37 weeks on crutches! advice?

kathleeeenrose

hi everyone,

I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow. 5 days ago I slipped on some ice and sprained my ankle pretty badly. I still can't put weight on it. I'm using crutches to get to the bathroom and pretty much confined to the bed or couch right now- such a bummer as I have had a very pleasant pregnancy and was enjoying my last few weeks! I rescheduled today's weekly check to next Monday so my boyfriend can be with me to help with stairs, etc.

I'm staying positive and trying to view my current situation as a small annoyance, but I have a lot of concerns for going into labor and not being able to walk!

I suppose I will have to use an ambulance to get to the hospital and I'm also much less confident in my pain management ability with so little mobility! (was planning for a med free birth!)

with any luck I'll be up and walking again before baby comes, but in the meantime does anybody have any advice or similar stories to share?

Kathleen

oliversmommy32912

I fractured my foot at 36 weeks and was put in an air cast.  Honestly when I went into labor just a week later I didn't even think about it.  It hurt to walk on but it was kind of on the back burner.  My instincts kicked in and  I was definitely guarding the foot but I don't really remember it inhibiting my ability to cope.  I wasn't a walker,  though. 

kathleeeenrose

@oliversmommy32912

that's very encouraging to hear! I think an air cast or walking cast might really be helpful to me.

alliejoe

Why would you need to use an ambulance to get to the hospital? 

While mobility is helpful, I think not walking would be ok. There's the birth ball, side laying, the tub, shower, lot of things that don't involve needing to walk much to manage pain.

Regardless, I hope you heal quickly and well and don't have to worry about it any of it.

MommyAtty

I sprained my ankle at 38 weeks because like a fool I decided I needed to empty the leaf skimmer baskets in our pool and slipped walking back to our house. Frankly, during labor, I didn't think about it once! It was worse afterwards, caring for a newborn while hobbled. But I had a natural childbirth, no issues. (And this time around, I'm staying away from pool work until waaay post-baby!)