Around the second trimester of both of my pregnancies, I started to notice a sensation that felt like my pelvis was coming apart, literally right down the center of my pubic bone.

I felt it when I’d get out of bed in the morning.

When trying to put on pants.

When I’d move too deep into squat like poses or positions (Malasana/Yogi Squat, Warrior 2, Goddess, etc.).

When my pelvis was tilted - i.e. crossing legs, pigeon pose, standing for too long, etc.

Burning, bruising, overstretched, sore. If you’re feeling this, too, your pelvis isn’t likely actually splitting apart, although it is loosening around the pelvic bone.

So, what is it?

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) occurs partially due to the hormone relaxin. Relaxin loosens the ligaments and joints in and around the pelvis in preparation for childbirth. The hormone also relaxes the intrauterine muscles to allow space for baby to grow throughout pregnancy. Relaxin is an amazing hormone; however, sometimes our bodies produce a lot of it…or we might already be hyper-mobile or have issues with our pelvic joints.

There is a piece of cartilage that runs down the front of the pelvis connecting the gap between the two innominate bones (aka the two sides of the pelvis) to form the pubic bone. Naturally, during pregnancy, that gap in between the innominate bones increases a little due to relaxin, but when there’s more relaxin pumping through our bodies the gap can widen. And, that can cause pain. Because it's often hard to describe (and honestly there isn't a ton of research on the subject), it can be diagnosed as round ligament pain or lightning crotch, but it’s not - SPD is different!

What to do when you are experiencing SPD?

Keep your legs together as much as possible when getting out of bed or out of car
Sit down when putting on clothing like pants, shorts, & skirts
Sleep with a pillow or wedge in between your legs to balance your pelvis
Practice Prenatal Yoga in a very specific way - less deep squatting and stretching around the hips; more strengthening the outer hips, low back, glutes, etc. A good prenatal teacher will know how to help.
Practice postures and breathing techniques that support the pelvic floor and low back, which can alleviate discomfort
Avoid all deep squatting or deep hip openers, and be especially careful when lifting heavier weights
Consider seeing a chiropractor or acupuncturist who specializes in work with prenatal clients to find relief
Wear a pelvic support belt (different than a belly support) that squeezes the hips together gently

SPD eventually goes away once baby is earthside. Yet, it’s not always immediate and could take 6 months or more. Remember that relaxin is also still circulating throughout your entire body during pregnancy AND postpartum (it’s not localized to the pelvis), so take extra care to not overstretch or overwork your joints.

For more support, enroll is the Embodied Birth + Beyond Mentorship. Read about it here.

Featured