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BlondeMoment
07-06-2014, 09:41 AM
Hi everyone!

Wow it's ages since I've been on the forum. Just realising how much I've missed it.
I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with this or if you can help in anyway:

I'm 27 weeks pregnant and have just been told by my midwife I have SPD or PGP (it has two names apparently).
Link here if you want to see what it is:
Pelvic pain in pregnancy - Pregnancy and baby guide - NHS Choices (http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pelvic-pain-pregnant-spd.aspx)

But to put it basically it is causing me mobility problems and massive problems when lifting the children. As timing would have it, all my pre schoolies are currently 1 and 2 and I have three of them every day. Being so young they all need lifting a lot such as in and out of the car, travel cots, highchair/booster seats, and as you all know a certain amount of wrestling is often required when dealing with tantrums particularly when they want to bang their heads on the stone floor. You catch my drift. And some of them are above averagely heavy.

So I'm going to need to make some changes.
But what do I do? I couldn't possibly start choosing who to let go and who to keep. And to keep the schoolies only would cause problems as there are sets of siblings where one is a schoolie and one is preschool.

Does anyone know when I can start maternity leave? My original plan was to work until the end of August but that can't happen now as things are.
I guess I need to weigh it all up financially and see what will be the best plan.
Hiring an assistant could be an option but surely it'd take ages to get them registered then I've got to look at paying them and it's only be for a few months so I cant see anyone wanting to take it on.

Eeeeak! What would you do?

Lisa xxx

Rickers83
07-06-2014, 10:08 AM
Slightly different situation as I wasn't self employed, but I had spd quite badly with dd3 to the point getting off a chair was a struggle!
I was working as a ta in a sen school. Which required a lot of physical handling & up & down stairs. I held out as long as I could, with my last few weeks only being in downstairs classrooms, & I started maternity leave at 32 weeks. It meant I had to go back to work earlier but I couldn't have carried on, & definitely don't think I could have done this job!

Good luck what ever you decide x

BlondeMoment
07-06-2014, 10:28 AM
Thank you xxx

loocyloo
07-06-2014, 10:42 AM
There is a forum member ... becci something ( i think) who suffered the same ... Maybe if you put spd in your title she will see it.

Good luck x

AliceK
07-06-2014, 11:03 AM
I had SPD quite badly with DD. I couldn't even lift my leg up to step over something on the floor. It really was agony. I had a desk job at the time but even so I had to take early maternity leave. I was referred to a physiotherapist which did help slightly. You need to be aware of how to move, how to get out of bed etc. The good news is that it disappears as soon as the baby is born although even now 7 years later it sometimes comes back for short spells. I have to be very careful not to push things (like furniture) with my legs and I think some of it is caused periodically by hormones and when it comes back I can't even look behind me. Sounds strange doesn't it but twisting at the waist is agony. Even now if I see people doing lunges etc with their legs it makes me cringe, I still don't think I could do things like that.
Get as much support as you can. It unfortunately will only get worse as your pregnancy progresses and I couldn't imagine being physically able to cope with young EY's children :(

Good luck
xxxxx

Allie
07-06-2014, 11:58 AM
When my middle daughter had it she was told not to do anything, no work or even gentle housework she had to use crutches inside and wheel chair out and about. Please take care of yourself, is there any way u could stop working now?

fran90
07-06-2014, 12:01 PM
I had this badly and took early maternity leave at 29 weeks as was in agony and on crutches. You need to look after yourself as bad spd can affect your labour it was all in my notes and early on in labour my midwife made me show her what I could and couldn't do so she didn't aggravate it in labour moving my legs past a certain point . Mine has never properly gone away , I was referred to physio in pregnancy for it which helped a bit and my dr midwife and physio liaised with each other. It's tricky as I understand you need to work and being self employed and the type of job makes it harder. Is there any way of reducing hours? Do you have the high chairs which can go quite low so maybe the older ones could climb in and out with support to minimise your lifting? Definitely ask for physio though as they will not only give exercises but also tell you how you should be moving, sitting etc so as not to aggravate further. Good luck.

Allie
07-06-2014, 12:01 PM
Just to add my daughter was fine afterwards and didn't even get it with her next pregnancy

JKL
07-06-2014, 01:07 PM
I had SPD with my DS and I was working in a very busy a&e. As the others have said it got much worse the further on I got. I couldn't lift my feet to step over things, barely managed stairs and my DH had to lift my feet/legs into bed for me. I began my mat leave at 34 weeks and swam regularly, granted it didn't take the pain away but it did help massively. I wouldn't want to advise you what to do but just do what you feel is right. The health of you and your baby is far more important than a little disruption for bringing your mat leave forward by a few weeks. Good luck and congratulations on the pregnancy! :) x

sing-low
07-06-2014, 01:59 PM
I had this too with my last pregnancy (I am wincing at the thought of it, really not fun). Is there anything you can do to help the toddlers climb up things themselves? A step to climb up into the car and then their car-seats? Same with getting into highchairs. Change nappies on the floor. I found I had to minimise the number of stairs I climbed so had a rucksack to carry as much as possible with me to minimise journeys. We have lots of stairs in our house(!). In the end, I sat on my bottom and shuffled up and down. Not dignified but necessary. Try not to stand on one leg for periods of time, so sit to get dressed etc. I also had a large tubigrip to hold everything in which really helped - got this from the physio at the hospital.

You might find someone to be an assistant for the next few months - maybe a university student on holiday? The timing would be good for that, although it might take too long to get them checked, as you say.

Maza
07-06-2014, 02:08 PM
Gosh, poor you. I had it too and it really is restricting. I couldn't have done this job with all the lifting involved. I have no idea about maternity leave, sorry. In the meantime you could think of ways of minimising the amount of lifting you do. Could you train the little ones to eat 'picnic style' on a mat indoors or outdoors? Do you have a little table and chairs where they could eat for times when that is not appropriate? Could they sleep on a mat on the floor? Could they climb in and out of the buggy/car seats themselves with your supervision? Is your changing station on the floor, so that again you don't have to be lifting them for nappy changes? You really do need to make a plan because you are probably on a 4 week notice contract and you don't know if it will be a lot worse in 4 weeks time (it might not be, sorry, not scaremongering). It is amazing though how it just magically disappears after the baby is born. Could your midwife advise you on your rights?

Any way, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!

BlondeMoment
07-06-2014, 04:31 PM
Hi there,
Thanks all of you for your support.
Lovely suggestions to help but easier said than done seeing as 1 and 2 year olds tend to have a will of their own so getting them to climb into the car with a step, into lowered highchairs etc isn't going to be a reliable way of doing things because this age group has a habit of testing boundaries lol. Especially a select few of these little cherubs.

I've spoken to my mum and she's agreed to come and help me for a few weeks but in the meantime I'll have to give notice and go on leave.
Not what I wanted but can't be helped really. Just hope I can start claiming this early
Lisa x

fran90
07-06-2014, 05:25 PM
Statutory maternity allowance can be claimed from. 29 weeks as that's what I was entitled to and I went on mat leave the 1st day I could because of the pain! I can't remember if you have to fill out a form saying the date or if you just ring and update them.

Kirsty90
07-06-2014, 09:19 PM
It can be claimed from 29 weeks & if I remember rightly you can print a form off online & send it off the day you plan to go on maternity leave. Sorry to hear your having a hard time but definitely think about yourself & your baby first xx

BlondeMoment
14-06-2014, 11:38 AM
Hi everyone
Just an update.
I decided to give two weeks notice and go on maternity leave as soon as possible. So one week to go then I'm 29 weeks.
Really sad that it's come to this because I know a lot of my mindees won't be back when I return to work.
But I can only get help for a few weeks with it being cost effective and I do need to put me first because if the condition gets worse it could effect me after the birth as well and it's not fair that my bubba only gets the dregs of me after I've done myself in with work.
Thank you all for your replies xxx