anyone w/neck/hand pain as infant ages?

[tmarie]

I am kind of freaking out and would be grateful if someone could talk me down. I started staying home FT about a month ago, and around the same time started experiencing knots and pain in my neck and shoulders--I'm positive its due to the financial/change of circumstances stress, but it may also be aggravated by all the carrying and lifting of my growing 11mo (17 lbs and very squirmy!). Anyway, I'm now also experiencing terrible pain in my middle finger and wrist when I first wake up in the morning (in the arm/hand that I rely on more heavily to carry dd). Within 30 minutes of waking up and stretching it its okay. I've been wearing a wrist brace at night for about a week and it has greatly reduced the wrist pain--but I still have the middle finger pain. Arggggghhh. I'm already stressed out and am petrified that if I go to the doctor they are going to diagnose me with some debilitating illness. Could this weird finger pain be related to the neck pain? Anyone have similar experiences as dc hit this age/weight? Anyone have success treating it themselves?

tmarie
dd#1 5/05
dd#2 6/08

[Piglet]

I had something very similar happen from carrying a heavy baby around. It is similar to tennis elbow. I always carried DS1 in the same position. Can you try carrying DD in your other arm and see if it gets better? Definitely go to the doctor if it doesn't improve - no matter the diagnosis, it is best to know now! You might need physio or the like.

[tmarie]

I do always carry dd in the same position. She is so much more wiggly than dd#1 I am afraid I will drop her!

[Ceepa]

Would she let you put her in a carrier and wear her?

[newg]

I started getting very sore in my left wrist....right where the wrist breaks and the thumb moves (if that makes sense)....I would wake up and it would be sore and stiff....was getting to the point where I had a hard time opening jars and stuff with that hand......I also started to notice my left shoulder was sore.....figured out it was right where I was carrying my purse and I had been putting a ton more stuff in it for dd.......

I was nursing at the time all this started happening, so I didn't do anything.....but I knew both were inflamed tendons and Ibeprophen was the best solution...taken for a week straight.....but couldn't do that while nursing......
So I took a ton of stuff out of my purse....started hanging it on the stroller more while shopping.....and started carrying dd in the other arm, or using my sling more so all her weight wasn't in my left arm......
Once dd was done nursing I started taking ibeprophen...for about a week or two straight...and now I have no pain at all at either place.....
Also, for some strange reason, I noticed I seemed to be sleeping in the exact same position every night; with my left hand is this weird postion....I think from just being so tired......so I tried putting my arm in different places and that helped the pain and stiffness too......

I would go to your doc and have them check you out....but I would bet they are going to tell you its your tendons that are inflamed.....tendonitis......and if you're not nursing...taking motrin or some form of ibeprophen will do the trick.......if there is any way you can carry dd in a different postion (sling, front carrier) that may help a ton!

Good luck!!

[ciw]

Definitely have a doctor check it out. I had VERY similar symptoms and it turned out I have rheumatoid. (I initially tested negative for the disease but Xrays showed it conclusively and later testing confirmed it). I delayed going to the doctor and really regret that -- the sooner they diagnose it, the better chance you have for successful treatment. I'm sure you probably have something much more benign like the tendonitis the previous poster suggested. But err on the side of caution -- have it looked at.

[tmarie]

Would she let you put her in a carrier and wear her?

That is a great question! :) I have a borrowed baby bjorn but I assumed it would cause even greater strain on my neck/shoulders. But maybe not? Do you have any recs for certain brands of carriers? I am guessing she is too big for a sling....I loved my hotsling when she was really little.

[newg]

dd is 21lbs and 31'' long (per her 15 month checkup yesterday) and I'm actually still using my hotsling....the hip carry is awesome and makes it so much easier for me to "hold" her...I've even started taking it with me when I'm going to run into stores that aren't shopping cart or stroller friendly. Soooo much easier than holding her with my arms and trying to keep the squirmer contained!

[brittone2]

Tendonitis, trigger points, muscle strains, etc. are all pretty common in new moms. I am a PT and had DeQuervain's tendonitis (basically thumb tendonitis) from carrying DS when he was an infant. However, you should talk with your doc and make sure you aren't dealing with something else.

If you can swing it, you might consider physical therapy. A PT can show you some exercises and stretches that may help with your pain and discomfort. They can also do some special tests as part of their evaluation to see if you may be dealing w/ carpal tunnel (sleeping with your wrist awkwardly bent could exacerbate something like carpal tunnel and you might find relief w/ the brace...so that's one thing they would look at and rule in/out). Neck problems could possibly affect your fingers as well. The only way to know what is going on would be to do a thorough evaluation.

If you can find a carrier w/ nice wide straps like an Ergo, you could see if distributing the weight more evenly across both shoulders helps. A PT could give you stretches and activities to do that would help with any neck/shoulder strain if you are indeed dealing w/ something like that.

[Ceepa]

That is a great question! :) I have a borrowed baby bjorn but I assumed it would cause even greater strain on my neck/shoulders. But maybe not? Do you have any recs for certain brands of carriers? I am guessing she is too big for a sling....I loved my hotsling when she was really little.

Check out the carriers forum here. http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=59
Or if you can stand the information overload, go to www.thebabywearer.com. :thumbsup:

Check out soft-structured carriers. Lots of mamas love the Ergo and Beco, but there are others out there. Would DD let you do a back carry? If so, a mei tai style may work for you.

[schrocat]

I have a 22 lb 7 month old and it's been getting harder to carry him. Using the Ergo helps greatly. Also supporting his weight with both hands while carrying also helped.