HELP! Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)

Anonymous
If any woman here has had or has this terrible pelvic pain can you suggest your help?

My doc said to buy a special belt to keep my pelvis in place. I’m currently weighing the same (at 19 weeks) as when I had my first at Delivery. I’m beyond scared and freak out at night when I struggle moving out of bed.

My DH is super nice and thoughtful but I know he’s stressed about my situation.

What freaks me out considerably is reading online that some women suffer this condition well after the birth. As if it almost had no solution. I don’t want to be in crutches for the rest of my life!!!
Anonymous
Talk with a Pelvic Pain therapist. ITR is in McClean. and in MD there is someone in rockville near shady grove hospital and another person in Potomac. Sorry just google pelvic pain physical therapy in your area.

They will be able to help you more than a GYN. Also might want to see a URO GYN female they are more knowledgeable.
Anonymous
My number one reason I only have one kid. Mine resolved eventually after birth but I couldn’t take the risk again
Anonymous
If I were to have a third, could I be left crippled for life?
Anonymous
I’ve had 3 and have had terrible pain every pregnancy. In one pregnancy, it was so bad that I literally could not walk for a few days as my legs seemed to crumble beneath me. Every single time, I was substantially better within a day of giving birth. Still have pain when I run or do too much exercise, but it’s minor now. All my doctors assured me it would improve after birth and that I could do pt if it didn’t.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I’ve had 3 and have had terrible pain every pregnancy. In one pregnancy, it was so bad that I literally could not walk for a few days as my legs seemed to crumble beneath me. Every single time, I was substantially better within a day of giving birth. Still have pain when I run or do too much exercise, but it’s minor now. All my doctors assured me it would improve after birth and that I could do pt if it didn’t.


And with pt you still have pain regardless?
Anonymous
I had it pretty badly and the belt did help. Mine went away right after delivery and I don’t have any lasting issues. Good luck!
Anonymous
I’m sorry. I had it with my first. It is horrible. I was 29 years old at the time, and by the end of my pregnancy, I hobbled like a Senior citizen. Fortunately, it resolved in the months after birth without treatment. That was 17 years ago, and every once in a while, if I exercice for too long with a lot of impact, it will bother me a bit. However, I did not suffer from it at all with my two subsequent pregnancies.
Anonymous
I see an experienced prenatal chiropractor during pregnancy for my SPD. Never had any issues after giving birth, not even with my 10lbs baby (4 kids). FWIW, the adjustments helped a lot with the pain.
Anonymous
Chiropractic got me through my second and third pregnancies. No issues since then (and like immediate PP my last baby was over 10 pounds).

I feel your pain and I hope you can find some relief!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’ve had 3 and have had terrible pain every pregnancy. In one pregnancy, it was so bad that I literally could not walk for a few days as my legs seemed to crumble beneath me. Every single time, I was substantially better within a day of giving birth. Still have pain when I run or do too much exercise, but it’s minor now. All my doctors assured me it would improve after birth and that I could do pt if it didn’t.


And with pt you still have pain regardless?


I did finally do the pt, and it helped. So honestly, yes there is still sometimes some pain, but I’m not feeling broken at all. Just older.
Anonymous
PT has been really helpful for me. I go to NovaCare on K St . My PT involves exercises that engage the core, some really painful massages, physical adjustments my husband can help with, and modifications to regular movements.

Per my physical therapist, the belt that helps with SPD is *not* the standard belly band you can order from Amazon
It is more structured and has to be worn lower and much tighter.
Anonymous
OP- I forgot to mention that my SPD started at 18 weeks when I had only gained 5 lbs. I'm at 32 weeks now and up 20lbs from my pre-pregancy weight. Things improved a lot and are only now getting worse in the last week or so. I'm still not at the same level of pain I was at 18 weeks. I'll see what the next 8 weeks are like, but for me weight gain hasn't correlated with increased pain. Hopefully it won't for you
Anonymous
I had really bad SPD with my first (currently 20 weeks pregnant with my second and starting to feel it again...) but the only thing that helped me were the incredible women at Body Connect PT in Foggy Bottom area. Truly recommend. https://bodyconnecthw.com/our-team/ And good luck!
Anonymous
Try these youtube exerscises:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw2eiy1bHsU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkJHEiaxNKE

In the second video, the woman said she didn't have spd for her later pregnancies so there's hope! I did both videos but not consistently and found some relief when the spd started around the 28th week. I would have tried PT had covid not hit yet but then again, didn't realize how serious spd can be until postpartum. In the first youtube exercises, I at first didn't think they'd help much but it really did and for me, it was really about strengthening the transverse abs (TVA). I tried to do a little of Bloom Method which women rave about and that seemed to really be about strengthening the TVA which might help you too. I thought my spd would just get better right after birth like many others had said but that was unfrotunately not my case. I read and saw youtube vids from PTs that lying on your back birthing can only make spd worse. I pushed and then had to have C-section and that pushing really messed up my pelvis. I had a hard time walking after, like I could walk but just very fragile and couldn't take long steps or stand on one leg well. My OB gave me a PT referral, but do your research and find a pelvic floor specialist, not any PT. With COVID, I opted to wait to see if it got better. My doc said most women recover on own but PT can help speed it up especially if returning back to work soon. I'm not 3 months PP and it feels a lot better. I just started doing the Every Mother program for diastasis recti a few days ago and the exercises are very similar to belly breathing in Bloom Method (core compressions) and literally, overnight seemed to really help the spd. I can turn and step on one leg and not feel the pain. I can also stand from sitting while holding baby and not feel that pain in middle of front of pubic bone. I can also sit upright without feeling so much pressure on pubic bone. Before it got better, I would have to lean back or recline a little. So, it gets better and there's hope! My doc did say a woman birthed a 10lb baby and couldn't walk after and recovered doing PT.

While pregnant with SPD, i tried every belt imaginable and taping. I got the si-loc hip belt--works for some but not for me. I got the belly band with suspenders to take some weight off but it just felt like it pushed inwards too much and thus too much pressure on pelvis. I tried the belly sling and that helped some but again, not a hit because cause upper back to strain. The KT tape also didn't work for me and becareful with pulling tape too tight because it will burn your skin if you leave on too long! I would rec the youtube exercises and belly breathing/core compressions lying down if standing is too much, it'll help during birth too for pushing. Oh also, everyone is different, but all the advice out there says to keep legs together and don't do butterfly, but it really helped lying down, legs stretched open with feet meeting (so there's like a diamon shape between legs). I slept like that on my back (slight incline so not flat back --not related to spd but vena cava) and felt way better next morning. Sleeping on left side i woke up with bad spd pain and sleeping on right side I woke up with some pain but not as bad as left side. Also, don't stand too much. If I stood too much it hurt.
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