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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Any advice for spd?? I'm in agony!!

29 replies

CrazyDi · 02/04/2005 13:07

I have suffered from spd in this pregnancy and even though I am close to dropping now I am at my wits end!! I have to use crutches to walk as its so painful, but during the day I can cope with that...its night time!! I wake up several times every night screaming when trying to turn over...its seriously the most painful thing I have ever had (except labour ). I have tried cushions in between my knees, wedges, you name it ive tried it. My poor hubby has to get up and turn me and Im worried that we are not going to get a decent night sleep before baby comes along!!

Has anyone got any tips/advice on sleeping positions? I was thinking of sleeping on the couch with loads of cushions so I am almost sat up...what do you think??? I am 38 + 4 now but a full night sleep would be fab!!

HELP!!

OP posts:
stitch · 02/04/2005 13:12

sorry, no help, but loads of sympathy. lets just hope things get better after baby is born.
hugs.

tiffini · 02/04/2005 13:30

i ahd pelvic girdle pain while pregnant, is spd the same thing?

aviatrix · 02/04/2005 16:28

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shhhh · 02/04/2005 19:39

I am also suffering from this although not as bad as you by the sounds of things. Like you it hits me worse when i'm in bed and I could almost cry when I go to turn over during the night (Something I can't avoid, otherwise I get pins and needles arrgghh!) Sorry I can't be of much help but hoping that someone out there can help! I have been referred to a physio and i'm waiting for them to contact me, easier for me with 6 weeks left but suppose time is running out for you.
I sympthasise totally

pupuce · 02/04/2005 20:01

Crazy - the minute this baby is out - the pain will seriously diminish (not disappear immediately).
I had SPD too... and it was worse when baby had dropped in pelvis in very late pregnancy. I was chair bound for my 2 last weeks.... interestingly SPD didn't bother me in labour LOL

I managed to sleep kind of my tummy and that was OK.

aviatrix · 03/04/2005 12:43

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blessima · 03/04/2005 12:59

crazy...this is going to sound bonkers but have you tried sleeping in something "slippery".

It makes it a lot easier to move/turn over if you can slide over the sheets in satin pj's.

Also, if you have to get in and out of a car, a plastic bag on the seat helps you to twist round without having to lift your bottom as you turn.

you really have my sympathy as this totally immobilised me in my first pregnancy!

Verso · 06/04/2005 09:19

I completely sympathise as I have spd too. My physio gave me one of those support belts (with scratchy velcro bits that dig in - nice) which helps a bit but also makes the baby kick like mad, so I try to only use it if I've been very sore during the day and don't think I will sleep at all. I've heard the slippery bedclothes idea but haven't tried it as I'm too tight to buy new bedlinen or pyjamas!

I've found that resting since I started maternity leave has really helped, although it's incredibly annoying/frustrating not to be able to nip to the shops or park etc for a bit of a distraction (did that last week but it was so sore I wished I hadn't!)

Other than that, when it gets really bad at night I get out of bed (a painful feat in itself) and just get up for an hour or two. Just gently moving around can help, especially if (like me) you've been sleeping in one position and getting numb down one side, in addition to the pelvic pains. Going on all fours and doing pelvic tilts helps take the pressure off the symphysis pubis and is well worth trying, as long as you do it near something solid so you can ease yourself up and down carefully. (I find facing the sofa is best so I can bend both legs at the same time to get up or down.)

On the brighter side, my physio assured me that MOST women find their symptoms improve within weeks of giving birth, so hang in there! (Of course I realise this means that there are some where this doesn't happen... but I'm trying not to dwell on that!) Also, I was hugely sceptical about the exercises the physio gave me but they do seem to have stopped it getting worse, even though my bump has grown massively in the last six weeks or so. So it's worth suspending disbelief and trying them just in case (at one point I was frightened it was just going to get worse and worse and worse).

HTH!

Moomin · 06/04/2005 10:04

CrazyDi - Have you thought about paying for a session with an osteopath or chiropractor? I siffered from spd with my 1st pg and ended up on crutches. The only respite I got was when I was completely confined to bed with placenta praevia at 34 weeks and the spd eased away to nothing eventually before dd was born. I then went to see an osteopath when dd was a year old with back pain and he said to come back if I got pg again and started getting symptoms of spd. He's worked with lots of women with spd and can do a lot to ease pain.
I know you're coming to the end of it but 2 weeks still feels like 2 months when you're in so much pain doesn't it? Why don't you do some ringing round some practitioners in your area and see if anyone has specific experience of working with spd and if they can help this late on. I think you'd be paying around £40 for an hour. I'd say it's well worth it!

aviatrix · 07/04/2005 15:05

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mogwai · 07/04/2005 17:33

Poor CrazyDi!

I'm sending very positive thoughts that your baby comes soon.

MellowJ · 01/09/2008 19:58

Not sure where you are by try talking to PilatesArt if you are in London- my first pregnancy was blighted with awful shooting pains and I finally a physio who is trained in pilates for pregnant women. By streghthening the muscles around your hips you can provide extra muscular support for the pelvic area and really help with the pain. Basically it is the same concept as wearing a belt, but much more natural and comfortable and of course you get 24 hour support. The excercises are really gentle and can be done right up to your due date.

I know this is a bit late for you, but next time round? And it really does get better fast after delivery. Good luck.

redrobin · 01/09/2008 21:37

agree with the chiropractor advice. also, have you tried a reflexologist? i found that this defintitely gave me relief - and helped me sleep. am sending you much sympathy as i was a sufferer during my last pregnancy (aso on crutches) and have jsut discovered that i'm preg again...will certainly be doing my pilates from now on in! good luck... at least the baby should jsut pop out since you are all stretchy adn loose limbered (fingers crossed!)

Piffle · 01/09/2008 21:43

do go to GP you cAn take co codamol I believe (I was given it for nights)
Mine actually got more severe after delivery and took 15mths to get rid off.
I'd advise a rehab physio rather than osteopath tbh
Recommend support belts too
But the nights were horrific for me for months and co codamol used v judiciously saved my head.

FrannyandZooey · 01/09/2008 21:48

don't know if people have realised this thread is 3 years old!
o

mrslurkalot · 01/09/2008 21:54

Hi crazy,

Congratulations! and LOTS of sympathy. I had SPD in my 1st pregnancy and can remember crying in pain, and my pelvis literally 'crunching' when I turned over in bed (had to grit my teeth very hard first). My Mum is a physio and recommended really strong pelvic floor exercises so that I could 'hold' my pelvic floor to support the area when I turned etc. I found it really made a difference, but you are so close to the end now I'm not sure how much you can strengthen your muscles. I found that the pain went almost immediately after birth.
I was really worried that I would get it again in my 2nd pregnancy but apart from some slight discomfort (NOTHING like spd) I got away with it.
I hope you can find a comfortable way to sleep, you will feel SOOOO much better when your baby arrives.
Good Luck x

FrannyandZooey · 01/09/2008 21:54

her dc will be 3 and a bit now chaps

redrobin · 02/09/2008 12:48

hahhahhahhahhahha how slow are we????

mrslurkalot · 02/09/2008 13:06

hahahahahahah! serves me right for drinking a bottle of wine on a Monday night!

thehairybabysmum · 02/09/2008 13:35

Accupuncture gave me immediate relief for a few days after session.

Sympathies but on a positive note pain does disappear after birth, i could walk bettter 1 day after emergency c section than 1 day before with SPD. The lack of sleep means that actually you sleep better once baby born even with lots of feeds!!

Piffle · 02/09/2008 14:47

even that we've posted yrs on these threads are searched for by sufferers so I'd offer opinion anyway!
Nur nur

ajm200 · 02/09/2008 14:55

I was on crutches with SPD when I had my son. I found sitting or lying down almost impossible at the end and found the slippery nightwear did help. I was able to grab the side of the mattress and drag myself off the bed.. wrecked the mattress but did help me.

I also found that not making it worse during the day helped so I got one of those spinning disks to get into and out of the car (a shiny carrier bag under your bum works the same way) Also if you are really bad, you may find that the pain won't g o away completely while you BF. It will be easier but can take up to 6 months to go after you stop BF'ing so as soon as baby is out get referred to physio.

Slickbird · 02/09/2008 15:15

Ach well, 3 years old but still relevant! Mine kicked in today, am 14 weeks-ish and it's all coming flooding back. I was brutal with mine last time (only last year and here I go again....Sigh.

I swear to God, I'm never having sex again. Mind, with three kids it's not bloody likely is it....??

ajm200 · 02/09/2008 15:50

Slickbird, this time round I found that keeping moderately active has worked better than the docs advice to rest up.

I had the first signs of SPD in the first trimester and thought that was it but as I don't get to use a car much I was walking more than in the first pregnancy.

I soon spotted that by eveniing the SPD was better on days when I'd walked a mile or two than on days when I'd just pottered about the house.

By keeping active, I kept the worst of the symptoms at bay thoughout the middle trimester and wouldn't be suffering now except that I got sick and wasn't able to keep going. After a couple of weeks of reduced activity/being housebound, the SPD kicked off properly and now I'm suffering.

domesticslattern · 02/09/2008 16:17

Poor you. I had SPD so badly that I hope to never have another pregnancy. Sorry if that sounds depressing to those of you who are pg.

When it comes to turning over in bed, don't roll. The best thing for me was to actually get out of bed and turn the pillow to the other end of the bed, and get back in. I also found it useful to put a soft pile of towels and blankets under the sheet, and use one of those wheatpacks heated up in the microwave (a physio advised the opposite- ice packs).

I also used to get up in the night to do slow hip circles, and funny walks which I learned at pre-natal yoga (think walking like charlie chaplin, or alternatively like a geisha girl). Gently moving of the pelvis basically. Sometimes a hot 3am shower would help (I couldn't get in the bath ).

If it is really bad then you can get painkillers. Also do as little as possible in the day- as other posters mention, it will all stack up.

If you do a MN search then you will find thread after thread on SPD, including top tips.

Good luck!- and it will end!

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