United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hiya,

I was just curious for the future so thought id ask here.

For those with a BPI injury who have children how do u manage holding ur baby when its small and co-ordinating holding and feeding (i guess its not so much of an issues if u breastfeed)? Also bathing ur baby...im just imagining these things to b so difficult and starting to get a bit anxious that i wont b able to do them on my own I know that babies are really slippery coming out of the bath and i just dont know how id manage to hold my baby in the bath while i was washin it and then lift it out of the bath all wet? My technique for new things so far has been trial and error! lol try it one way and if doesnt work try it another way and usually somethin works but doin that with a baby is a bit risky incase i drop it etc. This seems quite ridiculous me askin thing when i'm not actually plannin a baby but im startin to worry a bit. Some of my friends have babies and im too scared to hold them incase they wriggle and i cant keep hold of them. I have a sister who is 12 years younger than me and i think i managed ok with her but i really just sat on a chair when i held her when she was wee until she was able to support herself more then i was more confident in standing with her.

Also when they are at the toddler stage! my goodness and they become heavy and run away in supermarkets and u see mums running after them and swooping them up ... i couldnt do that! So how do u manage? What kidn of help do u get or do u just muddle through and find your own way?

oh and one last thing...getting babies into car chairs!! thats one thing i can really remember being asked to do when my sister was wee and i coudlnt manage u couldnt hold her and extend my arm forward to get her into the seat thats a major thing so what do u do?

I know this is a bit hypothetical for me but i just would like to konw thats its possible and how u manage?

Michelle
ROBPI

I had my own worries when I was pregnant with my first. And beleive it or not like you said with everthing else being trial and error, it works that way too with babies. I have 3 living children right now...4 year old b/g twins (as of the 14th) and a 10 month old baby (who almost out weighs my 4 year old son). I'll admit it was a bit hard at first but I learned to manage. Breastfeeding was one of our first problems. I just learned I had to sit where I could prop a bunch of pillows up under my bpi arm. Bathing was a bit interesting too. I used the kitchen sink for a good long while. And yes, they are slippery. I couldn't tell you the number of times I almost dropped one of the kids but I did manage to work out a system.

Really, when all is said and done, you just do it. I was not going to let my arm get in the way of something I wanted very badly, which in this case was being a mom. There really are ways to do everything.

Believe it or not there are ways to manage. It is frustrating a lot of times but you can do it.

While bathing (my daughter is 12 now) I used a foam sponge thing in the tub. I would lay her on it and it would help her from not slipping away from me.

I recommend getting two car seats if you have two vehicles. It was really a pain trying to put the car seat in tight enough that it wouldn't tip over when you turned corners. We have car seat checks here at our local fire department and they would put it in for you to make sure it was safe enough for your child. It was amazing how much tighter they got the car seat for me when I had them do it.

When I fed her I would always use a pillow or use the end of the couch to help me hold her up. My arm got really tired and sore when I would hold her. I hold babies now and I always give them back right away because it hurts to hold them. I always feel bad but when you have your own you can use tools to help prop them up.

Just remember to love love love your child and you will make it through anything.

Rachel

Michelle,
this has been a huge worry for me too but I have learned to relax a bit and enjoy what comes up. I am lucky enough to have a 2 and a half year old nephew and have been able to care for him since he was born. I never got to do his early baths as he hated them and the faster the better...now though he loves the water and we play in the tub. He is still slippery but we manage.

The car seat stuff is definitely trial and error...I manage to get my nephew in and out but its not easy but you will figure out your own tricks. You could practice with a bag of flour or a toy doll if you wanted to try and prepare yourself.

Although I can offer advice today, in about two years I am sure I will be right back here asking my fare share of how too's thats when my family planning begins.

Good luck figuring things out when you get around to planning a family and playing with your friends kiddos. You can do anything you put your mind to!
Hugs,
Amy ROBPI from MN 22 years old

I am so happy to see this post. I'm 6 weeks pregnant (due in Jan)and my LOBPI hit me like a ton of bricks! I kept thinking how am I going to do all of these this with one functioning arm? These types of discussions are not on the bump or other pregnancy web sites. I'm sure I'll be back with MANY questions. At least I don't feel alone.

Elissa Bird

Hello Elissa and Congrats. Like everyone else has said it is definitely trial and error. Bathing was my biggest challenge. Our sink is small and reaching up over a counter top and baby tub was difficult to me, so I ended up bathing in the tub with him for a long while. It was the best way for me to keep a grip on him.
There are always challenges...I'm still dealing with new ones. But with each challenge I find a way, just as you will. And if you don't come up with the answer on your own. Everyone here was a HUGE support to me.
It really does take a village to raise a child.

-Traci