Emily is a member of our Facebook support group for women and birthing people with experience of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP).
With Emily’s permission, we have shared her story here:
“Just wanted to share a positive story.
I am now a year postpartum and when I was in the thick of PGP immediately after birth, I really felt so panicked every day that my life as I knew it was over and I didn’t think I would ever get over it. (Made much more scary by health professionals having no clue what was wrong with me and offering no help!)
It is possible to recover from this so I just wanted to share a positive story for anyone feeling alone and frightened.
Eventually I found an osteopath who was so reassuring and after 3 sessions and good advice about exercises and stretching I could do at home, the worst of my PGP was gone. Because I had gone months with no help and trying to push through the pain, I caused such tightness in the muscles around my pelvis and legs and this hasn’t gone away entirely but I am being treated for this by NHS pelvic physio who is great and is doing deep tissue releases including internally. I do get bad days but they don’t stop me from living my life as I know with stretching and strength building it is getting better and better and my bad days would have been considered great days a year ago.
I wanted to share for any newcomers who feel the same as I did a year ago and kept seeing terribly sad and scary stories. I feel desperately sorry for those who have had to deal with this for years as it is so horrible and not understood at all. But it is possible to recover from this so I just wanted to share a positive story for anyone feeling alone and frightened.
Biggest piece of advice is to read the Pelvic Partnership website thoroughly and be persistent in getting help.
Biggest piece of advice is to read the Pelvic Partnership website thoroughly and be persistent in getting help. I saw 5 NHS health professionals and 2 private physios before landing on the osteopath who helped. I got rejected from the pelvic health physio with the NHS initially but I didn’t give up and now they are treating me.
PGP is now a very small part of my life. No more than my husband’s knee pain that flares up now and again when running. Just one of those little quirks we all have and it doesn’t scare me any more.
Best wishes for everyone going through it “
Thank you so much Emily for sharing your story. We are so grateful.
To join our Facebook support group and connect with this amazing community, please follow the link below:
“