SPD - what help can I ask for or get??

[IlanaK]

I am on my third pregnancy - 28 weeks now. No SPD first pregnancy. Had it quite badly second pregnancy at the end. I remember sitting in the hospital antenatal appointment crying my eyes out to the consultant who just said it was a part of pregnancy and i had to put up with it.

It has started again in the last week. Not too bad yet - just quite uncomfortable. But I can feel it progressively getting worse already. I have an appointment in the hospital (different one this time) on wednesday and was wondering what I could ask for in the way of help.

northender is right - the consultant is not an expert in this and is not the right person to help you (although you've probably worked that out yourself ). I've had antenatal care under two different health authorities, and in both there were specialist phsyiotherapists to help women with back and pelvic problems in pregnancy. I went to a class for pregnancy number 1 - the SPD didn't start until the third trimester, and wasn't too bad, so once I'd worked out the triggers I was mostly OK. I did posture work and exercises too. This pregnancy it's started already in the second trimester, so I think I'm going to need more help, so the MW has sent me off to the physios again, so that they can decide if I need one-to-one assessment.
Good luck with your appointment.

I paid £40 a week in the last trimester for osteopath but god it was worth it.

The physio provided the brace for me - I didn't order it or pay for it. Can you get a referral to a physio?

i had it for my first three pgs (not so bad I needed a stick but painful). don't have it for this one and is only one where havent been at work. dh has nicked the car and walk about 4 miles per day. I feel fantastic. other pgs have been sitting for 8 horus in front of a pooter.

I have appointment with obstetric phsyio this evening - will tell you if she has any good tips

have been seeing NHS one but not convinced tbh

ruby - frowned upon? do they think that will discourage people from b/f'ing?

As a breastfeeding counsellor, it is not going to stop me breastfeeding! However, on a professional level, I think it is important for mums to have ALL the facts and not have anything hidden from them. My experience of SPD last time is that BF made no difference. It disappeared as soon as I gave birth. However, I would most certainly have wanted to know that bf could affect it.

I wasn't told that BFing was part of the reason why my epi scar wasn't healing. DD was 9 months by the time that I finally saw a decent doctor who prescribed me the same vaginal oestrogen cream that menopausal women get. So BFing can delay healing generally.
Surely GPs (and the useless gynae that I saw) should know/tell us about that. I think I would still have BF DD, but it would have been my choice, and at least I would have known that when I gave up BFing that it would have improved and that there was cream to address the hormone deficiency. So it would have saved me a lot of heartache.

well I saw the physio and the main advice was:

wear support belt at all times (the sort that goes round pelvis and pubis)
pain means give it a rest, try to stop whatever you are doing
sleep with pillow between knees
rest every day
if you must be active then keep the periods of activity short
gentle pelvic tilts eg on a swiss ball may help
if you have an underlying problem with your pelvis then this may be helped with manipulation but otherwise there isn't anything that makes it better during pg
keep away from activities with legs apart, weight on one leg, squats, stair walking etc
avoid walking on uneven ground

Well,I saw the midwife today who did a referal to the physio. But she warned me that it could be two months or more before I am seen. Not much use considering I am having the baby in 2 and half months!

I ordered a support belt though that should be with me tomorow.

Thanks for posting the advice from the physio. I guess a lot of it is common sense, but not very real life iykwim. I have two other children so can't rest much and live in central london so take them to and from activities by walking. Pillow between the knees is interesting. I am sure my sleeping position is not helping things.

oh she also said some people find walking backwards (when at home, not in the street I don't think!) can be less painful

I am also struggling to accept the limitations this is bringing
just about beginning to realise I can't just ignore it and carry on, or expect someone to fix it

I had it with both pregnancies. I found that weekly osteopath session - or as many as you can manage, really kelt it at bay the second time (didn't know about it first time). Definitely not a cure and I agree nothing will get rid of it once you've got it except giving birth but I found that for a few days after the osteo it was much better i.e almost walking normally and it would gradually get worse over the week so by the next appt I was struggling to walk again. But it did keep me mobileish wheras with the first pg I really could not walk at all by the end of the pregnancy.

I also found sleeping with a wedge pillow between my knees helped too (and I still have to use it in fact) and also I slept on a sleeping bag in bed during the pregnancy as the softer layer helped with the stiffness the next day.

Sympathise ....

Wow - weekly osteopath appointments. My brain is struggling to come to terms with how much that would cost! Was it just a normal osteopath? Or one specialising in maternity stuff?

The pillow between the legs when sleeping helped me a lot as well. I can't believe it's almost 2 months before you can see the physio! What's the point!?!? When my midwife referred me, she called and got an appointment for me the next afternoon! You'd think they would put it through quicker for you!

normal osteopath practice with one guy who had extra qualifications to allow him to treat pg women and children. Yes you are right ££$$£ I think I started at about 25 weeks every 2 weeks and then was weekly from about 30 weeks til the end at a cost of £40 per session. I don't want to know what that all adds up to!! Annoyingly, my company health plan was going to pay but then decided not to as was caused by pregnancy not just a bad back type thing.

I have just order one of these - the midwife suggested it to me so will see if it works as it's much more discreet than the awful one I got from the physio last time!

is that one for the pelvis southernbelle? it says for the back and the model isn't wearing it around her hips?

ummm, didn't even look! The midwife said it was good so just went ahead and ordered it without looking!

Will see when it comes and send it back if it's wrong!

Ok, my belt has just arrived and I need some help! It has no instructions with it so I am really not sure where to wear it. Keeping in mind I am a very large lady with a sticking out bottom - does the back part go across the small of your back? Or accross your bottom? And how on earth do you sit down in them? When I sit, the front becomes really uncomfortable and i have to loosen it. I assume the fron goes under your bump?

The one I got is the Arriva Deluze from FrannyandZooey's good choice but not expensive link.

Ilana I can only speak from experience about mine but they are not designed to be worn when sitting
you should be alright when sitting but need the support when being active / walking etc
(I know this is a pain if you are up and down - I tend to not wear mine in the house but when I go out put it on. Then strategically whip it off in toilet if we stop for a coffee etc)

I wear mine very low down around where a pair of low pants would go. Around my bottom and almost squishing my thighs together at the top a bit. At the front goes right around pubic bone. I can feel when I have it right as walking feels more comfortable.

sorry I don't know if this applies to yours - trial and error may work, or ask your midwife?

Excellent - thanks. I will put it on when I go out tomorow and see if it helps. I could also wear it when stadnign up cooking I suppose.