Back problems :(

Thanks so much everyone! I feel like such an invalid!! I like the step up change table idea from Playfelt. I use a change table as I found a long time ago that changing on the floor was too hard on the back and knees etc. But, it nearly kills be to lift the bigger kids up there and on of my daycare parents actually joked about steps up to the change table this morning (she's a doctor and understands). I will have to see what I can come up with. Miraculously, one of my 16 month olds who I have been training for 4 months now to crawl up and down the stairs, without much success, today actually did it on his own :) Yay! Unfortunately, his same age buddy who was doing well, decided it would be funny to resist today...so you win some you lose some..LOL. I have two more physio appoinments this week, so I am hoping it helps. I will think about some of the other suggestions here too. Thanks again everyone!

Canadian tire for sure cause that is where we got it but walmart, home depot, home hardware etc have small step ladders as in 3 steps and they fold as in designed to reach the top shelf of the cupboards or change a lightbulb instead of standing on a chair. That should work just fine to get the kids to change table height.

Oh no! i feel awful just reading your post.

I had this situation about 1.5 years ago. Terrible back pain and the only thing that helped was taking the Liquid Extra Strength Advil. They took the pain away so I could work and do the daycare....otherwise I never would have managed.

Unfortunately my back pain lasted a few months off and on....then went away and I noticed numb toes, then numb calfs and soon I was losing my balance and stumbling and unable to run.

After several doctor appts, Physio etc...and then eventually ER visits, Xrays and MRIs....it turned out I had a severe pinched nerve in my back that was slowly paralyzing me. I came thisclose to being incontinent and being unable to walk ever again.

I had to go for emergency surgery on my back and shut down the daycare for 3 months.

So...I feel bad reading these posts about all the back pain. It brings back a lot of memories. Please take care of yourself first before it gets worse.

I agree that the chiropractor is a great place to start. Some will do free assessments for you. I used to be scared of them too but when I went for my assessment they knew something was seriously wrong before my family doctor did and said that they could not treat me because something seemed to be seriously wrong with my back.

I also recommend a good mattress and pillow that are supportive and then make sure you bend knees and avoid lifting as much as you can. It is amazing how much bending, lifting this job takes and the kids can be quite heavy.

Good luck. I hope you get some relief soon

Thanks Playfelt, I think I will head out to get one tonight...should have done so yesterday after physio, but was so tired I wasn't thinking straight! It has been a tiny tiny bit better yesterday and today, so I am hoping it is starting to heal.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Canadian tire for sure cause that is where we got it but walmart, home depot, home hardware etc have small step ladders as in 3 steps and they fold as in designed to reach the top shelf of the cupboards or change a lightbulb instead of standing on a chair. That should work just fine to get the kids to change table height.

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Oh Spixie, how awful! And lucky that they caught it in time!!! You are scaring me...but I am pretty sure the physio's assessment is correct as it makes total sense in terms of what I am feeling. If it does not start to work though in the next couple of weeks, I will consider a chiropractor. My doctor did not refer me to one...so in order to get it covered by insurance, I would need to go back to my doctor and request it...and he was not keen on it! We'll see. It is true, I never noticed how often I have to bend or lift until now when I can't do it! Thanks for all the support!

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Originally Posted by Spixie33

Oh no! i feel awful just reading your post.

I had this situation about 1.5 years ago. Terrible back pain and the only thing that helped was taking the Liquid Extra Strength Advil. They took the pain away so I could work and do the daycare....otherwise I never would have managed.

Unfortunately my back pain lasted a few months off and on....then went away and I noticed numb toes, then numb calfs and soon I was losing my balance and stumbling and unable to run.

After several doctor appts, Physio etc...and then eventually ER visits, Xrays and MRIs....it turned out I had a severe pinched nerve in my back that was slowly paralyzing me. I came thisclose to being incontinent and being unable to walk ever again.

I had to go for emergency surgery on my back and shut down the daycare for 3 months.

So...I feel bad reading these posts about all the back pain. It brings back a lot of memories. Please take care of yourself first before it gets worse.

I agree that the chiropractor is a great place to start. Some will do free assessments for you. I used to be scared of them too but when I went for my assessment they knew something was seriously wrong before my family doctor did and said that they could not treat me because something seemed to be seriously wrong with my back.

I also recommend a good mattress and pillow that are supportive and then make sure you bend knees and avoid lifting as much as you can. It is amazing how much bending, lifting this job takes and the kids can be quite heavy.

Good luck. I hope you get some relief soon

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The Chiro was magic for me, plus she told me to put cold for 10 minutes now and then when the pain is very strong.. like needles. When the pain feels more like soreness, you can put heat. But when you see the Chiro, they'll tell you whats best.

I did also deep tissue massages but that was a mistake as it made the pain worst. Better to do just swedish massage to relax the muscles.

Hope you feel better, I know that pain, been there in november for 3 months even...

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Originally Posted by sunnydays

Oh Spixie, how awful! And lucky that they caught it in time!!! You are scaring me...but I am pretty sure the physio's assessment is correct as it makes total sense in terms of what I am feeling. If it does not start to work though in the next couple of weeks, I will consider a chiropractor. My doctor did not refer me to one...so in order to get it covered by insurance, I would need to go back to my doctor and request it...and he was not keen on it! We'll see. It is true, I never noticed how often I have to bend or lift until now when I can't do it! Thanks for all the support!

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It was awful.

The interesting thing is that I went to my family doctor twice and she had no idea that it could be something like that.

Doctors will typically send you to get pain meds and physio because they consider the chiropractor 'new age' or alternative a lot of times. My doctor was happy to write prescriptions...send me for blood tests and xrays and physio but rolled her eyes at the thought of a chiropractor.

meanwhile when I decided to listen to my own gut and see the chiropractor- she knew there was something more serious going on before my doctor even did. She told me I should see a specialist.

I was always scared of chiros because you hear a lot of horror stories but the whole thing changed my mind.

Just take care of your back - even if the pain goes away. You don't want to be going in for ruptured disk areas or hernias or anything. The pain is definitely a warning so listen to your body.

Between all the bending, carrying, putting kids in strollers, out of strollers, changing diapers, lifting them into booster seats/high chairs, pulling wagons or pushing heavy strollers....our backs go through a LOT !!

My surgeon said my back injury was something they would normally see from someone who had a very physically demanding job in the trades -- not playing with kids all day :S

Glad you are feeling a bit of relief :D

The physiotherapist told me the same thing...heat for soreness and ice for sharp pains. It is definitely getting better today, so I am going to keep on with the exercises and going to physio for now as it is working. I actually found the deep tissue massage to help a lot, so I am going for another on Saturday. I am finding that other areas of my back are now hurting because they ahve been compensating for the injured part...so I need a good overall back de-knotting!

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Originally Posted by DisneyPrincess

The Chiro was magic for me, plus she told me to put cold for 10 minutes now and then when the pain is very strong.. like needles. When the pain feels more like soreness, you can put heat. But when you see the Chiro, they'll tell you whats best.

I did also deep tissue massages but that was a mistake as it made the pain worst. Better to do just swedish massage to relax the muscles.

Hope you feel better, I know that pain, been there in november for 3 months even...

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Try to do some yoga- it can do wonders, but take it slow and listen to your body,,, I hope you're back recovers fully,,, good luck!