- Keep your knees together as much as you can - this includes sitting on the toilet and turning over in bed
- Where shiny/silky pj's to bed to help slip when you turn over.
- Or lay a towel under you (width ways) in bed, when you need to roll over pull up on one end of the towel to lift yourself over
- When going from sitting to standing or vice versa clench you bum muscles as much as you can and concentrate on using them.
- Always do your pelvic floors. Try and do it every time you wash your hands and use a pc. You need to get into the habit of doing them
- Spend some time of the day crawling around on the floor - slowly and carefully concentrating on using stomach and bum muscles as you move.
- Take short steps
- Concentrate on going upstairs and down - a lot of people find it easier to step up sideways
- Don't carry anything heavy - including your toddlers - its not going to help and can make it so much worse in the long run. General rule is 10lb is the maximum weight to lug around.
- Absolutely no hoovering or pushing shopping trolleys. All the force is pushed through your pubic bone which is not good! Get help with the house work and order food online if you cant rely on someone to do it. Most supermarkets have free delivery on less popular days - Tuesdays and Wednesdays if you order over certain amount. Its worth doing!
I will update this as I get more. Please comment to add your tips to this post!!
Hi Sarah
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog, congratulations on your pregnancy and you are so brave regarding your SPD and operation.
My daughter is 15 months old and I have had SPD/PGP since I was about twelve weeks pregnant. I saw my Consultant in London last week who studied my Xrays and confirmed that to be out of pain I will need Pelvic Fusion Surgery. I am very scared of the operation but more scared of being in this amount of pain for the rest of my life.
Thank you so much for writing your blog, it has really helped me.
Kind regards
Karen xxx
Hi Karen, so pleased it has helped you. I really hope the suregery goes well for you too. If you ever have any questions or need someone to talk to especially around the surgery please get in touch x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Sarah, so kind of you.
ReplyDeletexxx
Hi there, I just read your blog ur an inspiration to those of us still suffering. I developed SPD during my second pregnancy. I was told that it was due to them being so close only a year and 11 days between my sons. I told the hosp every time I went in I was in pain but no one listened. Then finally was sent to physio in my third trimester and it was too late. I was put in support belts and crunches. I gave birth naturally no epidural just gas and air. After the birth I was given a x ray by the pain doc in the maternity hosp and it showed one side of my pelvis had slipped out of place so I have an s shaped gap in my pelvis. I was transferred to a main stream hosp. My pain doc there said I needed to have a plate put in to fuse the bone together. Evenly I got into see the ortho surgeon. After having two steroid injections I have been put on the waiting list for surgery this year. I finally got my appointment a provisional booking the 28th of may this year. Hopefully I will be going in soon and getting back my life. Thank you for. This blog it really helped me understand wats ahead of me. I hope you are doing a lot better now. Xxxxx
ReplyDeleteHello Joanne, how did your surgery go? WOuld be great if you can get in touch and let me know how you are! My email is at the top of the screen if you prefer x
DeleteHi, I have been told that I require a fusion as my pubic bones are bone on bone and have no other option, I want more children and have so many question. How are all of you who have had the surgery going now are you all pain free. Thanks for the blog Sarah was great would love to know your progress after your pregnancy and whether it all went well.
ReplyDeleteHi, I plan to start updating this blog again now. I am doing really well, I can sleeo through the night (if I wasn;t woken to nurse my baby) but the pain would allow me to sleep which is a huge difference. I still struggle with daily life but that could be because I have had a baby post operation. I wouldn;t change anything and I am pleased I have had the surgery and it has benefitted me. Feel free to email me if you have any questions, more then happy to discuss anything that I have gone through with you if it helps! xx
DeleteHi Sarah!! Can you please email me, I'd love to hear how you are doing this many years post surgery. My sister in law just had the fusion surgery last week (had to have some screws put in and dead bone removed as well due to all the damage. I'd love to be able to tell her about someone who went through the surgery and was still able to have children. My sister in law has a 2 year old daughter now and dreams of having another child to complete their family) once she recovers. xoxo Kate
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThank god I found someone happy to share and pointers to help me - the NHS haven't one bit!
I'm 12 weeks post natal and struggling everyday. I can only walk short distances, can't drive, can't stand for more than a few minutes and can't take my daughter to school and she has only just started Primary 1 :(
In labour I gave birth on my back, the midwife opened my legs waaaaay past the point of comfort and had me push down on pads - at this point something cracked, even my partner heard it and the pain in my pelvis overtook contractions!
Since having my LO I've since found out I shouldn't have been on my back and after 6 sessions of private Physio I'm now going to see a private consultant for x-rays etc and it's becoming more likely I will have a fusion op :(
I'm just wondering how you coped with stairs etc? I'm in an upstairs downstairs and struggle just now.
Again I can't thank you enough for writing this blog I've gained more knowledge through your blog and the Internet that I have from the professionals!
Hope your LO's are doing well :)
Thanks
Lisa-kim
Hi I found one step at a time or stepping one step up at a time sideways also helped. Feel free to ask anything more, more then happy to help with anything xx
DeleteHang in there! I know you can get through this. First, I wanna thank you for writing this post. I'm an avid reader of your blog. I love your tips and I'm so into it. Btw, I developed PGP when I had my 2nd child. Thank God it's over now. I just wish all the pain would go away for those who are on it today. Surgical mesh lawsuit info center.
ReplyDeleteHi , would you post your stork X-ray? I have the same issue not sure if I should do surgery as well...
ReplyDeleteSarah, thank you for this blog. It has helped me but also so scared me. I have suffered with this condition for 13+ years and no one listened. I had a vagina hysterectomy 2 years ago duh to endometrial tumors and have been disabled sense then. Finally found 1 doctor in our state that even does a fusion after being pushed from doctor and doctor to clinic and clinic pushing me to do this and that gained 70 pounds in 2 years I'm just tired of the pain but so terrified of the surgery. They say even with the surgery he can only change my pain maybe 50 percent as I have severe degenerative problems from this and I also have spinal problems from my pelvis issue. I'm miserable and have it scheduled for October 14th my only fear is i have my wedding next year in September and I want to walk down the isle not with crutches or a wheelchair and I want to lose weight not gain anymore. I wish I knew the outcome and if this is worth it. He says if I don't do it there is nothing else to do. I have tried everything this is my last resort and if it doesn't work I'm still sol. :(
ReplyDelete