SPD sufferers- can I ask a question?

[makecakesnotwar]

I don't know if I have the beginnings of SPD- getting a dull ache in my pubic bones that makes it harder and harder for me to walk in comfort, or indeed turn over in bed....

would you mind telling me what SPD feels like and if this sounds like I have it?

Sorry- will probably turn out to be just me being hypochondriac!!

That sounds exactly how it stared with me....have your midwife check you out or mention it to her....mines actually got quite bad and then eased off towards the end of my pregnancy. It does hurt!

Yep, pain in your pubic bone, for me like a horse had kicked me in the fanjo. The following hurt particularly:
Getting in and out of bed and turning over.
Getting in and out of car
Opening legs
Starting to walk after sitting down
Walking stairs
Lifting things

Keep your legs together all the time, use your arms/elbows to lever yourself in and out of bed. Sit on a plastic bag in the car to make twisting in and out easier. And rest, mine is nearly gone at the moment (got it at 36 weeks, am now 39). And get on to mw for physio referral fast, don't wait until it gets worse.

Agree with madmouse - speak to your m/w about seeing physio asap - I did this with my second pregnancy and spd wasn't half as bad as with the first.

It may not be spd - could just be your body adapting to pregnancy/for childbirth but best to get it checked out.

Easier said than done sb- have to leave an answerphone message and sit and wait until someone is free to call me back....or wait until my 24 week check up in a fortnight. Might circumavigate and see el doctor.

Thanks for your advice Karen and Madmouse- Good to know that I am not a hypochondriac...though how I'm going to walk the dog if this continues, I have no idea!

You are going to love me for it, but it may be best not to walk the dog too much for now. Walking can really aggravate it. Is there a DP/older child/friend around who can help?

Didn't think about that madmouse. Sadly no-one to walk the dog for me, so if the pain gets any worse, I'll have to find a walking service!

Can you be creative, driving your dog to a park and throwing sticks or balls? Not walking at all does not work either, at least not for me. It gives me feet like cargo boats and makes me very lethargic. Sturdy shoes and a happy medium worked for me.

SPD is a real nuisance. When I got it I was in denial and when the mw confirmed it I was in tears. How pregnant are you?

22 weeks today....

I get spd and it's horrid so I do sympathise. Agree with the tips re keeping your legs together and using a plastic bag to 'swivel' in and out of the car.

When you get up from the floor, use your hands to push up from kneeling to a crouch then to push up to standing - don't get up off one leg at a time. I'm getting good at this after tidying dd's toys away several times a day.

Don't use a hoover, lawnmower, shopping trolley or buggy if you can possibly help it - all of these can twist your pelvis and back and make it worse. And try sleeping with a couple of pillows between your knees to avoid twisting too much.

I had a physio appointment in my last pregnancy and they gave me a giant tubigrip thing to wear round my bump and hips. Some people don't find this helps but I like it. This time they've also given me a velcro belt thing that goes over your trousers giving you four bum cheeks (always a good look ) but holds my hips together nice and tight and makes it much harder for me to move my legs in an ouchy way!

Sorry for the long post but figured I might as well type it all out as anything's worth a try surely?!

a mumsnet favorite on this subject;

the pelvic partnership website. lots of useful info.

IMO physio no help but give you advice that's on that website.
Belts do work to relieve pain in sacro-illiac joints (lower back) but quite useless for pain in front.
Only thing that works is keeping legs together, avoiding jerky movements & pushing heavy things + resting as much as possible.

Thanks everyone...as awful as it is, it's lovely to know you are not alone and that there are things that you can do. Otherwise it would be a very long 18 weeks!!!

mcnw - some (hopefully helpful) suggestions for doggie problem.

I'm in a similar boat - have had closely related/similar symptoms to SPD since week 20 (now week 38 and counting!) AND I also have a dog - a large young alsation.

I take him into the field and give him lots of sticky and ball time, then just skirt the woods so he can do his business. I take a ball on a string too, because I can't throw far (big girlie) to give him a run.

I trained him to give me the sticky/ball so I dont have to bend down to pick it up - you won't want to squat to pick it up later because it will stress the SP joint.

And if you get one of those long arm things for throwing balls, you can use it to pick the ball up then too.

My words of wisdom - a 30 minute outing like this is just as good as walkies. The fact that it is not a long romp does not seem to bother him - and there is a handy bench in the field too !

Then dh takes him out for 10-20 minutes after dinner so he can relieve himself (the dog, not dh ).

I am not sure how large your dog is and I am sure you feel like you are doing him wrong with less walkies, but tbh it is the attention they love/crave. Mine was used to lots of walkies (3 x 45 minutes - around 7 miles a day) and now puts up with much less - as long as I play with him and give him attention.

I hope this is helpful