Day one -again

[Jill Pensom]

Ok folks I've decided to start the programme again after a bit of a re-occurrence of leg pain/nerve pain since having my baby boy six weeks ago. I did the programme around a year ago and it was highly successful for me with a huge reduction in pain (I was pregnant at time). I had hardly no pain through pregnancy/labour but now it's back.

I've been feeling a bit anxious and wondering whether it's because of this or I have truly injured myself. I'm annoyed with myself that I'm doubting the TMS diagnosis as I 100 percent believed in it until now.

I had a massage this morning and told the masseur I had a problem with my back (like old times pre-Sarno) and of course she told me to watch my posture at all times, see an osteopath etc etc. I'm now confused. Do I continue with exercises which have seemed to make the pain worse/slouch etc or be mindful of my posture when feeding baby etc because I'm post-natal. I'm thinking I've injured my back sitting badly on the sofa (on purpose) even though I know Sarno would say this is rubbish.

Please advise ......

 

[Solange]

Jill, you have recently had a baby so be kind to yourself first and foremost.
You will need to be gentle with yourself because you are probably tired and emotionally drained by the astonishing amount of work a baby brings however much you may have wanted one. Just get yourself checked over by your midwife or doctor(you probably have anyway) to reassure yourself and then accept that this is a classic time for TMS to strike. A huge change has occurred in your life and certain physical changes will have taken place too but really they should be settling down by now. Your posture is probably just fine although it always makes sense to sit comfortably when feeding a baby and it is hard to see how sitting on a sofa could do anything harmful.

You are most likely in need of more help yourself and some care and attention focussed on you instead of on the baby; don't worry, he will be just fine. Fight the temptation to run round doing everything when he is asleep and rest up yourself. Grab any help you can and don't feel guilty about taking time off if you can. Try a quick bit of journalling to get any underlying emotions out in the open and accept them, whatever they are. Having a baby is not all positive, it can bring stresses, strains , loss and regret as well as joy and it takes time for things to settle down. That all seems normal to me.

Congratulations and good luck! My son is now 10. I did not enjoy his early months at all, in fact I hated the experience but now I would say he is the very best thing in my life and I could not love him more.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Jill, Solange has given you some good advice. Neither of us are doctors so we can't tell you not to follow any medical advice, but
since Jill is a mother and knows what you're going through, it sounds like she is right it attributing your back pain to TMS.

Steve Ozanich says new mothers can experience back and other pain because they are moving from being girls into being women.

 

[Jill Pensom]

Thanks Guys. Really helpful advice Solange.