SPD During Pregnancy – Our 5 Tips!
Throughout your pregnancy or after birth, you may have experienced SPD aka Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction – A common disorder of the pelvis caused by the body’s inability to adapt to the stretching and loosening of ligaments caused by a hormone which is ultimately designed to support your baby’s gentle growth.
However, some women face difficulty when the joints in the pelvis move unevenly or there has been a change in the way the pelvic joint functions during pregnancy, triggering which experts believe more than 25% of women suffer with, though many remain undiagnosed, SPD. You are more likely to develop Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction if you have had a previous injury to the area, a high BMI or hypermobility of your joints in general. Keeping an eye out for any pain or discomfort around the pelvic floor, inner thigh or lower back can help you spot the early signs for Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction.
Beyond the obvious discomfort of pain and swelling, SPD causes instability of the pelvis which can have lasting effects.
But is SPD something you have to live with during pregnancy and beyond?
Absolutely not!
Once you have been diagnosed by a Perinatal Osteopathic Specialist, there are an array of treatments to help to recover such as Acupuncture – which may relieve pain, Physical or Physiotherapy which strengthens the relationship between your muscles and even Pre/Post Natal Pilates – which works by strengthening your pelvic floor along with your spine, core and tummy muscles.
How do you manage it at home? Our 5 tips!
- Be as active as you can to maintain strength in your muscles, however never push through your limitations or past the point of exhaustion.
- Ask for help! Mothers in Ireland are known to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders but learning to say ‘Yes’ to those that offer to help and ‘No’ to those expecting too much from you will help you to lighten the load. You are carrying a little human after all, no need to carry in the shopping from the car too! Even better, shop online.
- When climbing the stairs, take one step at a time. Step with your best leg first and then bring your other leg to meet it.
- Avoid any unbalanced stances or even resting positions such as leaning on one leg for too long or crossing your legs when sitting. Keeping your posture balanced is key to distribute the weight evenly along your pelvis.
- Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees and bent legs. This lightens the load of your pelvis and also supports your baby as they grow.
SPD is just one structural issue faced by pregnant women. In Module 1 of our Advanced Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training course, you will understand the implications for pregnancy and birth as taught by our Perinatal Osteopathic Specialist Jonathan Wills, who will be teaching how to assist and support the recovery process of 1 in 5 women that face issues such as SPD, Acute Lordosis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tilted Pelvis and many more on a daily basis.
Joined by Orla Crosse, a Chartered Physiotherapist who will be unveiling the mysteries of the pelvic floor, sharing the prevalence and consequences of other conditions such as Obstetric Pelvic Girdle Pain, Diastasis Recti and Urinary Incontinence while also advising how to equip yourself with specialty exercises and yoga when working with high risk and C-section mothers safely but also understanding when further intervention is needed.
To learn more, visit our Advanced Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training Page or contact Moya at training@the-elbowroom.com.