Holistic Pregnancy Relief: SPD (Pelvic Girdle Pain)
I reliably get SPD, also known as pelvic girdle pain, in my pregnancies, and boy do I consider myself (un)lucky. While completely harmless to baby, it’s pretty painful for mom because it can feel like your pelvis is grinding against itself and about to drop out of your body, with the pain often being worse while walking or lifting one specific leg; for me its pretty much always my right leg. It’s thought to be due to everything softening and loosening in your pelvis, which makes your pelvis less stable, though having an uneven distribution of weight or pressure is assumed to be a major contributor too. While the only “cure” for SPD is having your baby, and even that isn’t a guaranteed immediate fix, there are certainly things you can do to help bring some relief.
Disclaimer: Please note that as with everything on my site, I am not a medical professional and I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking such, so please take everything I say and do your own research to ensure that you think each product is safe for use before using it, and speak to your healthcare provider first if necessary. These are simply my opinions backed by my experience with each product.
Chiropractor
In my first full term pregnancy I was able to have regular appointments with the chiropractor, which was one of the most helpful things for this agonizing pelvic pain, though I understand that isn’t a viable option for a lot of people, including myself in my current pregnancy. However, when I was fortunate enough to go to a chiropractor, she specialized in prenatal care and was able to really educate me on how to move my body that minimized the amount of pain I was in. The biggest tip? Keep your legs closed. Not like that. Think literally. Oftentimes when we roll over in the middle of the night, or even get in and out of our cars, we have a tendency to do it one leg at a time. The thought behind why keeping your knees together whenever moving your legs goes back to the loosened pelvis, and trying to keep it moving as one unit, rather than a possibly very unbalanced pair.
A Support Belt
Any time I brought this up condition up to my doctors, assuming they knew what I was talking about, (seriously - I’ve had at least 3 OBGYNs have no clue what I was talking about when I mentioned SPD - scary), their suggestion for pain management was typically just an over the counter pain relief or to rest when it gets bad. It always felt pretty dismissive, though finally one doctor told me about an SPD Belt. This is my go to for extra support on a day I know when I am going to be moving around a lot and not able to treat my pelvis as gently as I should. It’s also great to put on at the end of a hard day just for some extra support and relief. It’s particularly great if you pair it with a belly support wrap (see below), so your body can just feel overall extra supported for a couple of hours.
Arnica Oil
Finally, my saving grace - this Arnica Oil. I had heard people talking about arnica as pain relief, and was super curious to try it, though a bit skeptical to try it for the first time within pregnancy. After doing my own research and checking, (which I suggest you do both as well), I decided I wanted to give it a try, and I haven’t looked back since. I do a pump or 2 in my palms and then rub in on my pelvic joints and I feel relief almost instantaneously. Arnica has been used since the 1500’s as a natural pain reliever, and can be used orally or topically, depending on the product you have. The flower itself is considered poisonous, so it’s important to make sure it’s properly diluted before using it. Bioron is a reliable brand for an oral option, and Maple Spring Gardens is my favorite topically, though I haven’t tried any other topical versions because I was immediately hooked on this one.
It’s worth noting that of course rest is always a good option for an achy pregnant body too, and there is absolutely no shame in needing an over the counter pain reliever sometimes too. (Though do look for one without added dyes or ingredients, my favorite is Genexa, though be sure to speak with your healthcare provider before taking to make sure you feel comfortable taking it.) Another good option is the birth ball, but be mindful to not overwork your pelvis while doing hip circles or figure eights, do what your body can handle, now isn’t the time to push your body. It’s doing the best it can to support you and your little growing babe, so make sure your helping to support it back where you can.
