pelvic instability - how do you manage with a toddler???

[Traveller]

First of all You have my fullest sympathy. Pelvic instability is awful and so debilitating.

I saw a chiro who helped me a lot but I was still in a lot of pain. Some things that might help you are:

crutches for use around the house. They gave me so much relief.

always have your son in a pram or trolley whenever you are out. It will help hold you up. Don't try to pick him up unless you have to and always brace yourself by bending your knees. If you cannot get him in and out of the cot, then consider co-sleeping for a while.

Keep your knees together whenever possible. This is harder in bed at night so keep a pillow between your knees and tie it there with an old pair of tights if need be.

Try to avoid walking uphill or upstairs. Do whatever you can to avoid this as it will just make you sore.

Leave the dishwasher - concentrate on yourself and the housework can wait. Get friends to help when they come round and accept offers of help. Hire a cleaner one hour a week if needs be.

Vent whenever you need to, either on here or to a friend. It might not take the pain away but it may help you feel more emotionally able to cope.

I hope some of that is helpful to you

T
xx

[Arimeh]

Google pelvic instability and see the organisation site - they have heaps of great tips there. One thing - definitely don't push a trolley full of groceries, thats one of the worst things you can ever do with SPD.

It really and truly sucks - I had it from the moment I got my BFP with DD2 - and I had 2 toddlers to run after - so I definitely feel your pain.

[Traveller]

Google pelvic instability and see the organisation site - they have heaps of great tips there. One thing - definitely don't push a trolley full of groceries, thats one of the worst things you can ever do with SPD.

oh yes, sorry. I meant use a trolley to push your son instead of carrying him, but for sure get someone else to push the groceries. Or shop online.

[belfie]

Clover - I got confused by my osteo saying heatpack and my physio saying ice! I'll try ice and see what helps most I guess. Thanks

Traveller - tbh I think my mind is still bugging out at the thought of crutches but I guess it makes sense if it keeps me more mobile. I might just sit here in denial-land for another day or few tho... . Thanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking I might move DS to a big bed... honestly tall DH, preggie me + body pillow and DS actually would not FIT in our bed. I've got cleaners coming fortnightly atm, I won't put DS in a trolley cos that just sets me off, but the stroller is still ok. I know you're right about leaving stuff, just the house is a bombsite and part of me is petrified this is gonna be status quo for the rest of my PG. I'm watching DH run around like a crazy chook (and I know the feeling - he had a bad back for 8 months last year) and just ... just wondering how we manage this. I guess we just pay for people to do the stuff we can't do, for as long as we can afford it. As for offers of help... well there are none. IL's are away atm, BIL and SIL are totally clueless and my family are all interstate. Everyone else I know just seems to be busy and caught up with their own lives.

Arimeh's Eden - have already looked at the site thanks. As for managing with 2 toddlers, how on earth did you do it? Did your DH do everything? Did you just do it through the pain? Honestly there are some things that just HAVE to be done! I've already got DH doing any washing up, I'm not vaccumming, I avoid picking things up off the floor, i'm minimising lifting DS, i'm using a body pillow, knees together etc etc.

I don't know, I just feel blue i guess. Thanks for all the hugs, it helps. I want to be so happy about my PG and my beautiful little girl wriggling away in there - but I've just been sick almost the entire time (bar 2 weeks), I've just finished work yesterday (early) cos I'd been off sick so much, I'm finally feeling better - now this! Plus if I get GD it further impacts our crazy diets anyway (we have a big range of dietary restrictions)... I guess I'm just having an attack of the poor me's and i always feel like I shouldn't, that I should be so grateful for what i've got.

My motto is normally the good old "change what you can, accept what you can't change" but sometimes I guess it just deserts me. And i know that whether I cry for an hour, day, week or a month it won't change the situation... all I can do is take control of what i can. Thanks so much for listening.

*mentally pulls up on socks, girds loins (how very appropriate!), squares chin and attempts to think positive*.

Ok, DH is getting me an ice-pack, a hot drink. I'm gonna try sleeping in our spare bed (soon to be DS's bed) as the mattress is firmer. And tomorrow I'll see obs and osteo and see if they have any helpful suggestions.

Thanks again

[Arimeh]

Arimeh's Eden - have already looked at the site thanks. As for managing with 2 toddlers, how on earth did you do it? Did your DH do everything? Did you just do it through the pain? Honestly there are some things that just HAVE to be done! I've already got DH doing any washing up, I'm not vaccumming, I avoid picking things up off the floor, i'm minimising lifting DS, i'm using a body pillow, knees together etc etc.

Um, no I did everything still? Guess if its gotta be done you just do it I suppose. I know that when the pain got too bad of a night time I would pop a couple of panadol before I went to bed and that helped me sleep for a few hours relatively pain free. With picking stuff off the floor, I sometimes made it into a game and the kids helped me? But usually I would just sit on my fat bum on the floor and throw things into tubs that I had around the lounge room. LOL

I did have physio from 7 weeks to 28 weeks, and then had an osteo appointment at around 39 weeks. I'm currently having weekly chiro appointments because my pelvis was still bad after having Eden, its only just come good now (and now my back is stuffed )

You will get heaps of sympathy from me, and if you lived in the same area, I would soooo be on your doorstep demanding you let me help you!!!