I could hardly walk – the issue that affects 1 in 5 mums

When Rebecca Middleton got pregnant, she had no idea that she would be confined to a wheelchair for the last three months before giving birth.

Rebecca had had a difficult first trimester with nausea and vomiting, and began experiencing pelvic pain in the fourth month of her pregnancy.

“I could barely walk, I’ve always had some issues with lower back pain throughout my life. But it wasn’t anything that significant and it escalated pretty quickly,” he says.

After complaining of pain, she was referred to an NHS physiotherapist and was eventually diagnosed with an extreme case of pelvic girdle pain (PGP), also known as symphysis pubic dysfunction.

Problems in your pelvic joints are a common symptom of pregnancy. one fifth expectant mothers to some extent.

“I was so scared, would I ever be able to walk again? How would I give birth to my baby, how would I take care of him?”

Rebecca was in less pain after giving birth, but she still had trouble with basic things like walking, picking up her son, or pushing the stroller.

“I was disabled for seven months and had to have someone to help me at all times,” he says.

“I couldn’t do the things you’re supposed to do when you’re looking after the baby, it was a really tough time.”

Before she got pregnant, this was something Rebecca didn’t know about, and since her experience, she’s started to volunteer about it. Pelvic Partnershipa charity that helps raise awareness and support women with this condition.

He says the condition can be treated with the right action.

As soon as your symptoms begin, the charity recommends that you receive personalized hands-on treatment, including manual therapy, and ask your doctor or midwife for a referral for NHS physiotherapy.

If you are not offered this support initially, the charity recommends going back to your doctor or midwife and asking for a second opinion.

They can also refer you to maternal mental health support to help you manage the emotional effects of living with PGP.

Women’s health expert Dr. Nighat Arif says higher awareness and early assessment could prevent patients like Rebecca from needing a wheelchair or crutches.

“Without this early diagnosis, which is based on a really good understanding of the female body, we face negative effects throughout the lives of some of these women,” she says.

Gynecologist Dr. Christine Ekechi says the lack of research on the condition means it is less likely to be detected and treated appropriately, especially after birth.

“We don’t necessarily see them unless they come back to a gynecology clinic complaining of pain.

“So we don’t have a great understanding of the proportion of women who have pain that starts and continues during pregnancy.”

Pelvic Partnership coordinator Victoria Roberton is an example of how mindfulness can help.

Like Rebecca, she didn’t know what PGP was when she started experiencing the condition during her first pregnancy.

She tried to stay as active as possible as recommended and was referred to NHS physio sessions online and by phone, but found the pain worsened as her pregnancy progressed.

“They gave us exercises and stretches. At this point I couldn’t do any of them. It was too painful,” she says.

Even sitting became uncomfortable for Victoria, and she largely stayed at home until her baby was born.

After the birth of her daughter, her pain decreased, but when she became pregnant with her second child, she started experiencing the same problem.

For many mothers, this isn’t an option, but Victoria said that given her medical history, she decided to pay for private physiotherapy as the NHS wait for a referral was long.

The physio gave him a full assessment and hands-on treatment, including joint mobilisation, and taught him different ways to move his body to avoid aggravating the hip joints, which helped relieve the pain.

Victoria still struggles with some degree of PGP today, four years later, but her second pregnancy was much easier to manage because she understood her condition and how to deal with it.

Rebecca’s second pregnancy was similarly a much more positive experience.

This time she knew she was at risk for PGP and was able to get it treated throughout her pregnancy before it became debilitating.

She was completely free of PGP just two months after birth, compared to two years with her first child.

“I’m probably better off now than I was before any of my children were before because I now know what causes pelvic girdle pain and have completely treated and resolved it with manual therapy,” she says.

“It was five years of hell because of the pain I suffered from the lack of knowledge and understanding on the subject.”