nerve damage in childbirth

[golemmings]

I have pins in needles in the outside of my calf and in my foot - to my big toe following the birth of DS last week. I've been told it probably occurred when they put me in stirrups to stitch me up following a tear.

For the first 12 hours after he was born I really couldn't walk on it - it was completely dead and its got better over the week. I have most of the mobility back in my foot and my toe but still have some pins and needles sensation - like when you're wearing shoes that are a bit too tight or sitting on your foot.

Anybody else had this?

I've been told that the longer it lasts the more chance there is of permanent damage and that if I still have it at our 6 week check to ask for a physio referral.

Anybody got any advice as to what I might do in the next 5 weeks to help it on its way?

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

I can't tell you what to do or not to do, because my experience was a long time ago and I'd hope things have moved on a bit in terms of treatment, but yes, I had similar.

With DS1 (stirrups/episiotomy/forceps delivery, 1987) his head crushed some nerves in my hip (or so I was told, who knows?) and produced symptoms very much as you describe. With no treatment, most of the numbness/pins and needles cleared within six weeks, but there's also a patch on my shoulder which is mostly numb (not that I notice most of the time, it's only skin deep) but every now and then really itches. Even now.

With DS2 (stirrups, episiotomy, narrowly avoided forceps due to a fantastic student midwife) I lost all sensation in my right leg (could still walk, just felt really weird!) for a few weeks, but again all was well by the 6 week mark. No further problems. That time round I had a compulsory short walk to nursery with DS1, leaning on the baby buggy a bit, don't know if that made a difference.

Hope it all goes well with you.

[breatheslowly]

I had this last year after having DD. I didn't have any sensation in my leg from about the knee down. I couldn't find anyone else, even on MN who had experienced this. I couldn't flex my foot up either, so I was limping about and wasn't steady enough to carry DD for a few weeks. I was told that I would have a neurology referral after about 3 months if it didn't get better. After about 6 weeks the sensation was all back but not the full range of movement as I hadn't been using it as normal. I went to a physio (I needed some for my pelvic floor anyway) and she did some very painful massage that released the muscles which had seized up and this got the full range of movement back for me. I would definitely get physio whatever happens.

[pollilop]

I have had pins and needles in the sole of my left foot since the birth of my DD in January this year. I was told in hospital to request a referral (back to the anaesthetists who administered my epidural) at my 6 week appointment if there had been no improvement. I did this and my doctor told me to wait as birth-related problems generally clear up within a year. I have just been back (after 9 months) to insist on a referral as have had no improvement and it's starting to really irritate. No news yet though.
Sorry I don't have any advice as to how to improve it. Believe me I've spent a significant amount of time searching for answers, and found nothing. I hope you see some improvement soon and will report back if I get my referral and any useful advice.