[rrs]

I'm 12 weeks today and have had SI pain since I was about 10 weeks. I had it in my pregnancy with Carter also, starting at about 12 weeks. From what I have read, it seems that this happens to me awfully early, as most women do not report the pain until the middle of pregnancy.

With Carter it just got considerably worse, and I suffered through it. Often, I would lay on the floor in a modified child's position, just in pain. It was hard to sit, and to go from sitting to standing or standing to sitting. Standing and walking are also painful. Eventually, I also had terrible rib pain. Carter was asynclitic, but I still had a natural, vaginal birth.

So, I have a couple of questions: does the SI pain and his positioning mean anything? I did the exercises from spinning babies, yoga, and frequent walks to no avail. Am I destined to have another asynclitic baby with a difficult pushing phase? Does this reveal anything about my pelvis? I've found a lot of information on positioning, but I am looking for more.

I've sought chiropractic care this time, as I am unwilling to suffer again. Plus, I was hoping it would help with the baby's position. Is this reasonable? I'm in pain now, and it has been a week since my last visit. The DC only wants to see me every 2 weeks until my 3rd trimester. What else can I do. Should I see the DC more frequently? Are there exercise I can do? Any positions to sit, stand, or lay in that would help?

 

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

I have been having SI pain since 10 weeks, started seeing a chiro at 14, and my SI pain has progressed to full on SPD. That said, seeing the chiro has helped a TON. Some visits go better, others worse. When I first started he was seeing me 3x a week, then 1x a week, then 2x a month. I'm now regularly scheduled at 2x a month but I'll make an extra appointment if I need it (as I have been lately). I would recommend finding a chiro who's good with pregnant patients and knows Webster.

I'm now 33 weeks and my baby has just now gone from head down but diagonal to fully vertical, but I think she has an arm above her head. Never been through birth so I don't know if the SPD will cause problems for it.

 

[rrs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunflwrmoonbeam I would recommend finding a chiro who's good with pregnant patients and knows Webster.

The one I am using is. Her practice is predominately maternity and children, and is certified in the Webster technique. She came highly recommended from many of the mothers, doulas, and midwives in the area.

Thanks.

 

[zuzunel09]

I too suffer from severe SI pain, especially after a long day at work (I'm a massage therapist). I think the weight of the baby pulling your lumbar spine forward has more to do with the pain than his position (although when he gets bigger, his vigorous movements may cause twinges). If you look at your sacrum in the mirror, it's probably much more pronounced now than before you were pregnant. The ligaments holding your sacrum to your lumbar spine (and thus, in your personal neutral position) are being stretched and relaxed not just from baby's weight, but also the relaxin that preps your body for childbirth.

I have never done chiropractic, so I'm not much help there, but find that pelvic tilts, lying on the floor on an icepack, and tylenol help tremendously. And sleep, if you can. I keep it to a minimum, but am not afraid to take Tylenol PM if it helps me get to sleep when I'm in pain.

Best of luck!!

 

[Michigan Mama]

I"m a physical therapist and can say (of course I am biased) that going to PT can be very helpful. Often you go 2-3 times a week and there are various manual therapy techniques along with exercises, heat, etc, that they can do to help.

That said, like any profession, there are good PT's and lousy ones. I would ask first if they are experienced in working with prenatal pts and second if they do manual therapy. If you can't get manual therapy, I wouldn't bother with that clinic.

Anyhow, those are my 2 cents!

 

[boscopup]

Your chiro should see you more often in the beginning. I'm not sure why she'd only see you once every 2 weeks when you first come in. The adjustment is very unlikely to hold THAT long the first time.

In my second pregnancy, I got this pain starting toward the end of the first trimester as well. I started seeing the chiro sometime shortly after 12 weeks, because by 12 weeks, I could not walk to the bathroom at night without being in excruciating pain. I think I had to go to two visits that first week, and eventually I worked my way up to once a week, then once every week and a half... don't remember if I ever got up to 2 weeks or not.

This time, I started with the chiro as soon as my pain showed up (and it took longer to show up this time, as I was in a lot better physical shape before pregnancy, including having stronger abs and such from good exercise that I did not have the previous pregnancy). I was able to go one week from the beginning, and now I'm at about a week and a half and might could go 2 weeks. If I start having problems, I call up and schedule an appt sooner.

Your appts should be based on how long the adjustments are holding, not some random number.

Not sure on the baby positioning thing... Both of my first two pregnancies, baby was LOA pretty early and stayed that way. First pregnancy didn't involve any sacral pain, but second pregnancy did and I was seeing the chiro. This baby has still been flipping and flopping and I think he might be ROA when he goes vertex, but I'm not completely sure. He likes to be transverse a lot too, and was breech at 20 weeks. I have an anterior placenta this time, so that might be contributing to the positional difference, plus my uterus is really stretched out and he has tons of room to move!

 

[inaweofmommyhood]

Thank God my SI pain is better - but I have been going to a chiro 2 x week now since my 9th week (I'm at 31 weeks) and do not intend to stop. I get deep muscle massage at his office once a week (so I'm there 3 x wk - home away from home) and the lady works on my back upper thigh and my butt - hamstrings and I forget he name of the muscle in your rear. That was horrible at first, but I hung with it and now it has been a Godsend. It was to the point that it took a LONG time to get up, I couldn't rock my 11 month old back and forth - walking KILLED me, on and on. I was miserable. They suggested a pilates ring, which I bought and have been using it - which helps also. I had HORRIBLE pain with my last birth because of my back - so I am doing EVERYTHING I can not to relive that. I hope this helps!