SPD - advice please........

[looneytune]

Hi

I had SPD when pg with ds but not until later on and certainly not this bad (although I do remember having to use the lift in the end rather than the stairs at work but no major problem as office job).

Anyway, I'm now 19 weeks and in agony, it started as a left side groin pain around probably 12 weeks but it was bearable then and I didn't think it would progress so badly. It's not helped by the fact I'm a childminder and have to do a school run with 4/5 kids each day - 2 in a double buggy (one on a seat/board at the back once a week) and 2 young after schoolies on each side. Walking full stop hurts so you can imagine pushing the weight doesn't help at all plus all the lifting etc.

I went to the toilet in the early hours this morning but it took me AGEs to get to the bathroom (never had it this bad). I couldn't stand up straight or open my legs much to walk so ended up shuffling. Thank god I woke up being able to walk this morning though!

I'm not due to finish work until 6th June so I REALLY need to get through this somehow. The midwife was supposed to refer me to physio and probably forgot but did so after I chased yesterday. So I'm hoping that will help however last time I was only given a support belt which wasn't much use tbh.

Been on the internet to try and get some ideas to help but I wondered if any lovely ladies on MN had any good ideas or is it something I just have to put up with and hope it doesn't get worse?

TIA

I had spd with ds3 and was working at a school at the time and they limited what I was able to do through health and safety. I couldn;t walk anywhere really apart from the car by 24 weeks.

Rest is very important and maybe a support belt - unfortuantely there isn;t a great deal you can do. I was given painkillers but they made me drousy - but it was the only way not to be in pain - catch 22

Unfortunately, I would recommend giving up the childminding sooner rather than later.

I feel for you - your post brought it all back.

Please don't say that I think I'll reduce my mindees then but I can't give up completely as can't afford the mortgage without it Also would mean loosing the mindees I have and starting again in Sept (as atm they are coming back after my 12 weeks off). I'm kidding myself right??? Oh god, I can't believe this. Plus dh was made redundant in Jan so we are worried about income as it is.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.......sorry, just ranting to myself as I can't rant at the kids!! Speaking of which, 3 have just arrived so best go.

Thanks

Ooh, really sympathise. I have spd and now only 5 days away from elective cs (for other resons) and hopefully some relief.
Fraid I can only echo what Octo said. All the advice says don't walk and don't push - obviously impossible to avoid for you in your job. I can now only walk for short periods (10mins) using crutches and it is eased a lot by just pottering round the house keeping semi-mobile but not sitting in one position too long.

Some people don't get it as bad, some people go through periods of it being bad and it improves. Equally, many people seem to just snap back to normal after birth but some have problems that last longer so another thing to bear in mind as to whether you should push yourself for sake of job/income.

Sorry. Don't want to depress you just to encourage you to speak to someone for proff advice asap - hope you get your physio appt soon. If you can't get an NHS appt soon it may be worth spending £30 on a private appt sooner rather than later.

Good luck.

I have this, also sciatica, but it is mild enough that I CAN cope, with painkillers, just. Some days are really bad, but generally I can manage if I am careful.

One thing I find is that it does come and go. It was quite bad at about 6 months ish, and got a lot better around 8 months. Its back now, but sporadic, I get days of very little pain.

Nothing much works, IMO. Its definately gotten worse for me with each subsequent pregnancy-this is no 3.

In my experience too nothing but rest (the is lying down and doing everything VERY slowly) works.
Pushing double buggy is simply heresy in your state.
Since DH not working, can't he assist you and do all the pushing & lifting?

Would you be entitled to maternity allowance as that is 90% of your pay for nine months?? You could take it from 29 weeks.

Just quicky whilst kiddies having snacks........

Thanks for all the responses. If the only painkillers I can get would make me drousy then that's not an option in this job I will phone physio dept tomorrow and see if they have received my referral and get an idea and yes, go private if I'll have a wait.

I'd love to be one of the lucky ones who don't always suffer and just have off days!!

Dh helping would be an option on certain days but not all as sometimes the car is too full to fit him in. He's on a 2/3 month contract atm which is lucky but it's the worry of me giving up early and then him not having any work to follow iyswim.

Maternity Allowance is 90% OR £112.75 a week, whichever is LESS The £112.75 just isn't enough for us to live on to pay the mortgage I'm afraid which is why even the 12 weeks off would be a struggle.

I'll just have to see how I go at physio I think and make a decision. Maybe let the 3rd on a pram once a week one go as that's only adhoc whilst a mum is on maternity leave.

Best go but thanks again for your responses.

i had SPD from 12 weeks. i had weekly osteopathy from that time plus had dh do massage every night for 5 mins before bed and also do some of the other pushing and poking things the osteopath did. this held it all together enough for me to be able to reasonably be able to get around until 36 weeks. it was well worth the cost to be functional

Hi Looney -How are you

I've been off work for nealry 3 weeks now with SPD. Like you I can't walk. In fact I can't do much. It has just taken me 45 mins to change DD single bed and put it in the washing machine. The pain is horrible isnt it. My Gp and midwife say that there isnt much we can do, rest and rest apparently. I was waiting on a physio referral coming through and just rang surgery to check on it, no such record - so I've been housebound, waiting on referral for 2 weeks and it hasnt even been sent yet!

I'm 25 weeks now and this has really slowed me down. Didnt have it with the other 2 pregnancies. I have had to accept that there are things that I cannot do - hoovering and pushing a trolley esp kill me so how you push a double buggy I dont know. Putting on socks is another matter entirely...!

Take it easy, put your feet up when you can and try and rest. Easier said than done I know, I'm bored to tears at the minute. Anyway, wanted to say Hello and say I can sympathise as I can feel your pain. Those trips to the loo in the middle of the night are the worst, think its cause you are stiff from lying in bed.

3 are playing nicely (after having party food, 2 are leaving today) and one is napping so thought I'd catch up.

moocowme - that would be much more financially doable than me stopping all together! Thanks

Hogwarts - HELLOOOOOOOOOO I'm SOOOO pleased to see you here, hope you are well!! Well, obviously you aren't (sorry to hear that) but you know what I mean . Hope you get to physio soon, it's horrible isn't it. I must say, I am VERY concerned about all this. It's times like this you wish you were employed!!! (although really and truly I wouldn't change what I do, it's just bad luck atm!). And DON'T talk to me about socks!!! It's like I can do all these other things but a simple thing like putting my socks on takes AGES and is a killer!!! I sympathise hun.

Must dash, baby woken up so need to get her out, put other baby and her toddler sister up for their nap and give baby her bottle (if only I could find ear plugs to block out ds's nagging ).

Thanks everyone for the advice and for generally letting me whinge - I felt like whinging today!!!

Rest when u can, you need to work to pay the mortgage so try to make things as easy as possible, let your dh do everything in the house and look after you, that means when you finish work you lie on the sofa while he sorts dinner, bathing your dc etc unfortunately as he is the fittest of you both he is going to have to do the lions share of the work at home, like you would if he had broken his leg or something because really its that or dont pay ur mortgage isnt it?

Also get a cleaner a couple of hrs a week - i kno u will say u cant afford it BUT u cant afford to give up work either and a cleaner is a damn sight cheaper. Perhaps get an ironing lady too and do online shopping, just do the essentials so you can carry on working as long as you need to.

Good luck x

looneytune - my mum's an OT and is ordering me one of those grabber stick thingies so I don't have to bend down to pick up pants and socks

I also have a mahoooosive support belt from the physio which helps. A friend wh's just had twins and is already loads better has offered me her crutches.

I'm 28 weeks btw.

I had it much worse with my last pg, but I know I did too much thinking it wold just go away. I've been more careful this time round.

My pain did linger after dd for 18 months though - mainly I think because I delivered her under epidural with my legs on the m/w's hips. I've since learned with SPD that this is wrong wrong wrong and I probably did some serioud damage while I couldn't feel anything.

hi looneytune - good to see you although wish it were on a happier thread.

I'm 17 weeks pregnant now and in agony with SPD (had it with other two as well). I had twinges at 12 weeks but the last few days it has got a lot worse. I have a 3 and 2yo as well so can't avoid being active, luckily I have the car so don't have to walk far but getting them in and out the car and the nursery run etc isn't too much fun. I don't know how I am going to get through the rest of this pregnancy. DP is great when he is here but he is away at work 12 hours a day and I have no family help.

Anyway what I found helped a bit:

• I saw a physio who gave me some exercises and also a support belt which helped a bit
• a deep bath every night with some lavender oil in it although think this was just teh relaxation thing
• not sitting on a hard chair too much (she says sitting on a hard chair in front of the pc) a birth ball is comfier
• one of the girls on my antenatal thread has recommended a McTimoney Chiropractor (google it) she says they helped her a lot last time
• for me what helps is thinking this is my last ever pregnancy and I will never ever have to have bloody SPD again

LMGs - we'll see!!! He's just read this thread lol and then seen me in a right state in tears so maybe he'll help more now xx

boabsmum - oh no, that must have been awful!! I've heard that you have to be careful when giving birth!! Poor you, hope you don't have any lasting damage.

sweetkitty - hiya, nice to see you Sorry you're also suffering. Thanks for the tips I find the school run with all the weight the hardest part but then I also find that if I'm rushing at home it can get a lot worse i.e. today, it was one dirty nappy after another with the girls I has today. I changed 9 number 2's nappies and that was just between 8.30-6.30!!! Each time i was on the floor, I had awful pain getting up after. With that and the tea time rush (I hate as different children having different things but all must be done by pick up), I'm done in by the time the kids go. I want to move slower to help but it's not practical with the routine

Oh, just ignore me, on a major rant again!!!!

i took loads of arnica 30s when i had spd and it cleared up.
may well be a coincidence but wortha trry no?
best of luck and congrats to all expectant ones

Oh, not heard of that one, will look it up, thanks!!

Looney - I have it really bad too - I'm 14 weeks. Osteopathy is worth a go - works for some people. Rest is helpful. I found wearing a belt round my hips so I didn't try and open my legs helped though I'm walking like a geisha!

sitting on a plastic bag when driving or at a desk. this way you can 'swivvel' round rather than 'opening' your legs to get off/out of your seat.

Wear a silky/satin nightie in bed, not for DH/DP but to aid you in turning over - it really helps

Keep your knees together at all times when getting up or sitting down.

Get a suport cushion/pillow. Use it between your legs and to support your bump when you are lying in bed - really takes off the pressure.

Sit on an exercise ball in the evenings, realy helps with the pain, and is great for your posture and the way you 'hold' yourself

If possible, get some crutchs and use them. Sounds like a pain in the ass but really helped me.

Walk up and down the stairs (if you have to use stairs) sideways and one at a time, this way you dont 'open' up your legs.

Sit on the side of the bath and use - sink/hubby/other support to guide your legs over the edge.

These were the things i did and still do to help. I also use the support belt , and whike its not a fix for the problem it does help.

i am on my third pregnancy, in as many years, and have never had enough time in between to recover from it, so for me its become a way of life. I do also see an osteopath for a course of treatments if it gets too bad. Hoping with fingers crossed that it will die down after this pregnancy!!

Think I'll give Osteopathy a go as a few people have now recommended that.

Also, thanks for the tips Jaysthird. Not sure about the crutches though, certainly when it's at it worse anyway as I wouldn't be able to do the school run with 5 kids May be useful for the times when not childminding though. How do you go about getting some?

Hi I had it with my 1st pregnancy and did all the recommendations I could at home. 2nd time around (i'm now 30 wks ) I couldn't stand the pain any more especially at night getting up or turning over in bed. So I did my research on the internet and I read seeing a Chiropractor really is the only thing to really control it, as well as pelvic tilts. So I thought I'd give it a go. I can honestly say it is the best thing I have spent my money on in the last few weeks. The transformation is amazing. Straight away I could walk without the back, groin and excriutiating pain in what felt like my bum when I moved. I can now sleep better at night (with the help of a pillow inbetween my legs) I won't see her again until the last few weeks before i'm due.

looney, speak to your physio dept and explain you need some. Even if you use them at home, it does take some pressure off. Or maybe your MW could call them?

A friend of mine has just delivered her baby having suffered this throughout.

She wore those elastic support bands around her middle and it eased but it ended that she was admitted at something like 32 weeks and delivered by c-section at 36 weeks....everything is fine now with her and Baby.

Sorry I cant be of more help, might be worth a try though.

Just posted this in another thread. Perhaps this will help you too.

Firstly though, I think you will probably have to give up childminding as it's very likely that your SPD will get worse.

'I had very bad SPD in my pregnancy.

My advice is make an appointment with a Chiropractor that specialises in pregnancy and birth. That is the only thing that works. If you feel you need a little support buy a 'baby belt', it's more underwear than a physio belt but it does give you a certain amount of support.

Regarding the pain, pour yourself a warm bath of water and lie in it, it'll take the weight off joint and warm water is a great painkiller.

Move as little as possible, if you manage to rest the pain might get better. If you don't it'll get worse !

Seeing a Chiropractor is really the onoy thing that will work. Trust me I've tried EVERYTHING.

SPD is the worst thing ! I still remember the pain (and I still have some problems) over two years later and it has put me off having anymore children.

Good Luck !'