My midwife has diagnosed me with pubic symphysis dysfuction.?

Question

This is my 3rd baby and I think I may have had this condition with my 2nd as the birth was 10 times more painful than my 1st. Are there any mums out there who have delivered with this, were any special measures taken e.g., were you faced with a section or forceps. No comedians please - if your 14 and think this is funny - do us all a favour and get a life.
Thanks to all the genuine mums out there - keep up the good work :-)

Note to Janell J - erm I'm not a single parent I'm married and it's not a disease - it's a muskulo skeletal condition brought about by relaxin ( a pregnancy hormone). Take your issues elsewhere - do I look like your therapist??

Answer 1

Hi

I had this from about the 20th week of my 2nd and last pregnancy, and it was uncomfortable at best, and very painful at it's worst. It's caused by high levels of the hormone called relaxin that is produced naturally in the body to allow everything to relax when your baby is growing.

I could hear the bones in my pelvis crunching... I still managed to give birth naturally (and pretty quickly because of the loose ligaments!), although your midwife/consultant might keep a check of how far you can comfortably open your legs to see if you will cope OK in labour. If you can't, that is when they might consider doing a c-section. I was advised not to have an epidural too, in case I couldn't feel my legs going past the "comfort zone" as this could have caused more damage.

I was referred to a physiotherapist that gave me a support belt, and that helped a lot during the day. At night, I had to almost box myself in with a load of pillows to stop myself from turning over in my sleep (as it was agony).

Anything that means that you have to have your legs apart can cause problems, so go upstairs one step at a time. Swing both legs round to get out of a car, don't try to support your weight on one leg to get out (ouch). Walking any distance could make you sore too. If you are having great difficulty walking, you may be given crutches, but these weren't an option for me as my 1st child was very young and I couldn't have managed.

Take care,

xx

Answer 2

I have it, I'm 30+ weeks with my first child so I can't help with the delivering information only that from what I have read a c-section is only given in the extreme of cases and that forceps and stirrups should be avoided, also delivering on your back is supposed to be a no no. I will aim to deliver on my knees as it's supposed to help and the gravity helps bring the head down as this can also be an extra problem when delivering with PSD. I have also been told that an epidural should be avoided, I'm not totally sure why but I'm thinking if the area is numb you could damage it and not know until after the birth, I've heard stories of women not being able to walk after a birth with PSD for some months. I also have sciatica and ligament problems with my hips and pelvis so I can see I'm going to have fun, they think my baby is breech now so a c-section might be a possibility for me but is that going to be any better what with all the horror stories I hear about that as well!!

Make sure you voice all your concerns with your midwife, I saw my GP last week and she didn't seem all that interested and just told me to speak to the midwife. make sure this is written in your notes so the hospital are aware of things. If you decide that maybe a c-section is going to be better for you then speak to your midwife and make sure you get all the support you need.

Until the birth the only thing I have found to help with the pain (I find the most pain on my left side of my pubic bone and is getting worse as I progress with my pregnancy, although I do get some good days where the pain isn't too bad, the sciatica and the ligament problems are mainly on my left side so I'm not a happy person most of the time) is paracetamol and lose clothing around that area and sitting in certain ways, posture is a big thing, no sitting crossed legged! Also when sleeping, sleep with a pillow between your legs, this really does help and (the most painful part) when you want to turn over keep your legs as closed as possible and roll. Also silk bedding is supposed to help (although I haven't tried this).

If you're due before me (I'm due May 11th) please post something to say how the birth went and I will do the same thing.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I had this with 4 of my 5 pregnancies and it isn't funny. It was extremely painful with my last baby whose now 13 weeks. I was given a elastic support belt by my physio which helped a bit but I had a lot of trouble with walking and so ended up having to use crutches for 12 weeks. I still suffer occasionally and am waiting for another physio appt but it has eased dramatically. Also had very quick but normal births.

Answer 4

Hiya, I had this diagnosed with my fourth pregnancy, it was AGONY!
I was checked regularly and 'supposed' to have an appointment with the physio at the local hospital, but she was 'on holiday' and I received an appt when my baby was 4 weeks old!
Warm baths were the only relief (and paracetamol) also try a maternity support belt (Babies r us £8.95)
I was frightened to death at the end of my pregnancy as my husbands cousin gave birth to her fourth baby and had SPD, as the baby was being born there was an audible 'CRACK', her pelvis had broken. She was in a cast for over 6 weeks (I'm really sorry, I don't want to give you the horrors).
But, I didn't have any intervention at all, and my baby girl was born just fine, the SPD with me died away over 2-3 weeks.
Ask the midwives all you can about this as with me, they were a bit uninterested, I was told, "It's your fourth baby, what do you expect?"
Insist on an early physio appointment, try floating in the local swimming baths (if you have a chance).
Get a stretchy belt, they DO help.
Don't open your legs too far to manoeuvre yourself anywhere.
I REALLY feel for you, it's an awful pain.
If I have another baby, I know exactly what to expect!

Wishing you the best!

S. XX

Answer 5

i had this with my first pregnancy last year and had a csection but not due to that but due to preclampsia,i fell pregnant again straight after and at the moment am 40weeks pregnant in fact yesturday was my due date and this pregnancy has been pagued by psd im in agony all the time ive been given crutches an a belt tht to be honest dont work but i have been told that i can try to have a natural birth but due to my previous c section it could be dangerous,however my g.p said psd sufferers have a sucessful chance of natural deliveries with no interventions,so good luck im sure your do well whats meant to be will be.and rest people dont understand the pain we go throughx

Answer 6

You poor thing... I had this about 18 months ago all through my fourth pregnancy. I was hospital for 7 weeks before the my baby was born. I could not walk, I was on morphine to ease the pain, hourly. My pain relieve specialist visited me on her days off as the pain was that severe, she had only ever seen one other person in 15 years as bad as me. I lost water around the baby and she was born 5 week premature normal delivery. I spent almost 7 weeks totally uncomfortable, not been able to eat, as soon at the baby was born my pelvis returned to normal about 4 weeks later.

Unfortunately I now have osteoarthritis in my hip which is why my pelvis may have separated. You could try a hot water bottle this my help and lots of pillows. I was advised by my consultant to have a sterilisation to prevent this happening again. Which I have had done.

Answer 7

My friend had this, but it went undiagnosed in pregnancy meaning that she delievered normally, heard something crunch, was in severe pain and eventually after being told by many doctors that this pain she was in was all in her head she went to London to have her badly damaged pelvis plated. She was told she shouldnt have anymore children and has since been sterilised. I cant offer any advice on how they would want you to deliver because like I said my friends went wrong because it was undiagnosed. Im sure yours will all go well since they know about it. I would suspect that a C-Section may be a better option for you to minimise damage. People dont realise how crippling this can be and I wish you lots of luck...hope all goes well x

Answer 8

Hi there, painfull i know but not drastic.I had SPD with 4 of my babies and i still have managed to delivery 8 kids with no medical intervention at all.I have had twins and except for the fact that it is uncomfy in opregnancy it does soon go....I am now carrying number 9 and i will probably have spd through thisone as well....Good luck

Answer 9

I had it with my 1st pregnancy. Have a word with your dr and ask them to refer you to a physiotherapist. There they should offer you a support belt but you will need to be fitted for it. I know what your going through and i feel for you. Hope all goes well x Just to add i gave birth naturally with no pain relief so don't worry to much about the labour with this

Answer 10

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