Hi Moms,
Did you experience more shoulder pain, back pain, etc. when your child reached the toddler age (if you were still picking them up/carrying them)? My son is 2 1/2 and I find myself sore and aching from carrying him or lifting him (sometimes, possibly improperly). I was recently on a weekend out with my best friend and I should have brought the stroller for walking around town (lesson learned...I didn't because most stores said *no strollers*), but I ended up carrying him *most* of the time (time being over 3-4 hours...I just didn't consciously think about the consequences when I did it)...I carried him on my left side (the classic M. carrying tot on the hip)...now 3 weeks later, my ribs or cartilage by the left rib area seems swollen and sore. My shoulders often hurt in general before this happened and yeah, my back too. I injured my back in college and occasionally when I lift my son I aggravate that previous injury. Did any of you do exercises to strengthen the muscles used in lifting a toddler? Did you just stop lifting them? Or...am I the only one experiencing this? Thank you for the tips! Right now, I'm just trying to "baby" the area and not pick my son up.
He should be walking - toddlers get heavy and it will only get worse. Plus they NEED exercise. I stopped using the stroller when DS was about 18 months and got rid of it completely when he was 2 (we would take it to the airport).
OH YEAH! My chiropractor refers to your condition (and one I have too), as "mommy back".
Find a good chiro and STOP carrying him around! That hunched over position that your body takes when you do that is terrible for your entire body, and same when it's just on the one side. (My left leg is always 2 inches shorter when I go in for an adjustment, it's causes the muscles to cramp up THAT much.) It affects everything from your neck all the way down to your ankles.
If you have to carry him, carry him in front of you. But really, unless it's a boo-boo you're soothing, he should be walking.
Go to a chiro, get adjusted and let him/her tell you how to properly stretch the area. You'll be amazed how much it all goes together, and what affects what.
I get adjusted every 2 weeks, and I'm a new woman after every one!
I've never seen a store that said 'no strollers.'
Gosh!
You need to see a Doctor.
Or it will get worse or not heal well at all.
Your son is old enough, to not be carried all the time. And he can get himself picked up.
You also should probably tell your son you are hurt or have an owee and cannot carry him now.
I only would get wrist/shoulder pains when my kids were babies... because I was always lifting them out of the crib and/or carrying them.
Once they are a toddler, you don't have to do that. As much.
Once my kids were toddlers, they wanted to walk/run and didn't want to be carried as much. They get more active.
If you can, start working out to strengthen your core muscles, arms and back. Made a world of difference for me.
lift with the legs! That will stop things hurting a ton. When my son was a newborn (a heavy baby) I kept throwing out my back because I was lifting improperly. Lesson learned!
