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Original poster

Co-sleeping: tips on avoiding achey back?

6 replies

AngelDog · 02/12/2010 22:37

Co-sleeping with my 11 m.o. is working well - until recently he was on his own mattress next to me but now we're 'properly' co-sleeping.

I do get achey, though. The discomfort is actually in my wrists, but I think it's caused by my back as I have an ongoing problem with poor posture / back tightness that presents itself as wrist pain. They always hurt when I wake up, which I think is due to stiffness from what my physio tells me.

Any suggestions how to avoid it? I sleep in the 'classic' co-sleeping position.

OP posts:
cairnterrier · 03/12/2010 08:33

Hi Angeldog

Think that our LOs are exactly the same age. I also suffer from an achey back if we've been co-sleeping. I have found that swapping sides can help - either halfway through the night or alternate nights can help a bit. No other magic cures I'm afraid. Will watch hoping for other people's tips though.

enimod · 03/12/2010 12:42

snap! i also have this problem-it shows in the wrists too!

muslimah28 · 03/12/2010 16:02

i cant say i have a solution that will solve this as i get bad back too (and achey wrists in the day that i didnt know why i was getting-is yrs in the day too?) but things which help me are:
once ds has fed, try ro lie back again
put a cushion behind my back if im having to stay on my side bc ds just wont let go of boobie!!
Swapping sides-which i have to do for each feed anyway but i guess it helps my posture overall
try to get the last hour or two of the night/morning before waking asleep on my own with ds back in hammock

muslimah28 · 03/12/2010 19:51

i cant say i have a solution that will solve this as i get bad back too (and achey wrists in the day that i didnt know why i was getting-is yrs in the day too?) but things which help me are:
once ds has fed, try ro lie back again
put a cushion behind my back if im having to stay on my side bc ds just wont let go of boobie!!
Swapping sides-which i have to do for each feed anyway but i guess it helps my posture overall
try to get the last hour or two of the night/morning before waking asleep on my own with ds back in hammock

enimod · 03/12/2010 20:22

My wrists only hurt early morning and on waking. Wonder why our wisht hurt ?

Original poster
AngelDog · 03/12/2010 22:14

I get wrist pain throughout the day, but it's worst in the morning unless if I've been lifting DS a lot.

Mine's a mixture of problems, I think: I have hypermobility (joints move too much) which makes it worse. Part of the problem is stiffness in the upper part of my back and poor posture (shoulders slumped forward). And part of the problem is still unaccounted for (or at least the physios can't fix it - which might not be the same thing).

There is also De Quervain's tenosynovitis which I think I may have a bit of too - pain in the tendon at the base of the thumb due to lots of lifting (babies).

Apparently all of these sorts of problems are worse during pg, after birth and when bf because of the hormones like relaxin sloshing round your body.

I do find swapping sides at night helps, as well as avoiding DS going to sleep with his head on my arm. My physio recommended keeping joints warm to help reduce stiffness, so I wear wrist warmers (socks with the toes cut out. Grin)

muslimah, you reminded me that a pillow does help, so I'm going to get an extra one ready for tonight.

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