It’s all in the hips – Pelvic pain in pregnancy

Before I became a mother my perception of pregnancy was always veering towards the rose tinted .The reality came as a bit of a shock. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely LOVED being pregnant. What I didn’t love was the pain and debilitation of SPD.

During my pregnancy with Big E I had hip pain from the 3rd trimester. I was told it was normal because of the extra strain on joints and the hormone relaxin. The pain they said, would go away after I’d given birth.

They were wrong. I still had pain months after. It never totally cleared and was always worse during my period. Not horrendous pain, but pain nevertheless. I just learned to get on with life. I didn’t feel it was serious enough to pursue a diagnosis so I carried on regardless.

Then I fell pregnant with Little E. By 12 weeks my whole pelvis was painful. I spoke to my midwife and was given the usual ‘it’s your hormones’ throwaway diagnosis. By 17 weeks I was in agony. I could barely stand. My entire pelvis clicked if I attempted to turn over in bed. Getting out of bed was a 15 minute exercise and I could walk no further than a 100 yards without needing to sit down. My pelvis clicked audibly when I moved.

I decided enough was enough and went to see my GP. She told me I had PGP (Pelvic Girdle Pain), more commonly known as SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) An appointment was arranged with a women’s health physio at the local hospital, albeit it with a student.

The physiotherapist assessed me. She examined my spine, and pelvis and narrowed the main problems down to my left sacroiliac joint and symphysis pubis. She could feel my symphysis pubis was separated and could move it by applying only a small amount of pressure. Not good news.

She explained the pain would get worse as my pregnancy progressed and the likelihood was that because I the pain hadn’t disappeared after having Big E, then I was probably never going to 100% pain free. Oh deep joy.

I was sent home with a huge support belt for walking in and the biggest piece of tubigrip known to man to sleep in at night. Both these were supposed to hold my pelvis in place. She gave me 3 sets of exercises to do 3 times a day (kegels and pulling in my abdomen) and sent me on my merry way. If it got worse (snort) I was to ring up and ask for a set of crutches.

At 32 weeks I ended up in hospital with severe dehydration. The pain had stopped me looking after myself to the point where I was in too much pain to walk to the kitchen and get a drink regularly. I was on a saline drip for 2 days with regular CTG monitoring. Both baby and I had increased heart rates. The drip worked it’s magic, a lesson was learned and bottled water stashed in different rooms.

At 33 weeks I would cry with the pain nearly every day. Lifting Big E could put me out of action for days and I was virtually housebound.

By 35 weeks it was taking me an hour to do the simple task of getting out of bed and getting dressed. I couldn’t walk unaided when I first woke and getting across the landing to the bathroom involved holding on to walls/doors/banister/radiator/husband. I’d sit on the edge of the bed until I felt able, then attempt to take Big E downstairs and get on with our day. I tried to give him as much normality as I could but something as simple as a nappy change or standing for a few minutes to make a sandwich would leave me in agony and floods of tears.

It is depressing having to be comforted by a two year old, but his hugs and ‘I love you Mummy’s’ were never more appreciated.

By 37 weeks turning over in bed was physically impossible. If I attempted to move I would scream in pain. I’d just sit upright all night willing the morning to come and labour to start. The last 2 weeks of my pregnancy seemed to last a painful eternity.

Little E decided that 39+5 was the day to arrive.

When you have SPD you are told to measure your ‘pain free gap’. This is the width you can open your knees when lying on your back. You are supposed to tell the staff at the hospital your pain free measurement and they should not ask you to open your legs any wider for examination or the birth. There are alternative positions.

My pain free gap was zero. It didn’t exist.

Oddly the male consultant who examined me couldn’t give two hoots about my pain free gap and expected me to adopt positions I was physically incapable of by pushing my legs into place. I still cannot believe he did this. The midwives were much more accommodating and instead of giving birth on my back I did it kneeling upright clinging to the back of the bed for support (there’s an image).

Sixteen weeks post birth and the pain has subsided a lot, but not completely. If I over exert myself, like I did yesterday by walking with Big E in the pram and Little E in the sling, then I am back to square one.

I am hoping, one day, that this pain will be gone. Until then I won’t be doing the salsa.

If you need any information on Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP), formerly known as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) please contact The Pelvic Partnership.