PGP - Pelvic girdle pain

[waterlight]

Just started getting pain in the pelvic are whenever I get in and out of the car, turn in bed, or get up out of a chair, a couple of weeks ago. At my last OB check-in, asked my doc about it and he mentioned pelvic separation. So, I Googled that and discovered the "new" term for this pain - Pelvic Girdle Pain! Found a lot of good information online, mostly from the UK (not sure why subjects like this aren't covered on US sites).

Anyway, I'm trying not to get too discouraged about it. I'm worried that labor pain will be worse, and this puts me in a higher-risk category (and therefore more likely to end up with C-section).

My birth plan/preferences is still to be as natural as possible.

Anyone else out there dealing with PGP?

[~Demeter~]

O_o Not sure why you think it puts you into a higher risk category and more likely to have a c-section. From what I know about PGP or SPD, it's actually not recommended that a woman has a c-section. Most women are perfectly capable of delivering vaginally with SPD. I had it pretty badly with my daughter and I can feel it starting up this time around, knowing what I know now I think it started in my first pregnancy but wasn't all that bad or uncomfortable until I hit my 4th pregnancy.

[Smokering]

I had it. It was horrible - at my worst I'd be cooking in the kitchen and think "It needs salt. Ehhh, salt's allllll the way over at the other end of the bench. Never mind". I could barely hobble. Sitting down or standing up, rolling over etc were the worst. And my midwife kindly informed me it tends to get worse in subsequent pregnancies. Great.

I got one of those squeezy belt things, and it helped a bit... the good news is it wasn't as bad by week 40, and I never heard any hints that it'd make me high-risk.

One tip? Don't get out of bed by sitting up and swinging your legs over the side to the floor. Roll out of bed onto your hands and knees, then stand up from that position.

[MamaFern]

ouch.. this is my 4th pregnancy and the first time that I have experienced this.. wow, its hard. every day it seems to get worse.. im only 31 weeks pregnant! my midwife has done a few cranio adjustments that seemed to help at first but now its even worse.. it especially hurts when im laying down or getting up from resting/sleeping but recently it has been keepng me from sleeping it feels so bad. does it go away after the birth?

[HeatherB]

I've had SPD/pelvic pain in all of my pregnancies. In this one, I've also had what felt like arthritis in my pelvis. Not fun. I do think some combination of things were related to both the SPD and malpositioned babies. *That* definitely puts you at risk for a c/s. So, here are my recommendations:

1.) Good chiropractic care from now until baby comes (or beyond!). I've seen lots of chiros and am finally with one I'm *really* happy with. It makes an immense difference in my day-to-day life. My previous chiro definitely made a difference in my labors, too, going so far as to come to me in labor.

2.) Fish oils. With the arthritic-like pain, a friend recommend DHA. I hadn't been taking my fish oils but took 3g that night along with homeopathic Rhus tox (for pain worsened by not moving, i.e., sitting). The next day was *very* different.

3.) Lots of pelvic rocks, squats (feet flat on floor), and kegels. Keep your pelvic floor healthy, strong, and flexible. That helps a ton in labor, too. There are times when the only thing that helps is squatting.

4.) Massage. When my hip and SI joint are awful but my chiropractor doesn't find much "off," it's time for massage. It makes a HUGE difference, even though it can be rather painful at times. It's well worth it.

HTH! You can definitely have labors without it being a problem.

[St. Margaret]

I second the rec for a good chiro (find one who works a lot with pregnant women!). I have had HORRIBLE sciatica this pregnancy and i can tell I've started to get some pelvic aches now, but it's much later than my first pregnancy and never bad-- I think b/c I've been seeing the chiro so regularly for the sciatica!

Check out spinningbabies.com for baby position, try to keep your legs together when you move (like getting out of bed), and try to stay positive, even when it's really hurting. I personally think issues like this can mean your pelvis is SO open and full or the relaxin hormone, you will birth easily! I know when my sciatica was really bad (in one hip) it was hard to imagine pushing anything through the area, but with care it's gotten better and I know it just means my body goes into full on relaxed mode very easily.

[karen1968]

Another good stretch to try - a counterintuitive one! - is to lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Now move knees away from each other until the soles of your feet are touching each other and legs are wide open in butterfly position. Let your legs relax as much as possible and hold the position as long as possible.

With my PGP (and I'm so happy to have a new name for this!) I often get one side on my pelvis out of alignment and the psoas muscle on the other side pulling TIGHT to compensate. This stretch helps even things out. I try to do it at least once a day. It can be INTENSE, but I do think it helps.

[HeatherB]

Karen, thanks for the stretch tip! I need to work on that one more. I have definitely found it more comfortable at certain points but need to add it to my repertoire.

[Liora]

Big ditto on the chiro and the book Healing Pelvic Pain which has lots of great streches.

As far as labor goes I can tell you it didn't hurt more during labor the intensity of the labor just overshadowed it I guess. Ive heard it can actually make labor easier since it is looser. My pain was also completely gone by 1 month pp.

[waterlight]

I'm so grateful for all the tips and reassurance! I've already started to follow these ideas, and it feels so much better today than yesterday. Thank you!

[BlueIrises]

Is PGP different than round ligament pain...b/c RLP is what it sounds like...very common throughout PG and occurs with sudden movements or changes in position. This is my 3rd PG in 4 yrs and I had alot of pain...it was constant RLP...my midwife suggested taking Ruta 2x/day and boy did that help...it is used for sprained or strained muscles and it made me so much better.

[karen1968]

Originally Posted by BlueIrises

Is PGP different than round ligament pain...b/c RLP is what it sounds like...

yes, it is different PGP (which is associated with or also called SPD) is pain in the pelvic girdle, not along or below the uterus. I usually feel it as a sharp pain or sometimes grinding feeling along the left groin, but also as an aching pain in my SI joint. Rhus can help, or so I've heard (I just bought a tube yesterday, so I don't know first hand yet).

[BlueIrises]

Back in June when I was about 5-6m PG, I started having soreness in my inner thighs...right wear the elastic of your underwear sits...as if I had been doing splits and overstretched my groin muscles...this was on top of the constant pressure I felt as if the baby was crowning...the pressure I was familar with as I had it at the end of my 2nd PG and attributed it to a mild prolapse I developed from pushing out baby #1...the inner thigh pain was new...then over the summer I was carrying my 3.5yo up to his room during a tantrum and I strained something...so then I developed pain where you usually feel round ligament pain...I was now in round-the-clock pain and discomfort. My MW had me go get supportive underwear which almost instantly relieved the pressure I feeling and did lessen the pain along my abdomen at first. I was also taking Ruta and Arnica daily and that seemed to help too. Then after about 2-3 weeks of the underwear I developed severe, crippling pain that would cause me to stoop forward and made walking excrutiating and even lying in bed was painful. The pain ran up and down the sides of my belly and the pain I felt under my uterus would cause me to bend forward. Turns out the supportive underwear that helped relieve the feeling of pressure created a different problem. Right where that v panel sat is exactly where I was feeling pain that was causing me to stoop forward. Got rid of the underwear and went back on the Ruta and w/in 2 days I felt great. However, I still have the inner thigh soreness and it is extremely difficult to get up from a seat position...I kinda have to stay stoop over for a second before I can stand fully erect and move forward...walking up stairs is really difficult and rolling over in bed hurts...all symptoms that I quickly noticed when I googled PGP...I really have kinda given up on feeling better as I only have about 2wk left of being PG but I normally LOVE how I feel PG...and this time that love has been burdened with pain which sucks.

[HeatherB]

BlueIrises, a chiropractor can do WONDERS for that inner thigh/groin pain. I had it starting in my 2nd pregnancy and made my chiro figure out what in the world it was until she could fix it. Apparently it's not super common, but it's a ligament in the pelvis that is pulling the pubic bones downward *I think.* My first chiro ended up teaching another chiro about it when the 1st chiro was pg and had similar issues. Now I see the 2nd chiro and she makes sure to adjust that weekly. If you can get to a chiro (HIGHLY recommended, especially with all the pelvic pain issues you've had! see http://www.icpa4kids.com to find one in your area if you don't have one already), what they'll be looking to do is have you bend the knee on the affected side, then let that knee drop down. Mine use an activator right where that ligament is. Helps to have a female chiro because the first one had to go digging around trying to figure out WHAT it was - but well worth it!!

Hope you feel better soon!

[BlueIrises]

Heather I have the pain equally on both sides...my MW recommended a chiro if I felt it necessary but I was kinda feeling I can just deal with it. Now as I read about SPD I am totally freaked out that I didn't do something sooner and I am going to have difficulty giving birth vaginally. Both my boys were birth vaginally and this time I am planning a HB...I so don't want to end up in the hospital or with a C/S! Really freaked out right now...why did I read this thread!

[HeatherB]

Don't freak, mama! Go find that chiro and get some help now. You can definitely do the ligament adjustments on both sides. In fact, my chiro found I needed it more on my right last week when I typically need it on the left. A good chiro can help a TON in your comfort as well as making sure you've got an optimal outlet for the baby. It also helps baby get better positioned, which can make for shorter and easier births.

[HeatherB]

Also, you KNOW you can birth vaginally and having pelvic issues isn't going to prevent that. It may, in fact, make it harder (been there, done that, had an asynclitic baby with a super long labor, long interval before pushing urge, and ended in a c/s ) but it won't make it *impossible.* And, being at home with a good, patient care provider is the best way to do it, especially if you do end up with a longer labor. You CAN give birth even if you don't see a chiro... But it's MUCH better to see one and feel better now as well as make the whole birth easier. Oh, and then go after the birth, too!