Parenting with arthritis

[Songbird10]

Hi ☺️

I guess this isn’t really a thread that can have a definitive answer or resolution but I’m just wondering if anyone else is struggling in a similar way.

I have osteoarthritis in my ankle. I’m struggling so much with the constant, relentless pain and parenting an awesome but challenging 11 month old is pushing me to the limit. I think the constant pain sets my tolerance bar a lot lower and it’s so upsetting that I can’t do what I would like - going for walks, making multiple plans even just moving around the house daily is a struggle. I’m 34 and it’s hard seeing other mums doing so many things with their little ones, and my little one is glorious but very clingy so just carrying their weight around all day around the house brings me so much pain.

Does anyone else struggle with this and are there any thoughts/processes that can make it feel more bearable? I feel so conscious that other people have it harder and there are such a wide range of mobility struggles that people may be experiencing, but it just feels very intense at the moment.

If anyone made it to the end of my ramble thanks for getting this far!

xx

I have arthritis/ disc issues in my spine and yes I am less tolerant due to pain. What steps are you taking to improve the pain? I go to gym/ swim weekly to build strength/ muscle. Heat/cold help as does alternating sitting/ standing/ walking. Have you had physio? I. also use a cream called seq which helps with arthritis. Do you take supplements/ pain meds. ?

I have hypermobility which was made 1000x worse by pregnancy and did not go back to how I used to be. I've been in horrendous pain since 4 months pregnant and even worse since birth. Made worse by sleep deprivation that comes with a baby.

My DS is 2 and for the past 6 months I've been doing physio and more exercise, hoping to feel better slowly although not feeling better yet. But it really took until 18 months to start getting some time and energy to do this.

It's definitely affected my experience of motherhood since I'm in pain 24/7. Seeing other mums push the pram.around while a 20 minute walk leaves me in agony for days is awful. And yes, the walking stage is even worse than the baby carrying stage. Everyone telling me to "sleep when baby sleeps" when I know how much pain I'm in and how difficult it is for me to sleep because of it anyway...well, just smile and nod.

I'd recommend making time for physio or whatever you can do to help the pain long term now. You will be running around after him for another couple of years so it's important to care for yourself too. Sending hugs.

I used a mobility scooter for the preschool years once my child could walk due to RA and it worked out OK - he had to hold on and walk beside me or be on a harness, but he also got really good at picking himself up and carrying on if he fell over while playing nearby as it would take me a little longer to reach him using a cane! People used to be very supportive at him toddling along beside.

I was diagnosed with arthritis after I slipped a disc When DD was 6 months old. She’s now 17 and in that time I’ve had 2 spinal ops, both hips replaced and a knee replacement next month. Also awaiting treatment for neck pain. In my experience It can make physical parenting a lot more difficult, but honestly you will just get on with it because you have to. Staying mobile despite the pain is really important, but within reason too, you don’t want to make it worse. Swimming is great for this and is something you can do with your child.