Pelvic Pain - first pregnancy and 14 weeks along

Hi everyone

I did a search on pelvic pain through the forums already but I fear i'm still at a loss.

I'm 14 weeks into my first pregnancy and have a bad back from work accident years ago (so I always expected i'd get a bit of difficulty when pregnant).

What concerns me though is the sharp, sporadic pains I get in my pelvis - slightly to the right hand side.

I've had a bit of difficulty with my joints all over the past week, particularly with the back. Getting up and down from chairs (at work and home) is difficult but not "painful", have started putting my nickers and pants on whilst sitting becuase it feels too restrictive to bend over at times. Feel like i'm holding the biggest baby ever and it's all in the front of my pelvis and the thing's only 10cm long or something!

I'm wondering if I should flag this with my GP or OB, or even midwife? I'm still getting the hang of all this and not really sure who I should approach if anyone at all. Or is this just normal pregnancy aches and pains?

Whatever hossy you are at, get a referral to physio and get yourself a pelvic belt (duno if they have a proper name). I had really bad tailbone pain (due to weak pelvic floor muscles apparently?) and uneven hip placement and that belt really helped. Took a bit of getting used to for me and bub (he used to kick something shocking with it on), but it really helped when i was up and moving (standing at work, walking around shops and doing housework). I had the pain from 15weeks and it continued when i wasn't pregnant not quite as bad though. I'm expecting it to flair up really quickly soon. If you can afford it find a chiropractor that deals with pregnant ladies :) might be some help. I'd love to go see one, but alas funding is limited. I think they work wonders!
There is something called Pubic Symphasis Disorder or something like that....might be more similar to what you have. I think there is a forum on it somewhere here.
All the best xx... There's not really a whole lot you can do about it i'm sorry.

Worth bringing up with your midwife as you may be able to get a referral to a physio who could give you some tips to avoid inflaming it. Chances are, it's, unfortunately, normal. Increase in the hormone relaxin makes your joints more flexible (for the purposes of birthing and accommodating a growing bub) but also comes with aches and pains, commonly in the pelvis. I had it mildly with my first, and quite badly with my second. Nothing 'helped' as such, but avoiding certain types of movement stopped it flaring up, and wearing a broad brace (just made out of wet-suit material) around my hips stopped the joints from separating as much, and was a great reminder to not do the movements that made it worse.

Best of luck!

Check out this thread. It's old but has some great suggestions.
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...er-1-a-137611/

If it is SPD, do NOT try to push through it. I found out the hard way, it just makes things so much worse.

Google the Pelvic Instability Association, there is also a Facebook page for updates and latest research links.
It's not something you have to put up with, there are things you can do to manage it, so don't be fobbed off by a doctor or physio. Go to someone who is experienced with pregnant women. Find an acupuncturist who specialises in pregnant women - I was just telling a GF tonight about how I hobbled into my acupuncturist and then walked to the nearby shops, taking a couple of minutes to realise I was walking without pain :) Of course, it came back within a week, but I could manage it better.
A GF of mine is a founding member of PIA and has had many bouts of surgery - most sufferers don't get to this extreme.
Between pregnancies I managed it with regular osteo and yoga, then in the 2nd pregnancy did yoga, regular osteo and about 3 acupuncture sessions.
I had some bad experiences with physios, so you won't find me recommending anything other than an osteo ;) I posted about it after DS birth on the ABA forum after being told by a physio that it was being prolonged by breastfeeding, and a lovely, knowledgeable lady referred me to a great clinic in Melb. There is NO evidence that breastfeeding prolongs SPD, so don't let anyone tell you that.
I can live a pretty normal life now, even though I've had SPD since my first pregnancy in 2005 - I ride horses, I surf, I do firefighting, we now live on a farm, I ride bikes etc. I just manage it and avoid certain actions. For instance, I know I can't split wood without paying for it - my neighbour is the same, but her husband bought her an electric splitter, so there's no guilt now that she can't do it (she's like me and feels very much like she wants to be part of the action!), and my DP prefers to say that I'm 'weak' :( He still doesn't really get it - he thinks that if I stretched enough it would go away :rolleyes:

I got pelvic pain pretty early on in my pregnancy too. Yoga and water fitness (gentle swimming and aerobics) helps.

Careful with water exercise - sometimes the resistance you get in the water makes you pay for the efforts later on! It depends on what you're doing in the water and how the pain is presenting. I ended up, in the second pregnancy, avoiding kicking and wearing flippers so that I wouldn't have to move my legs and feet much. Floating is good, though :) Yoga is great, because you can back off with more awareness of when a movement is pushing your limits too much.

Sorry I meant specific prenatal classes/courses. I think avoiding all activity during pregnancy is very unhealthy for mama and baby.