Separated at Birth

I’m glad you found Separated at Birth.

On Jan. 22, 2012, about two hours before I saw my son’s face for the first time, my pelvis separated. My midwives said I should wear a belt around my hips and it would heal with time. No need for an X-ray, just be patient. I believed them.

I had my first X-ray on July 12, 2012. It was on that day I heard the term “diastasis symphysis pubis” for the first time. My gap, after all those months, was 13 mm. The doctor I saw immediately after that X-ray had no clue what to do with me. But he could tell from watching me walk and from that X-ray that something must be done. He and his practice colleagues discussed my case and referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. Seven days later I was told surgery was my best option because of how much time had passed.

I had surgery to repair the gap at my symphysis pubis on Aug. 24. I was in a wheelchair until Halloween and in physical therapy until just before Christmas. The months in between the birth of my son and my surgery were awful for me. I don’t remember much in detail from that period and I rely heavily on my husband, mother and photographs to understand my son’s earliest months. The posts you’ll find here about those early days are what I do remember, written as honestly and candidly as possible. I trudged through every day, returned to work after six weeks and stayed focused on what I had to do.

In March, 2013 I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD as a result of the trauma associated with my untreated diastasis symphysis pubis.

Today, I’m continuing to build my physical strength and hopeful of returning to my former activity level. My goal is to be able to run another half-marathon. With my husband this time. I’d still like to hike the Grand Canyon. And I’d love to return to being able to forget about my pelvis altogether. But I’m thrilled with how far I have come. I can carry my son in a wrap on a walk through a crowded store. We’ve been camping. We play with trucks, cars, trains and tractors on the carpet, I can drive. And on most days I don’t have to convince myself to get out of bed or put one foot in front of the other.

I decided to start this blog on the day my surgery was scheduled because writing has been my therapy since I was 14. There was something about knowing surgery would happen — that the one doctor who said he knew what to do to help me was going to do it — that made me finally able to write about what had happened. Along the way, as I have improved physically, the purpose has become just as much a desire to help other mothers and families who experience pelvic pain during pregnancy (as most who experience pelvic girdle pain do) or as a result of childbirth.

I am not a doctor and do not provide medical advice. But you will find an honest account of our journey with diastasis symphysis pubis. And I will share any and all resources I have discovered in hopes it will make your journey just a bit easier.

About our family

My husband and I are in our early 30s. We live in the Midwest, work at our local university and are doing our best to raise a happy, healthy son. We’re cat people, sharing our apartment with two of them. All three of us eat plant strong (he cooks). And before my pelvis separated my husband and I were always outdoors, hiking and camping every chance we got. I completed my first half-marathon about the time I got pregnant. We picked out a racing stroller and bought a baby carrier for hiking based on the life we imagined we would have. Luckily, our Little Guy is on the small side for his age so we should get plenty of good use out of all of that gear when I’m back to normal. I am not sharing the names of my husband or son to protect our privacy.

Connect

You are welcome to follow me on Twitter @SeparatedBirth, like this blog on Facebook/SeparatedBirth or email me questions at separatedbirth@gmail.com.