Sleeping with SPD

[RoseH36]

Any other SPD sufferers on here? I had it with my first but sure it's already worse this time round. I'm 20 weeks and already been suffering for several weeks. I sleep with a cushion between my legs but after an hour I need to change position as my hip starts cramping. Turning over is painful and things click around my lower back. Once on my other side the process repeats and that hip cramps too. It's impossible to sleep sitting up, that just causes my lower back to ache despite the numerous pillows/cushions I've tried. I'm now on day 4 of barely any sleep at all. Also have gestational diabetes and its causing high fasting readings from lack of sleep.

So fed up already 😪

I suffered terribly in my pregnancy. I'm 5 months postpartum and having physio to try and correct the back pain I'm still suffering. My physio was like 'why didn't you see me whilst pregnant?' I was like umm I didn't know I could I just got on with it etc. So my advice is to defo refer yourself to the NHS physio if you can. I am in agony still and if the physio doesn't work I have to go back to GP incase of nerve damage etc.

I've had the SI variety in this pregnancy since around 20 weeks and second getting a physio or chiropractor to help keep you aligned. I've been seeing a chiropractor regularly and I honestly think I'd be crippled at this point (37 weeks) if I hadn't.
Sleep wise, can you get more comfortable on your front (with some pillows as padding) or back? You don't need to lie on your side yet.

I have been where you are.

If you can afford it, see an osteopath who specialises in pregnancy. It will really help to keep you as comfortable as possible.

Also pillows pillows pillows. By the end of my pregnancy I had a king size bed to myself and at least 9 pillows. 9 pillows that had to be rearranged every time I moved

Not much help now, but you will hopefully find that the pain completely disappears after birth.

I went in to my c section barely mobile on crutches. My hips and pelvis felt totally loose and wobbly (and so so painful). By the time the nurse came to see me in the recovery room to help "clean me up", I was able to get up out of the bed and clean myself. The crutches stayed in the recovery room never to be needed again!

Hi @RoseH36 . I’m also really struggling with it, 21 weeks and had it since about 14 weeks. Sorry to hear you’re suffering too. I did go to see a specialist women’s pelvic physio and she suggested certain exercises to do daily, so I would recommend that if you can. I paid about £80 for an initial consultation privately as I didn’t want to wait for nhs. Re sleeping, I actually find sleeping with a pillow between my legs puts more pressure and pain on my hips. The comfiest position I’ve found is sleeping on the side, bending the top leg in front of me onto the long pregnancy pillow and then having the bottom leg straight. I then lean into the pillow too so it takes some pressure off. Not sure if it’s just me though!

I had the same problem, as early as 6 weeks I moved to sitting up in bed with a bean bag as back support. Then later, at around 30 weeks I had to move to sitting on the sofa and sleeping.

I know you said it isn’t comfortable for you but maybe try again sitting up? (using pillows under knees to help the angle of the back, and extra pillows on the neck area for your head). It is the only way I am pain free on my back on hips. I had to do this with my last pregnancy too.

I feel your pain. Nothing really helps. My advice is work hard to not aggravate it in the day so hopefully it's better at night. Hot water bottle (which will be horrible in summer!) hot bath before bed.

Hold onto the fact you get a baby from this. I could not get up the stairs to birth my son and then 24 hours later I'm skipping down them. It gets better as soon as the baby is out.

If you go on to the Pelvic Partnership website, you will find lots of tips for sleeping and there is a help line you can call as well.

I had it with three of mine. I found sleeping with a long body pillow between my legs helped

Thank you all for your replies, as awful as it is its nice to know I'm not alone. I do recall it going fairly soon after I had my son, certainly better than it was straight after anyway. I think I've still got my pregnancy pillow so will dig that out and try it along with other pillows. If I can find a way to get comfortable sitting up to sleep I think it will help, it's just my lower back/top of my bum area that ends up really sore at the moment so can't stay like it for long.