Advice on back pain in early pregnancy

[Southwestwhippet]

Hi I'm new to this forum, I'm 7 weeks pregnant with my first. I've been having a lot of pretty strong cramps and nasty aches which the midwife tells me is normal but the other morning as I reached down for something the entire right side of my hip and lower back went into spasm and haven't been right since.

This is to the extent that I had to take the day off work. I work in a physically demanding job (I'm a riding instructor for disabled riders and a horse groom as well) and at the moment I can barely walk and can't sit in the car at all (had to be helped out of it last time I tried to drive anywhere).

I'm usually pretty fit and healthy although had various knocks and bangs from years of being chucked about by horses - I put the painful cramps down to the fact that my muscles and ligaments are pretty strong and tough due to my line of work. However I'm wondering if this spasm/pain is related to the pregnancy (muscled/ligament softening) or is just a random trapped nerve or something like that. Been reading about SMP but it seems VERY early for that.

Does anyone have any similar experiences? going to doctor tomorrow but any reassurance or advice would be nice. THANKS

I had loads of lower back pain in the first trimester - I think the pregnancy was exacerbating a tiny back problem I had anyway, so it could well be something like that. I found bending over was the killer - it wouldn't hurt at the time, but hours later I'd be in agony - something to avoid.

I find pregnancy definitely makes an old back injury or susceptibility worse, due to the softening of ligaments.

I see a private physio who is worth her weight in gold for keeping things right- very good at advising on pain relief (e.g. cold compresses etc.) and giving exercises to improve things, plus manipulating gently to improve confort. I was on the waiting list to see an NHS physio but figured I'd have almost had the baby by the time I actually started to see one, and their sessions are usually pretty short..

I also really recommend sleeping with a pillow between your knees, even at this early stage, seems to help my lower back/hips/pelvis enormously.

Good luck!

Ask your midwife if it could possibly be SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) I'm no expert, but have suffered from it mildly, and am in my 2nd pregnancy-it's more common in 2nd & consecutive pregnancies. If it is, she should automatically refer you to a physio (free on NHS) at the hospital. I find that if I've run (had to for the train on Monday up 2 short flights of stairs, and across a bridge) and I'm suffering still now. After rest & keeping my legs closed, it'll go by mid nxt wk. (If I'd kept my legs closed in the first place, I wouldn't be in this situ!! LOL!!) I have an existing mild back prob aswell, which becomes worse in pregnancies. With you being a horsewoman, you should have fairly good central core stability (all conected to your pelvis & pelvic floor). I've no medical background, but these are probs I suffer from, hence why I have some knowledge.

HTH