Pubic bone pain

Hi all, I'm 4 months PP and still having some symphysis pubis pain. It has reduced greatly as the pregnancy hormones wore off, but it still causes some inconveniences... namely, it makes practicing for making the next baby very painful.

I'm interested in hearing how others have coped with this... where do you find a support belt? Does it have to be written to you by a doctor? And does cranial-sacral or chiro really help?

Thanks!

Hi! I'm experiencing this too. I had it *horribly* last pg, so far it's not as bad this time. I think it's because mamas here directed me to better information on it, and I'm treating myself more intelligently (btw, I'm just over 31 wks). Specifically, I'm being careful about keeping my legs parallel in bed (I prefer to slide my upper leg forward and roll as far forward as I can from my side,) and I'm limiting squatting and sitting on the ground - which I did a whole lot last time 'round because they were recommended by my Bradley classes. I'm not being perfect, sometimes I'm just not comfortable in bed unless I roll forward a bit, and sometimes I can't avoid sitting on the ground. But, I'm trying to avoid those things and it's helping a lot!

here's feeling your pain, mama. You only have a few more weeks to go. "Full term" starts at 37 weeks - two and a half weeks, and you can feel not guilty for praying to pop at any moment

You mean you're not supposed to squat or sit on the ground? I do that all the time. : I thought those were supposed to be good things to do while pg.

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What I got was from my OB and she had it in the office-It is labeled a "hip brace" so I do not know if there is a difference between a support belt and what I have. She did mention to me that it is great to have after the baby comes too..so I am sure it would benefit you as well.

I never have had a chiro work on me but as for the cranial...it is amazing stuff and it is a lot gentler from what I hear as compared to the chiro's adjustments.

hth

aww ty tboroson best wishes for the rest of your pg too....

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Well, here goes... not sure how to describe this without showing you a picture! THESE ARE ALL VERY GENTLY DONE. It takes hardly any force to get a stretch that helps. These are supposed to help stretch the muscles and ligaments in the buttocks and groin. Somehow, that makes the PSS feel better, but I have no idea why. I just know it works for me!

1. gentle hamstring stretches. I usually put on foot on the stool my kids use to reach the bathoom sink or on a step and bend forward at the waist to get some gentle stretching.

2. old fashioned standing pelvic thrusts to stretch out my lower back.

3. find a doorway, put one hand on each side of the door frame and then thrust your chest gently forward. This reverses the all day sitting at the computer, writing, reading, eating, driving, cooking, etc. that we do with our arms out in front of us. I have no idea why it helps the pubic bone, but I know when I've skipped that one... I think it makes the others more effective.

4. This is the big one. I lie in bed on my back with a pillow behind my back and head. Bend both knees. Bring up the left ankle onto the right knee and gently push it forward (very gently). You will feel the muscles around the buttocks and in the groin stretching. Then repeat with the opposite leg. I know this goes against the not keeping your legs parallel rule, but honestly it is the stretch that helps me the most.

5. The chiro didn't recommend this one, but I've been doing it because it feels good. I lie on my side and pull the top knee up a bit (not to my chest, but towards it) and then gently push that knee gently toward the floor/bed.

Other tips:
1. Sit down to put on your underwear and pants (prevents you from standing on one foot).
2. Sit down to wash your feet (ditto above).
3. NEVER, under any circumstances, try to push anything heavy with your foot.
4. I've also found that instead of rolling over in bed by starting on one side, rolling to my back and then to the other side, it is better to get into a crouch onto my stomach and then over to the other side.
5. Tell whoever is delivering you that you have this and that you do NOT want to push the baby out in a traditional back lying position with knees pulled way back. I got my last baby out with my legs down on foot rests that were lower than my rear end and my rear scooted all the way to the edge of the bed. My recovery from that birth was quite easy and I think the gentle pushing helped to not further aggrivate the seperation.

The brace that my FNP recommended to me was called The Prenatal Cradle and I'm sure if you google it you will find a website. They have the tummy support one and one for labial varicose veins and one that is a combo. That is the one I would have gotten if I felt I needed it.

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She is 100% right on all these!!! Especially #3 that is when I get the most pain and I find myself more consciencely seeing I do this a lot since my is so big I am trying to save bending over.

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Another good one.... if you read the link from the Kmom site -see above in post from 3under3- you will also read that there.

Thanks Jenn for sharing all that great info!

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Normally they are - they encourage flexibility, which is a Good Thing during labor. But, if your pelvis is seperating, they will exasperate it and cause a lot more pain. I found that the pain is kind of cumulative - if I'm "good" about not aggrivating the seperation, then the pain won't be too bad for doing things like walking up and down stairs. If it's really aggrivated, though, walking stairs and sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night are dreadful. It's easier to avoid sitting on the ground than it is to avoid peeing, so...

Well I'm glad the link helped you figure it out!

I try to be the "voice" of Pubic Symphysis Disorder on various pregnancy boards, since I have suffered from it with every pregnancy. Mine begins at the 8 week mark, like clockwork. But for me, mine also luckily goes away completely about 1-2 days postpartum.
When I was pregnant with my first, I felt so alone because I knew noone who knew what I was going through, and my OB didn't know a thing about it.
She sent me to physical therapy, which didn't do a single thing for the pain.

With number 2, I just stuck it out.
Then sometime during my pregnancy with #3, I found that website by accident, and I was SO happy to know it wasn't just a "normal part of pregnancy aches and pains"! People try to dimiss it as round ligament pain, which is a totally different beast.

When 8 weeks came with this pregnancy, and the pain started, I knew that I was done having babies. I just can't do this anymore!
I may call a chiropractor to see if it really helps or not, but it depends how much of it my insurance covers.

With my three previous pregnancies, I opted for induction at 38-39 weeks because the pain is just too intense to handle anymore. Though with the last baby, I was really opposed to Pitocin and was dreading the induction, so we tried just breaking the waters, and it worked! Baby was born 1/2 hour later.
With this baby, I really, really want to try avoiding induction (of any nature), but I'm kind of playing it by ear to see how bad my pain is at the end of pregnancy.

Anyways- good luck to everyone!
I feel your pain!!!!!

Thank you so much for posting about this!!! I couldn't understand what was causing me so much pain and this all makes sense. There's so much I can't do and I'm uncomfortable and in pain a lot of the time. Walking is h*ll!; getting out of bed is a huge ordeal (especially since I have to go to the bathroom so much through the night : ), as is getting off the couch or off the floor or doing any manner of "ordinary" activities.

I never had it with DS, so it's been kind of hard, especially with a very active 2yo who doesn't understand why mommy's so slow, lol!!

I'll have to re-read it, do the suggested stretches and mention it at my next appointment. It's so good to know that what I'm feeling is actually something