Article: Pelvises I Have Known and Loved (about 'small pelvises')

[BellyBelly]

Pelvises I Have Known and Loved
Small Pelvis? The Truth About CPD...

[chocolatecatty]

Good-o......I have been wanting an excuse to chew through the narrowist part of the placenta's cord!
In all seriousness though, that's a great article.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

the pelvis literally begins falling apart at about thirty-four weeks of pregnancy

WEEK 34, hear that pelvis? NOT week 21! I just have to keep telling myself it's all good and getting ready for labour, but my pelvis needs to learn to pull itself back together for another ten weeks!

Fab article, Kelly, very interesting reading.

[~Saram~]

Ryn, I hear you on the pelvis thing. I think my body picked up where my last pg finished.

Kelly - love the article

[Karina]

Ooooh wow. That article is interesting. Thanks for posting it

[Janie]

Very interesting article Kelly, thanks so much for posting it.

Just a note though.....when my stepsister gave birth to her eldest child her pelvis actually 'seperated' which has left her with a lifetime of back-realted problems. Yes, her baby was too big, and although she expressed concern about this to her caregivers many times, nobody showed any interest. Until after the damage was done anyway! She was unable to care for her newborn on her own for the first two months. The ONLY thing she could do for him was BF, supporting him with many, many pillows. When pg with her second child, she wore a brace from 3 months, used crutches from 4 months, and if she needed to leave the house after 7 months, she had to be in a wheelchair. Very difficult with a toddler in tow! She elected to have a c-section 2nd time around, purely for psychological reasons. They would have loved to have a third child, but she was advised against it as her pelvic area had already suffered so much.

I am sure that this sort of thing is very uncommon, but it just goes to show that you can never be 'sure'. I am all for minimal intervention, but in my stepsister's case it would have saved her a lifetime of pain.

[BellyBelly]

It sounds like something pre-existing was going on to do that, wether she knew about it or not? I have not heard of a baby breaking a pelvis before, but it's hard to really know without more info. You hear big babies with the label of getting 'stuck' if they are 'too big' but I have not heard of a baby causing such a thing prior to this. But like I say, need to know more medical information to make a comment... pelvic bones are strong, a baby couldn't easily break them. I am not saying you aren't telling the truth - just sounds very strange - and painful! Nothing could have predicted that happening and I wouldnt suggest to have a caesarean 'just in case' as they do have higher risk than a vaginal birth.

[Brenda Manning]

sezjm,

This is a condition called Symphis Pubis Dysfunction ( SPD) & if you google for it on the web you'll find it well documented, not all that uncommon. Nasty & painful as it is an inflammation of the SP cartilege & can result in permanent pelvic damage. For some women it starts really early ie 18 - 20 weeks & progresses, for some it only begins in the later months.
The usual progression is brace, frame, crutches, wheelchair & often elective C/S ( debatable) but some physios & OBs think it prevents permanent damage if the baby doesn't pass through the pelvis & further widen the already unstable joint.

There are occasions where a healthy pelvis separates at the Symphis Pubis before or during birth also, more common in the days of difficult forcep deliveries, uncommon now but I've seen it several times. Very painful. This is quite different from a fractured or dislocated coccyx (relatively common).

Regards
Brenda

[BellyBelly]

Ahhhh yes SPD...

[Janie]

Thanks Brenda, it's nice to know that it has a name! Most people were very unsympathetic to my stepsister after her birth, not realising what a difficult time time she was going through. They are fairly sure her pelvis separated during the birth, but didn't realise until the next day, when she couldn't get out of bed. Unfortunately the midwives were quite unpleasant to her, and persisted in making her move around for most of the day, before finally calling a Dr late afternoon. I think her unlucky experience was unfortunately made worse by HCPs who were not helpful or kind.

At the end of the day, although it was a traumatic experience, her baby was completely healthy and happy, and she is still here to tell the tale! Some people are not so lucky.

[Rouge]

Yep SPD was fun for me *not* and I think birth actually did something to my hips too. My physio is fantastic though and is in the process of fixing it up for me I recently suffered a herniated disc, due to the combined problems of an old injury and SPD. The most important thing with SPD is the care you get post birth in order to help with subsequent pregnancies & labour. And also how you deliver is important to. On your back is a big no no from what I've heard and Epidurals can also prove to be problematic for SPD sufferers (due to not feeling things during birth). I agree with shannon though slight hip pain is nothing to worry about. Its when you can't actually get out of bed, or walk or drive that its a problem and trust me you'll know about it when you have SPD!

*hugs*
Cailin

[Brenda Manning]

Shannon wrote :

(SPD is the new black thesedays! Everyone with sore hips says it's SPD. I don't think people realise that real spd is extreme, and that a normal pregnancy is usually a bit painful in the hips anyway.)

Very true, a bit like reflux isn't it ?

Real SPD is 'extreme' & truly debilitating.:eek:

Brenda