I had SPD during my pregnancy, I had never even heard of this before so I didn't know what to expect. From what I have gathered it seems that the symptoms vary from person to person, and can be quite mild. I have heard of people starting to suffer from it at 16 weeks, and others just before birth. For me the symptoms built up quite gradually, from a bit of discomfort in the early months, to using crutches, to being confined to a sofa on my side in the final weeks. I only feel that I fully recovered about 6 months after my daughter was born (luckily a pram makes a pretty good walking frame) I measure recovered as being able to walk a good distance without having to lean on something, and without suffering for it the next day.
I started to have lower back and hip pain at around 26 weeks, I was finding it hard to walk the dog so I told my doctor, who referred me to a physiotherapist (this took 8 weeks). I didn't think too much of it, as I knew that you could get a sore back during pregnancy, and the baby had been lying sideways causing me to over compensate in order to balance. What I didn't realise was how bad it could get.
At 32 weeks I went back to work, after the summer holidays, I found that it was suddenly very difficult to walk the distance between my classroom and the staff room. Over the weekend I cleaned the windows, this meant I stupidly stood on a ladder with one foot and on the windowsill with the other. The result was that my pelvis felt like it was splitting apart. I managed to get from my car into the front door at work the following Monday, before they sent me home, that was the last time I went to work.
The pain was best described as feeling like I had been kicked by a horse (between the legs), it was a sharp pain, at times, and a very very dull ache that never went. It left me feeling exhausted, sick and unable to move at more than a snail's pace.
I saw a different midwife for every single one of my appointments, and each of them had a different opinion on what I should do, some said I would be induced early, others said this would make it worse. They all agreed that the only cure was to have the baby & not be pregnant. The doctor wanted me to take codeine for the pain, but I really couldn't justify the possible side effects, so I only took it when I really couldn't bear it.
Luckily, I already had a physiotherapy appointment lined up, as it would have taken a further 8 weeks for one to come through. The physiotherapist was lovely, but basically could do little for me for fear of making it worse. She gave me crutches and a support belt and tubigrip and asked to see me in 4 weeks. The crutches meant I could move a bit faster, but it was still incredibly painful.
I am very lucky to have an amazing Mum and Step-Mum to help me out, and shake me out of the depression that I was sinking into. The first came over from France to help finish the cleaning/decorating of the baby's room, and the second paid for me to see a chiropractor.
The chiropractor gave me 2 more support belts to try, which gave a firmer support to my hip and pelvis. She also had a magic table which meant I could lie on my front with my bump poking through a hole, this was total bliss! She did help me to feel a bit better, and gave me little exercises to do, and I am glad I went.
Mostly, I wish I had taken more care in the early stages of pregnancy, especially when I started to feel pain. I really should not have cleaned the bedroom windows, but I didn't feel like it was a task that was beyond me.
