Back/pelvic pain

[Brightongirl91]

Hi, this is my first time asking on here so please go easy on me! 😄

I have had to phone into work sick 2 days running due to the lower back/pelvic pain. I'm due 20th July and meant to be starting maternity on the 13th June, but I don't feel I am going to make it! The pain is so uncomfortable I cried this morning, all because I was stuck in bed and my husband was at work so I had to work out how to get turned over on my own and grab my phone to call work.

If there is any advice on dealing with the pain, please let me know! I'm an early years educator and work with 2 year olds so it's a very full on job, should I keep pushing until my maternity leave or can I ask to go on maternity a bit earlier?

Appreciate any advice you can all give me so thank you in advance.

Could well be SPD. I'm currently suffering from it. It's horrendous and brings be to tears often. Have you spoken to your midwife about it ?

I have no advice but I'm in the same boat currently so I can sympathise massively ☹️ I hope it eases off for you soon

What has your GP said ?

I'm still waiting to hear from my GP, hoping they can help me, if not I will be calling the midwife line.

I didn't think about SPD! Now I've had a look in the NHS site they are the same symptoms, hoping my GP calls me back soon.

Sorry to hear you are going through it.

Thank you, hope it eases very soon for you too, it's so uncomfortable.

Have you been to a physio, osteopath, or masseuse?

@Brightongirl91 I have found a couple of solutions that have helped (a bit)

1. Warm baths
2. Sitting on an excersize/ birthing ball and rocking back and forth.
3. Sleep with a couple of pillows between your legs.

Hope your are feeling a bit better. X

Definitely SPD/PGP.

I’ve had it with both pregnancies but you’ll be happy to know that in most cases it completely stops once you have the baby. Midwives tend to fob you off and tell you there isn’t much that you can do but if you have a good GP they’d probably recommend that you self refer for physio (depending on your location).

Physio is helpful but all they really do is give you stretches to do daily. If you can afford it, try and visit a chiropractor that specialises in pregnancy. They’ll be able to manipulate your lower back and hopefully gradually make a difference.

Things that will help in the mean time,

• sleeping with pillows in between your legs
• go to a swimming pool to do stretches if you’re able (this helps SO much even in the earlier days)
• start looking at purchasing a pregnancy belt which lifts up your belly and takes a bit of weight off of your lower back
• everytime you get up, take a few seconds before you start walking just so you’re able to prepare yourself
• take extra care when walking, going up and down stairs and getting in and out of a car. It seems the pain is AWFUL once you have to do any lifting of your legs or even general walking.

I couldn’t walk in the last 4/5 weeks of both pregnancy so defo look into what you can do about the pain from early on! Good luck:)

This was me at the start of the week! Also joined Mumsnet to ask for advice and also a teacher so understand the physicality of the job (and two year olds must be even more so!)

Last weekend I was in so much pain, but I'm now starting to feel a little better.

Things I've done:

• bought a support belt. Mine was from Amazon, it's helped so much already! I use it for walks and any time I have to stand for a while.
• warm baths
• resting more - not something that comes easily to me!
• pregnancy yoga - tell the teacher about your pain and they can give you exercises to help
• keeping legs together when getting out of the car and in/out of bed
• sitting to put on trousers - no standing on one leg!
• sleeping with a cushion between my knees
• the Pelvic Partnership website has great advice
• my midwife team haven't been that helpful so far but you might be more lucky! However after I pestered them, they have now signed me up for an online course with the physio team next week.

Could just be luck/coincidence that I'm feeling better but I like to think some of those things have helped! It's so tough, you have my sympathy. Hope you feel better soon x

I've had PGP for about 5 weeks now and it's crap. I've been using a support belt which has helped a bit, also pelvic exercises on a birthing ball, hot water bottle on lower back at night, and a tens machine for relief when it's really bad. Haven't been able to walk the dog (DH does it!) for weeks now.

Midwife referred me for physio at 35w and I just got the call yesterday (at 38w) so it took a little while. She's given me some additional exercises to do but said everything I was doing already was the right stuff. And like PP have said it should go away fairly soon after birth.

Thank yoy everyone for all of your words and advice! I am not so lucky with my midwife team as I haven't had the same midwife once yet so I tend to get brushed off but I will speak to my GP.

You've all been so helpful and it's really appreciated.

In addition to the brill advice above, one of the exercises I found to be the best is the cat-cow, and also pelvic circles whilst on all fours. Only do if it isn't painful but that's one I was recommended by both my yoga teacher and osteopath and they really do help!

Also going up and downstairs one at a time (e.g. stepping down/ up with one foot and the other foot joining it on the same step rather than going to the one below/ above)

Final thing is posture, try to stand with your feet a hips width apart and your weight equally spread between both feet and between the balls of your feet and your hips. Remembering to do that when cooking or standing up helps me too (although I find I am standing for less and less time now)

If you can afford it, I would recommend going private at this stage in pregnancy as every week bump gets heavier and its more strain on that area. Physio waits can be weeks and weeks. I found my PGP/SPD improved after a couple of sessions with an osteopath.