Is anybody still suffering from SPD after having there baby?

Roxanne - posted on 01/17/2010

That sucks! That sounds like Diastasis Symphysis Pubis. I have read a few things that say that they can use surgery to try and fix the problem by pinning and plating the symphysis pubis but I have also read that it is not all that successful. I am not any where near bed ridden (thank god!!) but it is causing alot of other problems as well, such as varicose veins in my legs and vagina, sciatica, round ligament pain and bladder disfunction. As well as the general pain of it all in my pubis bone, groing and back! I see my chiropractor on Thursday so I'm hoping to be feeling a little better in a few days! I'm only 23 weeks at the moment (this is my second) and I am hoping that it doesn't get much worse, if at all. Fingers crossed!

It's so good to be able to whinge about it thought without people looking at you like you are making it all up or just bunging it on about being pregnant. My sister has NO idea what i'm going through and seems to think that I am just pregnant, not dying and that I wanted this so I should just suck it up and deal with it. Yes, I wanted to be pregnant and have another baby, but I did NOT sign on for SPD! Women who have not been pregnant and men have no idea how shit house it can be!

Emma - posted on 01/15/2010

Hi Roxanne, my baby is almost 10 months old and I'm still having SPD pain but I must admit I had it severe! I had it from 16 weeks pregnant and diagnosed at 20 weeks. I was induced in the end because I was bed ridden. The pubic bone has IS no longer linked (a huge gap) and this seems to get worse when I now have a period because of the hormones. I was told this may happen. The Chiro could probably help with the pain in hips, legs, etc... but it cant join the pubicbone back together. If only there was a magic wand that could sort this out once and for all! I'm glad it has helped you! Take Care. x

Roxanne - posted on 01/01/2010

Don't know if anyone will be reading this anytime soo, but have any of you tried chiropractc care? I see a chiro regularly anyway and have just seen him since being diagnosed with SPD. I have done alot of research about it too and there is alot of evidence to support the fact that chiro can do ALOT of good for SPD sufferers. I have to see my chiro fortnightly now instead of monthly like I was previously but I don't care if it means that it is going to help! It was the worst adjustment I have ever had but I'm sure I will see the benefits of it!!

Sarah - posted on 08/02/2009

Hi there, I was 26 weeks pregnant when I was diagnosed with spd! My son is now 8 months old and I'm still having problems, I can't walk unaided so either have to have my son's pushchair or my crutches whilst out. I also wear a belt and use a pain patch. Although physio has given my a bit more flexibility the pain is still very intense. I am unable to go back to work at the moment due to the pain and lack of mobility! If the doctors and the midwife's had refered me to physio earlier then 6 months after the birth I may be better now. Insist on seeing someone as soon as possible and don't give up, keep pestering people until you do get to see someone. Hope this helps and you get some help and feel better soon

Emma - posted on 05/03/2009

The Tubigrip will be like a body stocking from under your boobs to over your bottom to try and hold baby up and to keep your pelvis together. I had the band too it was a wasted £20 out of mothercare, it used to gather up together because my bump was so heavy and low and it used to cut into me which was painful. Let me know how you get on. x

Andrea-Jayne [AJay Jimajay] - posted on 05/03/2009

thanx for al the info, its really helpful. im actually going to stop seeing my midwife as she really is a meany, im gunna go to my GP from now on for my antenatal she is lovely and ill tell her what you told me, im sure she will listen. ill let you know how things go and ill have a look at getting a Tubigrip thingy/ ive already got a bump band suport thingy which seems to help a bit, i also never take it off unless to wash it!

hope your pain is getting better, take care.

Emma - posted on 04/30/2009

Quoting \m/, Ajay \m/,:

hi, i think i am suffering from SPD but i have not been diagnosed yet. my midwife wont listen to me when i tell her how much pain im in and how hard im finding it to walk sometimes [my whole back and pelvic area stiffen up, and i get shooting pains up my back and down my legs, and then my legs collapse and i fall or i get stuck in a position and cant move] she just says its a trapped nerve where the baby lies but its gotten increasingly worse over the weeks [im 33 weeks preg, been getting pains for a couple of months].
when i tried to find out what is causing the pain i came across a site about SPD so i figured i had it. im worried about how it will affect my delivery and my plans for a home birth. ive read awful things and i dont want to be bedridden.
ive also found out that SPD sufferers do recover after the birth but the length of time taken to recover can be anything up to 6 months depending on the severity of their case, and how they are resting. ive read not to push through the pain by walking loads and to rest and take pyhsio.
am wondering if you as a sufferer think i may also have it and what i can do to make my midwife listen to me. i have a 2yr old and can hardly pick her up sometimes

Hi there, I would say you had SPD. The way I got the midwife to listen to me was when I went in and just had enough and just broke down in tears.  So she reffered me to a physio which to be honest they can't do much for you because SPD is untreatable but they will tell you how you can manage it. I was on crutches by 28 weeks even though it didn't hurt to walk at that point but it helped during the night if that makes sense and it just got worse as the days went on.  The pain was constant and horrific towards the end.  I was prescribed co-codamol which I didn't want to take incase it harmed my baby but I could no longer take anymore pain, but I did and I had a bad allergic reaction to them anyway.  I came out in a rash which I did not get rid of until after I had the baby, it just took the life out of me and didn't take away any pain.  You could possibly ask for these pain killers, don't suffer if you can take something because it will get worse.  I also got no more than 4-5 hours slepp a night from 16 weeks, it was just terrible and working full time to and in so much pain.  I really struggled through my pregnancy. Nobody would believe me because the first symptoms I had were not being able to lie down because I would have dead legs and my hips would click and my pelvis would crack.  I would wake up screaming with the pain.  I have never felt pain like SPD pain. Everybody would say I looked great so it didn't show how much I was suffering because I was blooming. 

 I would recommend you to do the following, it sounds silly, it doesn't take the pain away but it does control the amount of pain that you suffer.  When getting in and out of the car keep your legs together put your bum in first and bring your legs up. Walk up the stairs one step at a time.  Meet your feet on every step.  Get in and out of bed with your legs together and the same with the bath sit on the side first.  Basically just try and keep your legs together at all times.   

As for your delivery, I had a fantastic delivery they do say that with SPD you have an easy labour because your pelvis is open a lot more than it would be therefore making it easier for the baby to travel through the birth canal.  I was actually induced at 39 weeks because of how much pain I was in and because of being bed ridden.  So please don't worry about the delivery.  They have even said if I have another baby to actually have a home birth because it was a brilliant delivery.  But I must admit I could not move for 2 weeks after the delivery. I could not walk and when I started to move I had to swivel round I couldn't step forward but I was lucky I have a fantastic husband that did everything and luckily I was breastfeeding so didn't really need to move but after 2 weeks it started to get a little better. At least I could move about the house and go for a short walk.  Even now I couldn't go round a lot of shops.  I seem to be limited to 1 shop and back home.  But it is all worth it once you have your little one in your arms!

My GP said that sometimes you can have SPD for 9 months after delivery, but a lot go straight after delivery so please don't worry about that just yet.  I pushed through the SPD as in going to work in pain and on crutches it was a soon as I finished work, now I don't know whether it was because I was so big during pregnancy and I finished at the right time before it got worse or I was fighting until I could relax before my maternity started.  I'm really not sure.  I would say potter about the house and just take it easy.  You know when your doing to much.

So at your next antenatal appointment you need to kick up a fuss as I did and tell them you want to see a physio ASAP. They will then give you a tubigrip to wear which holds your pelvis together and kind of holds the baby up, (I am still wearing my tubigrip) you may not feel a difference straight away but it does help believe me.  So never take it off.  Wear one for bed and another through the day wash one wear one.  Thats what I do!

Please keep in touch and any more questions please feel free to ask, I feel like I'm an expert at this SPD lark.

Take Care and don't let them fob you off, you do need somebody professional to talk to and help you through the SPD. 

Andrea-Jayne [AJay Jimajay] - posted on 04/28/2009

hi, i think i am suffering from SPD but i have not been diagnosed yet. my midwife wont listen to me when i tell her how much pain im in and how hard im finding it to walk sometimes [my whole back and pelvic area stiffen up, and i get shooting pains up my back and down my legs, and then my legs collapse and i fall or i get stuck in a position and cant move] she just says its a trapped nerve where the baby lies but its gotten increasingly worse over the weeks [im 33 weeks preg, been getting pains for a couple of months].

when i tried to find out what is causing the pain i came across a site about SPD so i figured i had it. im worried about how it will affect my delivery and my plans for a home birth. ive read awful things and i dont want to be bedridden.

ive also found out that SPD sufferers do recover after the birth but the length of time taken to recover can be anything up to 6 months depending on the severity of their case, and how they are resting. ive read not to push through the pain by walking loads and to rest and take pyhsio.

am wondering if you as a sufferer think i may also have it and what i can do to make my midwife listen to me. i have a 2yr old and can hardly pick her up sometimes.