Anyone had SPD and given birth naturally?

[pixie54]

I had really bad SPD in my first pregnancy (from 5 months) and ended up having an emergency C- Section (altho' for a different reason). I had been told it was still possible to deliver naturally with SPD ( on all fours) but never got that far.
Has anyone with SPD given birth naturally? I'd appreciate tips for the birth of no.2.

Yes, I had it from 18wks pregnant and it didn't hurt during labour (don't think so anyway!) and didn't effect the birth at all. Although nearly 7mths later my lower back still aches!

Noone ever suggested to me that it would effect the birth. One of my friends girlfriends was so bad she had crutches for the most of the 2nd half of her pregnancy. She gave birth naturally too. Hope that helps.

Motherinferior did, hope she sees this. Also, do a search on the name 'pie' - she also had spd and gave birth vaginally.

Also, that was my 2nd child too.

I had dreadful SPD with my second child so much so that I was terrified about how much it was going to hurt (especially having given birth naturally the first time and knowing what to expect!). By the time I gave birth, I could not get out of bed or in the car without wincing and having tears in my eyes because of the pain!

I gave birth on all fours and to be honest, it was fine. I felt no extra pain (compared to my first) and I was so focussed on getting the baby out, that I actually forgot (if that's the right word!) about the SPD.

My only advice would be that you don't expect it to clear up straight away. With some people it does but I was still suffering around 3 years later. It was particularly bad still for around the first 6 months after the birth.

Good luck - the all fours position felt great for me and all the midwives were totally happy with me in that position.

I had SPD in my second pg (probably mildly at the end of the first as well, but undiagnosed) and gave birth naturally, with virtually no pr and no problems. I was active throughout the labour, actually had less pain all round if I was upright, not seated. I don't recall feeling the
SPD pain during labour at all. The best labouring position was kneeling, legs about hip-width apart, leaning forward onto a birthing ball and gently rocking/bouncing through the contractions. Having someone squeeze my pelvis (ie hands on my hips and pressing together hard) as the contraction peaked was very helpful.

I actually delivered lying on my left side, legs bent at the knees and drawn up as high as possible. The upper (right) leg needed support, IIRC dh held my leg and my foot rested on the midwife's shoulder. I had barely any separation between my legs, and I had complete control over how much I separated them. It was a very easy position to push in, far easier than the half-sitting-half-lying-on-my-bum position that I was in for no1's birth.

oh yes, should add...re pain relief - I was told that I could request an epidural straight away because of the SPD if I felt it was making the labour pain unbearable but was told that there probably wouldn't be time (had fairly quick first labour).

I only asked about this as I had asked for an epidural for my first labour and never got it (I progressed too quickly but basically the midwives kept coming up with excuses like the anaethetist is in theatre etc. and even though they may have been valid, I felt I was fobbed off a bit).

As it turned out, the second labour was even quicker and I couldn't have gas and air because I was vomiting too much (a lovely trend of my labours - being sick throughout them!!) - I'm not trying to claim I'm a hero or anything but just for your reference that the SPD pain before giving birth was agony but throughout the labour, it certainly didn't seem to make the labour pain any worse.

Hope that helps a bit.

I had mild to moderate SPD from anout 15 weeks in that it never got so bad that I couldn't walk or need crutches. To be honest the labour was so quick the SPD never crossed my mind. Afterwards the turning in bed pain went straight away although I still get the odd twinge in my tail bone now and again.

I gave birth vaginally and was in the traditional half sitting half lying on my back position as I couldn't even move because of the pain.

It's probably better not to have an epidural if you have SPD, so that you can stay in control of your own body and make sure that you are not put in any position which would make the damage to your pelvis worse ( or even irreversible). After having an unplanned epidural with my first birth, I was very aware of this. I had moderate SPD with second pregnancy - I wasn't wheelchair bound or on crutches, but I wasn't able to walk very well, and was in constant pain. I had a planned homebirth, and gave birth on my knees leaning over the sofa ( or husband sitting on sofa to be precise ). The SPD was not detrimental to the labour at all, although I don't think I could have given birth in any other positon - the midwife tried to get me to do it in a sitting position, but I told her to F off . IMO, all fours or kneeling is a fantastic position to give birth in. Tips: Have you considered a homebirth? It means you are totally in control, the midwife is a guest in your home, so you can basically do what you like, move around as you wish, get into any position you wish - without the risk of uneccessary medical intervention. Tip two - write all over your notes in big letters that you have SPD - explain what it is ( unbelievably not all MW's know ), explain what position you'd like to be in, explain that under no cirmustances must you be put in stirrups, and that if you need an epidural, your legs must not be parted beyond a certain distance ( measure the distance you can spread your knees before the SPD starts to hurt, even take a piece of string in your hospital bag of that length, so that no mistake can be made ). As well as writing it all down in your notes in red ink, talk it all through with your midwife/ives before hand. I found one of them was quite sympathetic, the other hadn't even heard of it. Sorry for the essay . . .

Heads up MotherInferior!
Pixie, MI had SPD, and had a waterbirth at home.

I had excruciating spd and contrary to all the rules I gave birth in stirrups, with an epidural and episiotimy (sp?)
but having said that, its not recommended as you cant feel below the waist so cant tell if they are spliting you too far apart-in some cases this can lead to trauma of the symphisis pubis ligaments after the birth and therfor may cause ongoing problems.
Also wanted to say that I didnt feel my spd throughout most of my labour, the pain of labour you will probably find will block out the spd pain, and i was fine, no spd pain whatsoever after the birth!

I had SPD but a fairly mild case of it. One of the tips I read while researching was that before you go into labour, work out how far apart you can spread your legs comfortably (yes, I know.... lovely ) then cut a piece of string that length. Then when you go into hospital, if you do end up getting an epidural, you can give the string to your midwife so that they know that's the maximum distance apart your legs should be - no damage then to your pelvis even if you can't feel.

Didn't have to use the tip in the end, but I thought I'd pass it on in case others found it useful.

V interested to read all the replies here as I was diagnosed with SPD three weeks ago and have been worrying about the implications for labour. The hospital physiotherapist put a thing in my maternity notes saying something to the effect of "distance of pain-free hip abduction - NIL" so I'm hoping no one will force me into stirrups or any other painful positions during labour.

With just under six weeks to go to my due date (my first baby) it's good to know other people have had ok births in spite of SPD!

I've been told I have SPD, but I'm not sure I do. I basically have lower back pain when I get out of bed and I have a really sharp pain on the inside of my leg that extends upwards to my..ahem...lady area. It's worse in my lower back when I turn over in bed. It just doesn't appear to be in the pubic area. Does this reflect anyone else's experience?

Wotcher.

Yep, I had SPD in two pregnancies and a home waterbirth fpr my second baby. Wrote an article about SPD too, which lots of MNers contributed to and which is quite useful - email me if you want a copy!

my best pal had this in her 2nd pg. we were talking about it at the weekend and she said that having told her dh about the distance her knees could go to was the best thing she'd ever done as in the heat of the moment she wasn't focussing on it but he was, and kept reminding the hospital staff about it too. so there were no problems in the end.

good luck.

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I had bad spd with last 2 pregnancies, (just had twins 10 weeks ago) and I had epidurals coz I'm a wimp, but gave birth vaginally. 2nd twin was dragged out with ventouse, and I don't think the doctor cared if I had spd or not as we didn't have time to worry about it.
I was only stiff for a couple of days, and was able to 'charge' about for the first time in 6 months within about 1 week!!

I had SPD quite bad and met with physio beforehand, told not to do this or that but when giving birth naturally it all went out the window, the midwives were not interested, put me in stirrups for stiches and then I used a zimmer frame for 3 days after (couldn't walk at all) and went home on crutches!!! It took me a while to gain the strength back in my legs/thighs and even 20months on Im not 100% back to normal so suppose it can cause long term damage