SPD in second pregnancy

[charmargot]

Help!
I got pelvic pain in my first pregnancy from 30 weeks and I remember having a really hard time walking, sitting, turning in bed etc. My daughter is now 20 months and I'm 6 weeks pregnant and I can already feel pain.
Am I just being paranoid and imagining it?
Will it get worse than before as it's started that much earlier?
What exercise can I do to make sure I don't pile on the pounds that won't make it worse?
I know all the advice from before about posture, I have a support thing for my waist and a slip sheet for when I may need it so I don't really want to see the hospital physio to simply be told I'll get crutches if it gets worse. Is there anything that I can do though to make it better?
I'm a childminder so do a lot of buggy pushing on the school run and lifting of the little ones into seats etc.
I don't want to tell anyone til I'm past 12 weeks.
Anyone had the same and survived to tell the tale?

Lotster - I misunderstood you! Thought you meant legs tightly in general (particularly when sitting). Legs together and feet pointed outwards going from sitting to standing is definitely a Good Thing. As you say the symmetry is really important. I was told not to keep my legs together (and certainly not clamped together) when sitting though.

I was also told not to stand on one leg (or in other unsymmetrical positions) but with my feet a shoulders width apart, knees relaxed and to gently push my wight continuously from one foot to the other if it gets hard to stay standing.

yup, had lots of that advice too

And not to cross one leg over the other when sitting, or do breaststroke, and not sit in the legs up/cross legged position - all my favourite things!

I have just got back from seeing a new chiro, who massaged my lower back and glutes very hard, and I have to say this is the first thing that has helped me for ages. I am going back on Thursday for more. I hope it lasts!

With my first got it about six months, from an actual slip, this time it's come on early, but mostly in my back, just ocassionally reaching round to send pains into the pelvis down one side.

I'm on my second week off work (am 13 weeks now) and seeing consultant on Friday to get referred to physio. I'm trying very hard to take it easy, but it's a total brain-reprogramming job.

For example, I've not picked up anything heavy for ages, but today thought it would be a good idea to cut my toenails.

I remain hopeful for a slight let up in the 2nd trimester to enable me to do some strengthening exercises.

So, looking at this generally it seems that most people do get it second time and it does come on earlier! So Im doomed to get it again!

Last time I ended up on crutches and with a support belt, I thought maybe next time I might be one of the lucky ones and just have a painfree PGcy!

I did see on a programme the other day a lady seeing an osteopath for SPD, but this is the first I have heard of it before, but it seems that a lot of you are finding this helpful, I wish I had know last time, I would have definatly tried it, does anyone know roughly how much they would charge, I am in the south east?

Oneyummymummy - now chin up lady! I was just as pessimistic as you thinking I am bound to have it worse than before and be at least of crutches, possibly not walking at all - when I learnt I was pregnant with this baby I actually sopped to think if I could go through it all just as I was getting back to normal (mine stuck with me for over a year after the first birth).
I'm so glad I did because I can honestly say at 36 weeks pregnant, it's only this week is it becoming quite sore in the pelvis, and even then it's not a fraction of what it was last time. Plus once I get going I'm ok.

Osteopathy in London is anything from £35-£50 a session depending on the therapist. Mine is £45, I could go cheaper but he has been seeing me for months (and always gives me and extra 15 mins bless him), and knows my body so can see the changes in me quickly. I have spent several hundreds pounds over the past few months but it is worth every penny. He also lent me a Serola belt but I have barely used it this time.

The key is to make sure you're aligned (Osteo) and support their work by doing strengthening excercises yourself - I found this enabled me to spread my treatments out to every 3 weeks (as mentioned above you can look at it as £15 a week on osteo then).
If you can't get referred to a hospital pilates class like me through a physio referral from your GP, then the physio who took the class recommends this DVD to do at home.
Also lots of short walks and lots of rest. No heavy lifting etc, and you may find you get a better time second time - really hope so...

If you tell me where you are I will ask my Osteo for a recommendation of he knows someone in your area?

Sorry for the pessimism guys...I have given myself a firm talking to and am ready to join your optisistic world!

Thank you lotster would be lovely to have a recommendation but Im not PG yet, soon hopefully, so I will be hunting you down finding you when it does happen!

I think because it came on quite late in my last PG and not many of the professionals I saw knew much about it, I didn't try to research to find out what I could do about it. I had no clue about seeing an osteopath, otherwise I would definalty have tried it.

I now know for next time, to seek further help and do excersies etc etc..

But lotster do you mind me asking if any thing was different this time i.e your weight/sex of baby/living conditions....sorry for the interrigation questions, I am just trying to understand it better myself.

Good girl!

Well I suppose I made a concious effort to be fitter, even when I had morning sickness (I lay down and died last time and lost fitness), although I didn't get the chance not to be wih a toddler. I also trained him to get in and out of the car/highchair/cot/bath with either just my hand to support, or by me lifting from sitting, but without me picking him up whilst standing.

Because I knew all the harmful positions and movements from last time I didn't do them, and because I'm a bit over flexible I have taken care not to stretch myself open too much. Pelvic Partnership do a good leaflet on these.

Mainly the core/pelvic/back strengthening and Osteopathy though I think is what helped. Hey, it could have been just destined not to happen this time anyway, but I really don't think I'm that lucky!

I was like you last time, didn't get diagnosed until it was too late, no-one I saw knew much, apart from an obstetric physio who then told me no excercise as I'd gone past the point and everything was too inflamed and sore. Even short dog walks were too much for me at the time as I could get stuck in the middle of the park unable to take another step without feeling like a knife was going in to my groin each time - so I just sat around getting more and more weak and in pain.
By the time my NHS physio referral came round it was only a few weeks from the birth and she just did her best to push my hip back in place (things got so lose it kept flopping back and forth) and it didn't last.

Soon as I could after the birth I started pilates and kept it up until quite recently. That probably makes me sound quite like I'm in to fitness which I'm not though! I just learn a few excercises that help in the classes and then do them here and there in the day, as I didn't have the time/inclination for regular classes really. So for e.g. I'll do 20 squats in the shower, 20 squeezes of my knees with a pillow in between before I go to sleep at bedtime, a buttock strengthening excercise just before I get up in the morning etc, and in the first half of the PG I was doing sit ups whenever I got a spare few minutes.

Get as fit as you can and even if you don't avoid it, I reckon you'll delay it. Soz for big waffle

I don't want to throw cold water on all this, but I am very fit, and did special physio pilates for a year before getting pg, and afterwards as well, and every other sensible thing imaginable such as personal training, weight loss and back care, and it didn't prevent its onset. I have a suspicion it will help me get better more quickly afterwards, though.

That's annoying for you Boffin, obviously I only know what worked for me, or at least how things have progressed.

Perhaps your SPD might have been far worse if not for your fitness and efforts though?
I knew I couldn't go in to a second pregnancy without making a big effort though. At this late stage in the PG (36 weeks) I'm starting to suffer, but that's down to the sheer weight on top of previously overstretched muscles and weaker joints I feel...

I got SPD at 25 wks with DS that lasted until the birth and was awful. This time round I got it at 10weeks and didn't think I could cope - especially with an active toddler. It never got as bad and went by 25 weeks Has come back in the past 2 weeks (i'm 38 now) but I think it's baby dropping and the end is in sight so copable.

I have heard a lot of people say that if you get it early on it goes mid T ish, finger crossed you will be one of them.

Lotster, you may be right. Anyway, I am not having any more after this one because I would rather die!

boffin was it that bad? Mine was pretty bad, but I only had a support belt and crutches, didnt need a wheelchair or anything, so suppose I wasnt as bad as they thought. Mine hasnt gone completely If i do breaststroke or slip or do lots of activity, it hurts for a while, but always goes once ive rested! But maybe Ive just 'forgotten' how bad it really was, because im considering having another one!

Is it worse this time?

Hmm, I distinctly remember saying "I am never doing that again"...

I only got it with my fourth at the age of 41, so it's an easy decision to make not to have another.

It is awful though. I can't do anything and I am very dependent on people for almost everything except toileting and making the odd cup of tea.

Hiya, Just wanted to add another thought.
I had spd from 20 weeks in first pregnancy and like the rest of you it was pretty unbearable at the time, am now 7 weeks preg again and dreading it coming back again! But your ref to osteo's has def given me food for thought----

Just wanted to add though that maybe the mums that get preg second time round that DONT have spd, dont actually look to write on these sites, yet mums that do get it obviously want to voice their opinion (and quite rightly so), but it might not always mean that most get it 2nd time round. I do know of a few friends that didnt get it 2nd time and a few that did.

Be positive lovely, and just remember the "rules". Best of luck, I will write back in a few weeks to see if mine does come on or not x

Interesting thread. Had it from 12 weeks in first pg, am now 13+2. No sign yet.........If I do get it again I'm defo going to see an Osteopath. NHS physio referral not much use imho.

TO add to this....

I posted earlier. I'm now 27 weeks with my second pregnancy (first pg bad SPD from 20 weeks - started much earlier this time).

I have been seeing an osteo for three weeks and already I see a huge imporvement. Very gentle massage and manipulation. Initial assessment was £45 and subsequently it's £33 for an hour's session.

Worth it, IMO.

Just wanted to update that I have now had quite a bit of manipulation and glute massage from the private chiro now, as well as the NHS physio, and the NHS guy taught my DH to do it.

This means I get a dose of manipulation most days, and my mobility has improved now, which I think is directly related. I still use crutches a lot, but I have done a couple of trips without the wheelchair which were quite promising, including a Waitrose trip pushing one of their smaller trolleys and doing a small top-up shop. This has to be a good thing.

I was just about to post an identical thread!

I am 7 wks pg with DC2 - first pg I was crippled with pain at night from about 20 wks and very sore in the day.

My DC is only 9mths old so I'm starting to get quite anxious about how the hell I'm going to cope . I meant to get myself in top physical health before embarking on another IVF cycle, but nature had other plans!

This sounds like a silly idea, but I have been thinking about getting one of those lazy boy chairs to sleep in because I'm too scared of lying down - does anyone know if that would be practical or safe in late pg?

SPD sucks .

herbie, ohmigod! That's horrendous .

Just told my dh and he has said that we need to get help now - have already got myself referred to physio but didn't feel a lot of benefit from it last time tbh.

He's impressed with the idea of the satin pjs though!

I'm a bit scared tbh. I don't cope well with pain .

Hi, I just want to add my experience. I had exactly the same as you. I felt the first twinges from the min I got pregnant with baby no3, after having had it mildly with 1 and 2. I mentioned it to the mw, who brushed it off. I had this horrible premonition that I might end up with crutches and now I have. It took me until I was 23 weeks and seriously waddling, relying on regular pain relief to be mobile before my mw finally refered me to the physio. I had a tubigrip from about 25 weeks, which helped for about a few weeks, but didn't stop it getting worse. I'm 32 weeks now and have had crutches since Tuesday. The NHS obstetric physio is not very good, she hasn't actually put her hands on me at all, so after getting in touch with the Pelvic Partnership I've decided to try hands on treatment such as osteoptathy or a chiropractor. It really took me until now to wake up and realise that if I want to be treated properly I'll have to take steps myself to do it.
My 1 piece of advice to you is to get help early and not to do like me and hope the mw will refer you fairly early when you say you feel you're getting symptoms of SPD. You'll have to be firm and ask for treatment. The earlier SPD is treated the better.

To add my tuppence worth
I didn't have SPD with 1st pregnancy
Had severe SPD in 2nd - wheelchair bound.
Now 23 wks 3rd pregnancy and I felt it start at 6 weeks phoned the midwife who basically just laughed at me so I took friends advice and went to see a Osteopath. Best thing I ever did. 3 sessions and the pain has completely dissapeared. When I feel it starting up again I go for another appointment which has been approx every 2 months.
I am being very carefull about walking and picking up DCs but considering I am currently pain free speaks volumes to me. I am convinced I would have been on crutches by now if I hadn't seen the Osteo. Mine charges about £38
I saw a physio for 9 months after DSs birth and she didn't make any difference (the pain never totally went away in the 2 1/2 years between pregnancies)
Hope things get better for you

Thick question, what is the difference between osteopathy and chiropractor? And which one is best?!