Pain in the downstairs areas

[mis_tree]

I cant find anything that relates quite to what im experiencing so here goes with the embarrassment

Ive only had one AF since the birth of DS and it lasted a week but was relatively light compared to before pregnant periods. (im exclusively BF)

But since that period whenever i cross my legs or move the wrong way I get a really sharp stabbing pain and at the front of my woo hoo it has a sharp (its hard to explain) crunching? pain also.

And today it feels like im getting AF again, but my back is aching like mad and its an effort just to move. Any ideas?

I asked my MCHN but she has to get back to me and the weekend is coming...

thanks in advance.

[mis_tree]

anyone?

I went to my doctor and he basically fobbed me off like normal and said it must be a nerve from the c/s. Thats some nerve especially as my scar is so very far up and my pain further down an it wasnt always there.

Time for a new doctor i think...

[hoobley]

It sounds like symphsis pubis pain. The join in the front of your pelvis..? Everything slackens off during pregnancy so the symphsis joint can open as bubs passes through. This is due to a hormone called Relaxin. The body makes Relaxin in high levels during pregnancy, but it ALSO makes it during AF, which is why one's cervix etc. is lower at that time of the month - the uterine ligaments relax and it drops lower. After birth the tissues are all still pretty soft anyway, so the addition of AF relaxin can make everthing relax even more (stress incontinence is often worse during AF than at other times).

It tends to get less as the months go on - i was pretty shonky for the first 3 or 4 AF's after birth, but a few years on i'm almost back to normal (still a bit shonky if i run long distances during AF, feel like my pelvis is a broken coat-hanger!).

To avoid the pain don't cross your legs at the knee, but try to keep the knees together as much as possible. It should resolve completely in a few months.

Bx

[mis_tree]

Thank you! thank you! thank you!

I thought I must've been a freak the way no one answered lol.

I vaguely remember talking about relaxin in birthing classes.

[cookiemonster]

I had something similar - felt likt the pubic bone was almost cracking everytime i moved. And if I extended a leg too far in one direction I would squeal out in pain - sometimes almost buckling over like you would if you twisted your ankle?

I asked my GP and he had a feel and bascially said the same as Hoobley - should take roughly six months to get back to normal, but obviously varies with each woman, contact a physio for management if it's really bad, otherwise it will eventually settle down.

I think mine's been gone for about a month. Sometimes if I hyperextend it hurts... and I feel like there is no way I could ever do the splits again but it's not a day to day function thing anymore, IYKWIM.

[mis_tree]

That describes it perfectly.

If i move wrong then steps are oh so painful! I rolled over in bed on right and omg! Glad to hear its a temporary thing.