PGP woes

[MamaBearsss]

I’m really down! I am largely housebound because too much time on my feet is impossible now. 25 weeks and sick of being pregnant. I have an office job but have been wfh for weeks now because I can’t commute, but actually sitting too long is horrendous too. I am lying down now and can’t move. I just want to cry.

I'm really sorry to hear this OP! I am also 25 weeks and suffering from PGP - I have been seeing a physio for the past 6 weeks and it has definitely provided some relief. They also recommended a band that I wear on and off that takes some pressure off. Have you raised this with your midwife team? They should be able to help with physio referrals.

I’ve been under the physio since 16 weeks but it’s not making much difference

Pregnancy massage? There are mobile ones that come to your house too

I feel your pain OP - had terrible PGP with my first. I'm sure you've tried most things, but heat/cold alternately helped me! Either ice packs/wheat bags or the stick on freeze/heat patches you can get for muscle soreness. Also baths if you can get in and out!

I would see an osteopath trained to work with pregnant women.

I suffered with PGP through all three of my pregnancies. The only consolation is that it disappeared completely at the moment of delivery. My last pregnancy I hobbled in (very very slowly, having not walked anywhere outside the house for months) with my crutches, and then got out of bed to wash myself avoid a bed bath 2 hours after a c section. My DH took the crutches home from the recovery room when I transferred to postnatal because I didn't need them any more!

Hang on in there. Raise your legs as much as you can (I put a footstool under my desk to help me work). See an osteopath if you can afford one (very very much more effective than a rushed NHS physio). Use a supportive bump band from your midwife. Go swimming if you can and just float.

@HappyAsASandboy thanks for replying and sharing your experience.

did you get signed off work at all?

Sending empathy, I'm struggling with it too. I'm 35w and it didn't kick in until 30w for me.
I'm wfh sitting/bouncing on the birthing ball, with breaks scheduled in regularly. I'm doing 6 hour instead of 8 hour days for this last few weeks. It's still tough but between that and stretches from physio and specialist Antenatal yoga instructor, I'm coping most of the time. Doctor gave me codeine for when it gets really bad, trying to get by with paracetamol most of the time as the codeine is so strong and makes me woozy and nauseous. But needed codeine tonight after ending up lying on the couch crying in agony after just a normal day trying to keep up with my toddler. That's the worst part for me not being able to parent properly. I wish I could just fast forward to the other side, this is such a slog.
Not sure if any of this helps you!

@MamaBearsss first two pregnancies I managed to stay "in work" by working from home sometimes (pre-pandemic so wfh wasn't normal!).

Last pregnancy I was signed off. It reached the point where I wasn't getting any sleep at all and my wonderful team asked me to stop going to meetings because I was talking rubbish I was signed off at about 32 weeks,

I’m starting to feel really down. Largely housebound and nothing to look forward to.

Hey

i have major experience with pgp through 2 pregnancies. don't worry it's not forever, and it can get better for periods during pregnancy (it doesn't just necessarily get worse and worse)

Some physios are useless, if yours isn't helping, try a new one. Some can be miraculous. find one that specifically advertises help for pgp.

My tip is that stretching (gently gently, of course!) will relieve pain. You need to do it several times a day. go to youtube and search pgp exercises. The best, safest ones are the stretches you do on the floor (never, ever, ever standing on one leg!)

Also squats to strengthen your bum: you need a strong bum to take the pressure off your hips. Legs shoulder width apart, bend the knees but poke your bum backwards, fold your upper body forwards. gently up and down. again, do this several times a day

wearing a serola belt will help keep your hips supported and can relieve pain too - search one on ebay

usually as soon as you have the baby the pain goes!

hang on in there xx

Thanks for your reply.
im already worrying about labour
with my first baby I had a textbook birth which I put down to being super active throughout the early stages. I paced my living room for hours without sitting or lying down to stay UFO.
Being active is so painful I’m just not sure what to think.

I had very bad pgp in both pregnancies and still managed a labour just like you describe - walking for hours in early labour. Then I then had both in the pool at hospital. I actually found I forgot about pgp in labour.

think the key to managing the pain is a mixture of rest, but also stretching and gentle strengthening of your bum. Just rest alone isn’t enough.

Heat helped me, so warm baths or a hot water bottle on it, or electric blanket in bed.

a long body pillow at night, sleeping on side with pillow between knees AND ankles. I put spare duvets on top of the mattress as a cheap version of a mattress topper!

If you drive much, put a plastic bag on your car seat so you can spin your bottom out of the car without separating legs

the serola belt as mentioned

I found the yoga pigeon pose gave some good relief

good luck xx

@bluecalendula how did you manage walking for hours??

Handhold OP! I left work at 25 weeks due to this and extreme exhaustion due to iron deficiency.

I’m now 38 weeks and can barely walk some days.

Please talk to your dr and star physio now if you haven’t. I kept putting it off because I would have the odd good day and now my PGP gets so bad they had to give me crutches to use. It takes me ages to even get around the house :(

Start doing pelvic floor exercises twice a day. You can do them without anyone knowing just get a kegal app on your phone to help.

I ordered a supportive belt on amazing which does help massively but baby hates it now she’s so big and will thrash if I put it on.

There is a lot they can do at this point so please please get the help and do the kegal exercises.

sending hugs x

Also to add that I’m in good shape and usually super fit and healthy so this has really affected me :(

I’ve been experiencing this from so early on and was referred to the physio in first trimester. Got seen quickly but it’s made fuck all difference. I imagine it may be more helpful for those who have mild PGP. Also on crutches at 24 weeks.

Maybe it was because baby had descended, but I don’t remember worrying about it in either first or second labour. And yes it was bad enough in early pregnancy that I couldn’t walk without help, and was crying with the pain, so I do really really really sympathise!!!

some people will tell you to rest only, but my personal belief is that’s only half the job.

you have to be brave and proactive with this, I think. Rest helps wind down the pain when you’ve got a bad flare, but a combination of strength and stretching is what keeps it at bay for longer.

stretching little and often. Bad habits like sitting with cross legs/slouching will aggravate the pain.

honestly YouTube is an incredible resource so do spend some hours scrolling through to find advice that helps - obviously use your discretion to find credible advice from trained physios etc.

If you are in a very bad flare up, a visit to the right physio/osteo might be able to manipulate you to a point where it calms down a bit. Personally I didnt find one that helped me much, but I know others have so worth a try.

@bluecalendula thsnk you, did you require any interventions?

My physio is not doing any hands on, just giving me basic stretches to do at home

No interventions; I did hypnobirthing classes before hand, wore earphones with my spa music for the whole labour and totally stayed in my own world. First labour was pretty quick at 5 hours, managed to slow the next one down a little to more like 7 hours.

the water felt amazing, I wish all women could give birth that way! Yes it was painful but I was in control and had very minor tear needing one stitch.

pregnancy with PGP can be so miserable and I know I’m sounding like it’s fixable, I know it isn’t, but there is a lot you can do to stay strong and fit and happier. You’ve got this! X

Thank you for this @bluecalendula it’s literally my dream birth story!! I’m full term now with severe PGP and have a bath everyday to ease the pain so I just know water is going to be my helper during labour and birth.

@bluecalendula i did all that with my first (no PGP) but I’m so bad some days I can’t really open my legs! @Nttttt how are you managing to climb into a bath, I can’t 😢