAndTiredAgain]

Im 26 weeks and have had quite bad SPD/pelvic girdle pain on and off for a few weeks. It’s right down in my pubic bone and today is really bad. What sort of things can aggravate it - I had to drive quite far yesterday but even though it didn’t hurt at the time, I’m wondering if that had made it worse today? I didn’t do any more walking than normal yesterday really.
Can just driving make it worse? It was a two way trip so I only got in/out of the car twice, but probably could have done better at keeping my legs together. I sort of hope it was the driving, because I don’t drive much and so can avoid/plan for any pain. If it’s just random then that’s much worse as it really is bad today, I’ve cancelled plans to go out as walking is very painful.

I had to stop driving with my second at about 30 weeks, I ended up hiring a mobility scooter so I could get out locally with Dd.

Osteopathy helped a bit, if you can avoid to go private. Have you seen the maternity physios yet?

PGP/SPD was definitely aggravated by driving. Even short distances I was in agony afterwards. Have you tried a support belt at all?
I would also suggest asking midwife for urgent referral to a physio for help. I left it too late so have just suffered through. Im being induced tomorrow.

Thanks, it’s useful to at least know a cause. I don’t drive much day to day, as I wfh - yesterday was a one off appointment. Annoyingly DH can’t drive due to a medical condition that prohibits a licence so it’s hard for me to avoid it completely.
Is the midwife the best person for a referral, or will she need to send me to the GP first?

Yes driving, and getting in and out of ht car.

Do you have one of those belts? It can really help and with driving, it helps to keep your mind focused on being careful getting in and out of the car.

Oh god, I'd forgot about the pain after driving and sitting too long!

I was about 34 weeks pregnant and went out for lunch with family. Drove 45 mins there, sat for a couple of hours, and drove back and I could have cried getting out of the car to walk into the house. Agony!

Is it just the getting in/out of the car that causes problems, or is it also the driving itself?

No, I haven’t got a belt, are there any particular ones that are good? I’ve texted my midwife and I have an appointment with her next Wednesday as well so can ask then.

Sometimes the midwife can refer you but sometimes they say to go via the GP. may be worth seeing if you can get a GP appointment as well so you know either way and dont have to wait even longer.

I found cars really bad just from the whole posture and using the pedals etc but also at home running round after a toddler, bending or squatting to pick up stuff off the floor made it really painful.

Belts - I recommend the Serola. This : www.amazon.co.uk/Serola-Medium-Maternity-Support-Belt/dp/B000NIFVLW?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

If you can afford it, I’d try to see a specialist women’s physio or osteopath who has experience of this, asap. The physio referral may not materialise - mine was made at 21 weeks and I never heard anything.

I found long car journeys really aggravated mine, whether I was driver or passenger. I put it down to being stuck in the same position. I'd suggest getting private treatment if you can afford it

You might be able to self refer (I was, though didn't realise & waited weeks to see my midwife & ask her) - google 'your area nhs physiotherapist self referral' & see if anything comes up.
Don't let your midwife or GP fob your off btw, some are terrible for just saying 'it's a part of pregnancy'.
Agree with serola belt recommended by someone above, my physio suggested this as normal pregnancy belts support your back rather than your pelvis.
I also saw a chiropractor privately which I would really recommend if you can afford as physio referral could take a while & if they don't deem your condition severe enough they might not continue appointments (my nhs physio made me walk with sticks but couldn't keep treating me as I was 'too close' to my due date at 35 weeks and my range of motion wouldn't restrict my birthing positions too much)
I found driving wasn't great as you kind of strain a little I guess to push the pedals & obviously getting in/out the car always hurts. I found I was constantly shifting position whilst driving as it just wasn't comfortable even when not exactly painful. I used to drive around 1 hour a day commuting and only recently stopped but found that long drives as a passenger were actually much worse, felt horrendous after a 3 hour drive over Christmas compared to 30 minutes last week driving myself.
P.S. I recommend the following websites for ideas on how to move carefully so as not to exacerbate your PGP as well as specific exercises to support the pelvis - useful to read through it all & try it out so when the physio suggests all this stuff you can say you've already tried it & are still suffering.
thepogp.co.uk/default.aspx
https://pelvicpartnership.org.uk

Thanks, that’s all really helpful, I will definitely get a belt. It doesn’t look like I can self-refer in my area, so might look into private and see what the costs are.

A good chiro with specific experience in pregnant women and SPD can help. Also, probably better, easier and quicker to buy the belt yourself. I think mine was £35.

Yes driving can make it alot worse :(
Unfortunately I'm the only driver in my family so I HAD to drive but, getting in and out was a painful nightmare. Going around roundabouts and corners where you're put off your centre of gravity.....bloody ouch!
SPD is just a whole lot of horrible :( have it with my current pregnancy also