February 2008 Expecting Club

So I'm mostly better now, but I'm wondering if anyone else experienced this horrid pain. About 5 days after giving birth (with some 2nd degree tearing) my leg started hurting. Just the right leg in the groin area and some around the proximal part of my quad. The pain was a stabbing, sharp pain like when you hurt your back and the muscles go into spasm and you'll be fine until you move a certain way and then BAM! you feel the shooting, stabbing pain that just takes your breath away. That's how my leg/ groin felt. I couldn't lift my leg to put on underwear or pants - had to sit down to do that. I also couldn't walk normally - had to walk like I was crippled (because I was!). It was really hard to move around in bed at night and it made everything hard as far as taking care of the new baby. I was taking tylenol around the clock. Now it's mostly better except it hurts a little when I move around in bed and first thing in the morning. But it was really really bad before - so much so that I cried about it more than once (and I don't usually cry about being in pain - I had an unmedicated birth and didn't cry once in those 30 hours of labor!). I'm just curious if anyone else experienced something like this. My mom says my muscles were in spasm due to trying to protect my tears.

Rachel

I had that same pain for 3 weeks before I gave birth.  It went away a few days after birth.  I also had a natural birth, but only 7.5 hrs of labor.  I never found out what that pain was from.  No offense, but your mom's theory sounds a little weird to me...  I think it was just pain from the joints softening and loosening up.  Something must have compressed the nerves the wrong way.

no offense taken! I thought her idea was weird too - it doesn't really make sense to me. You'd think if my muscles were in spasm because of the tearing, that the tearing part would really hurt, which it doesn't and never really did hurt all that bad.

I posted something yesterday because I'm pretty sure i know what this pain is now. It's called symphysis pubis dysfunction - SPD and it usually occurs in pregnancy and resolves in days or weeks after birth unless the birth causes it to worsen. What it is is a separation of the pubic bones from all the hormones to relax the joints. Apparently the whole pelvis can get out of alignment and cause this pain. I read that the pain is worse when lifting one leg like to put on pants, getting in and out of a car, and rolling over in bed. The websites I saw about it described my pain to a tee, so I think this is what I have and likely what you had. They sell support belts for it, but last night I used my husband's back support belt really low around my hips and it seemed to help. Today I'm feeling pretty good - not perfectly normal, but good. I think I'll see a chiropractor about it and maybe he/she can get me back into alignment. I read that this problem is somewhat likely to recur with future pregnancies. The thought of that makes me cringe. But hopefully if I find a chiropractor who can help, I'll just start seeing one immediately when symptoms arise in my next pregnancy. I'm glad you're feeling better. I wouldn't wish that type of pain on ANYONE - not even a worse enemy. Not being able to move without excruciating pain is torture, as you know, I'm sure. Well, take care.

Rachel