Not sure if it's been mentioned lately, but there's the Pelvic Instability Association you can go to for great information and latest research. It's going through a name change but you should still be able to google it and look it up on Facebook.
It's been nearly 3 years since my last child was born and I still need to see the osteo to put me back into alignment. I came off my horse the other week landing on my hip (actually, my whole left side!) - as soon as the bruising subsided I went back to the osteo, because it felt like a concertina effect and I wasn't taking any chances with my pelvis.
I was doing fine until this week (well, apart from my fall induced osteo visit!), and now I've got that ligament pulling again. Between DD waking and needing resettling (and I fall asleep in the most uncomfortable positions) and helping her ride her bike I'm hurting again My bareback ride on my horse today, though, was quite nice and didn't feel aggravating. Yet.
For anyone whose SPD got to the point of not being able to walk, lie down, do anything really, how did you cope? Yesterday and today I've noticed things have taken a serious turn. I can barely walk, I just hobble. When I lie of sit for more than a few minutes, my hips and groin are in terrible pain. If I even dare to attempt to roll over at night, it's agony. I lifted DD off the change table before and almost fell straight down, it felt like my entire pelvis just gave way. I can't afford to go back to see the osteo unfortunately, so I'm going to book into my local hospital and try and see the physio there, and I have a midwife appointment tomorrow.
Did anyone's partners have to take time off work to help you? I'm finding it hard to walk, let alone do things for a 14 month old. How did you manage?
I had crutches to get around the house, and used the pram to stabilise me if I went outdoors. I drove everywhere and did not go to the shops unless a) it was urgent b) DH couldn't go for me and c) I could get a parent and child park. I used ice A LOT and didn't pick up or carry my children because that just made everything worse. I changed nappies on the floor so I didn't have to lift up to a change table and baths, etc, waited until DH was home.
I can't get onto the floor, and if I can, it's so incredibly painful trying to get up. I feel kind of screwed really; don't have a car, so can't drive for any appointments etc I have, an DD is too little to not lift. I try not to but there's only so much she understands. Thanks Trav.
Do you know how to do the yoga move Down Dog? That's how I still get up from the floor.
Hobbling is normal. Get ice packs and rotate them. Don't roll over in bed, roll under. Get a piece of cheap silk about 1m square and put it under your hips. It will help you slip in and out of bed.
Where should I ice? I feel like it should be pretty much my vagina area, inner thighs, lower back and hips? Yay or nay? I do roll under but still find it painful. The silk is a great idea. I think I know downward dog. The only thing I can manage is rolling to my knees, and slowly getting up backwards from there.
Stick an ice pack between your legs as much as you can.
To get up from the ground, start on hands and knees. Push back onto your feet and walk your hands back. Keep your knees together at all times. Bend them and lift up. Grab onto the wall or something and lift up, if you can't push up.
From my experience, the pain never goes away. You just learn to manage it. The hardest part, in some ways, is the emotional side of things. The sooner you come to terms with the new limitations, the better, as you're less likely to overdo it.
I agree with Tash, ice between your legs and also on your hips. As for getting used to your limitations, I remember bawling my eyes out the first time I had to refuse to lift DS1 when I was pregnant with DS2 but the fact was I couldn't do it and he very quickly learnt that he had to walk himself. There was only 15 months between DS1 and DS2 so he was really little but we made up for it by him crawling onto meon the couch and having big cuddles once we reached our destination. I won't lie though, I was housebound unless I drove, and I didn't drive often.
When I was pregnant with the twins I took a taxi to the hospital and I had my crutches with me and the taxi driver made a comment about women just making a big fuss about pregnancy and I tore strips off him about how hard it was to be unable to lift my children, and it really was, but I had to stop because there was no way to walk when holding a child, I needed to hold onto the wall for support instead.
Have you made an appointment with a physiotherapist?
I haven't Trav. I did see an osteo but cannot afford to go back (thread in 5000+), so I'm going to book into my local hospy and access their physio services there. That's what my midwife recommended.
If you can get some ultrasound therapy it helped me a lot.
I couldn't do crutches I found it made it worse for me. I was taped a few times when the brace wasn't enough. But mostly moving correctly, limiting stairs, and getting dressed whilst sitting. All those things helped. And do keep seeing physio post birth and if you can do some Pilates to strengthen after. I also slept with a pillow between my legs and used a pregnancy pillow to support my stomach to keep my straight.
In terms of how I coped? I was housebound for six months while pregnant. I couldn't walk further than the end of my street (around 50 metres). At 7 weeks pregnant, my physio said it was that bad I would be in a wheelchair very soon. So I did whatever I could to avoid that and in my case it meant seriously restricting any walking. Don't listen to the people who say you have to push through. There are some around and they seriously don't know what they're talking about. I had to give up work @ 14 weeks because I couldn't walk to and from the train station to/from work.
In terms of looking after my DD - well, she was a bit older (2.5 years when we were housebound) but she's a very physical girl. Being housebound almost killed her as well as me. I didn't ask DP to take time off work - I probably should have. To save my sanity, I put DD into childcare two days a week (I was also having to keep the house pristine at the time to sell it so I spent a lot of time on a chair on casters trying to pick things up off the floor). I could never lift DD up to a change table anyway or play on the floor with her as I had lingering SPD issues from her birth. So I'd always changed her on the couch. Use pull-ups too if these will make things easier.
I'm not sure what your birth was like with DD1 but please familiarise yourself with the Pelvic Instability Association's guidelines on labour/positions etc.
In terms of icing - it's really important and believe me, it really works. It's most important to do it last thing at night but also try to do it during the day. As others have said, basically put it where it hurts. I put it between my legs so around the vaginal area. My SPD was really severe so I was told I should be doing it every two hours. I couldn't really manage that but I did, on average, do it three times per day. Also sleep with a pillow between your knees. That will keep your hips in alignment.
Have you got a support belt? In my first pregnancy, I tried it a few times and didn't think it worked. Then in my second pregnancy, the physio showed me how to use it properly and that was a godsend.
fionas I was bedridden a lot of both pregnancy's too. And like you I could barely walk past the front door. My first pregnancy it came on about 20 something weeks. My second it was early. About 15 weeks. The treatment I had the first time around was brutal and I'm pretty sure made things worse. But second time around I saw a fantastic physio who specialised in women's problems, especially pregnancy and PSD. She was great. I counted down the days to our sessions. And I even had to take panadeine at one point. And I felt so guilty. It really is sucky. But with physical and emotional support you can get through it.
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My bareback ride on my horse today, though, was quite nice and didn't feel aggravating. Yet.
fionas I was bedridden a lot of both pregnancy's too. And like you I could barely walk past the front door. My first pregnancy it came on about 20 something weeks. My second it was early. About 15 weeks. The treatment I had the first time around was brutal and I'm pretty sure made things worse. But second time around I saw a fantastic physio who specialised in women's problems, especially pregnancy and PSD. She was great. I counted down the days to our sessions. And I even had to take panadeine at one point. And I felt so guilty. It really is sucky. But with physical and emotional support you can get through it.
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