Little People, Big World introduced us to the Roloff family in 2006. At the time, eldest twins Jeremy and Zach were only 16, but they’re all grown up now.
Both Zach and Jeremy are married fathers of two. Zach welcomed his second child, a daughter named Lilah Ray, last September.
Just last month, Jeremy and his wife Audrey welcomed baby Bode James. Bode joins big sister Ember Jean, 2.
Surprisingly, Bode was born on his due date, January 8, just an hour after Jeremy and Audrey got to the hospital. But pregnancy hasn’t been easy for Audrey this time around.
She’s dealt with constant Braxton-Hicks contractions and Ember came down with a nasty virus that required hospitalization in December, causing great stress for the family late in Audrey’s pregnancy.
What is symphysis pubis dysfunction?
Although Ember’s health issues have resolved in the past few months, things haven’t gotten much easier for Audrey post-pregnancy.
Recently, she revealed that she’s suffering from symphysis pubis dysfunction, the same condition that plagued Audrey’s sister-in-law Tori throughout her pregnancies.
Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) is most commonly a pregnancy-related condition affecting as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women, so Audrey and Tori were at high risk as second-time mothers.
During pregnancy, hormones meant to relax the ligaments and muscles in the pelvis are released in preparation for childbirth.
Sometimes, the joints can move unevenly or painfully during this process, which causes discomfort and sometimes severe pain in the pelvic region and back.
Symphysis pubis dysfunction can occur early on in pregnancy and continue postpartum. Audrey may have been in pain for quite some time.
The most effective and common treatment for SPD is physiotherapy, but pain medication may be used in severe cases. Rarely, TENS therapy, in which pain is treated with targeted electrical currents, may be used to treat SPD.
Audrey revealed that she’s been seeing a chiropractor every two weeks for her condition. Fans have been sympathetic on Audrey’s Instagram, offering lots of support and advice.
Staying Active
Despite these challenges, Audrey has tried to remain active. She’s said she’s “jealous” of Jeremy training for a half-marathon and hopes to get back to running and skiing soon.
Unfortunately for Audrey, SPD can get worse with activity. Heavy lifting, running, and other physical activities can worsen SPD pain.
But on the bright side, SPD usually improves with time, so Audrey can look forward to getting back to her daily life soon.
Little People, Big World will return with a new season on March 31