How to Be a Mom with a Broken Foot

Try baby wearing! A mobywrap or snuglie ec. Definitaly get some help. even a mother's helper (a young person around 13 who can give you an extra hand). Hire a family care provider from Mothering Mommies, LLC (www.motheringmommies.com) to run errands and cook meals. This will be a time you will look back on and remember. You will get through it!

T.,

Try to get help! That is the best answer I can give. Ask neighbors, friends and family. I pulled a muscle in my back on Friday and I wasn't able to even sit in my car. I have 5 kids ages 13 to 8 months. Hang in there!

J. Z.
Independent Shaklee Distributor
www.shaklee.net/Z.

stay of the foot so that it heels properly the first time other wise it will only take 3time it should.

if you have a packnplay bring it down to where you usually are and use it as a nap place for the baby and maybe if you have the space a little pop up tent for the older one and you can nap in there with the older one.

encourage your 2 year old to help you out. do more things on the floor.

think ahead about what you can do druing the day and have some one put the stuff where you can reach it all with out having to move so much.

also talk to your dr. about physical threapy you should get it.

hope this helps.

I broke my foot in Feb of this year. Fortunately I wasn't on crutches, just had to wear a orthopedic shoe at all times for 3 months. My daughter was 2 months at the time. My husband was a great help in dealing with her.

My advice is to get a baby sling to carry the baby around. I bought mine a baby r us or go to Baby Depot for a reasonably priced one. When dealing with the 2 year old, sit on the floor with him/her while he/she plays.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

I spent 8.5 months in cast with a broken leg, so I know how hard it can be to care for yourself, much less two children.

I strongly recommend getting a wheelchair, which is much more comfortable and easier to use than a desk chair. I used a transport chair that I could maneuver with my good leg. A transport chair has small back wheels and is lighter than a regular wheelchair, making it easier to move around by yourself indoors while leaving your hands free. I bought mine on Craig's list fairly inexpensively.

Like yours, my house has many stairs. I used the wheelchair downstairs and a walker upstairs. If you are carrying the baby in a sling, you'll feel much more stable on the walker.

I also recommend visiting the website www.mybrokenleg.com, which saved my sanity while my leg healed. There is a discussion board where you can post questions to other people with broken legs, ankles and feet. All questions are fair game--from medical concerns, to how to manage with your kids, to how fast you'll be back to normal after the cast comes off. I know that there were a number of mothers who used to post.

Hi SAHM!

I'd suggest that while your help is there, get all that's needed (snacks, cups, bottles, pampers, etc) in one designated spot that will allow you to have everything at your fingertips. Also, confine the activity space to the living room, play room, etc. with gates or something that will limit the children from adventuring off to other rooms and stairs and stop you from having to hobble after them! :)
And, now is the best time to teach your 2 yr old responsibility. By now, they have a sense of getting the pamper and wipes for mommy. Start to train them now and as they grow older, helping is a part of the routine, not a chore.

I can feel your "pain." I suffered a 3rd degree separation in my shoulder when my oldest was 10 months. Luckily, he started walking a few days later so carrying him was limited. I made the most of my immobility by holding/cuddling him as much as possible. I was still able to fee him his bottle and walk him in the stroller but the latter may be kind of hard with crutches. Getting down on the floor to play with them would be good because you would also be off of your foot. Keep all the things you may need down a little lower (diapers, wipes, etc). I had a lot of help from my sister and mom for entire 6 weeks I was in a sling. Hopefully, in your case you foot doesn't take long to heel, you will be able to get a walking cast or one of the walking boots sooner rather than later. That will help tremedously in trying to get around with the little one.

And, get as much help as possible! Maybe you can find an care provider on Sittercity.com to come in a few days a week if you don't have other help.

I would say pick a floor to be on when you are alone and until you can manage the stairs well and then spend lots of time doing puzzles and reading with your 2year old. Let people help with the house and remember that this is not forever.

It might be helpful if you can get a sling or carrier for your child. Do you have a desk chair that rolls? I know it sounds silly but maybe you could scoot around the downstairs in that lol. Whatever you do just be careful. I hope you heal up soon.

I don't know if it's possible with your type of break, but what about a walking cast? They have a nub on the heel so you can step down. Of course, when your foot isn't elevated, it will probably swell and be really uncomfortable!
I would just keep everyone downstairs all day. Maybe set up a quiet napping area on the 1st floor?? Unfortunately, you might just have to rely on your help for a while :)
I had a bad ankle sprain when I was 9 months pregnant and I had my mother in law come over to help with my 3 year old, because there was no way I could take care of him alone...I couldn't even use crutches with my huge belly throwing my balance off!

by bil recently went through a year of having troubles with his foot and sense they have wood floors was able to use his desk chair to get around. he either sat in it and rolled around the house that way using his good foot to propel him along or by leaning his bad foots knee in the chair while walking with the other. they also have nice walkers with wheels that have chairs that might be nice. same idea as a wheel chair but not as bulky. while sitting you ca stilll hold baby and "walk" at the ame time. at least he was able to. and in the morning when you get up i'd make sure everything you need for the day was brought downstairs with you. no need having to risk you foot getting hurt worse by having to make extra trips up and down the stairs.

Check out handsfreebaby.com for lots of ways you can "wear" your baby! You'll keep the baby safely with you as you move about with the crutches.

D.

I would be really worried about dropping the baby or stumbling and hurting it. Consider bringing in a stroller to use to move the baby around. That way you know the baby is safe, even if you loose your footing. I agree, stay on one floor and improvise. Keep snacks and juice boxes close by and try to minimize your up and down time. This will pass and you will do great... you just have to allow others to help.

Good luck.

Try these ideas that I used last summer when I had a broken ankle -- and I'm doing again since I tore up my knee ligaments this summer!

-Try using a desk chair w/wheels to get around the kitchen.

-Order groceries online. It's a bit more money, but worth it when you can't get around.

-Pair up with another mom/dad to run errands. Call ahead to find stores that have mobility carts so you don't have to shop with crutches.

-See if there is a neighbor, grandparent, responsible teen, etc. who can pitch-in as "mother's helper" for an afternoon. You might be able to set up a schedule with different people helping on different days. Offer your services down-the-line in exchange for their pitching in for you now.

-Cluster upstairs and downstairs activities so you don't have to make so many trips... and use a tote bag to carry things more easilty between rooms, levels, etc.

-If you have an answering phone/service, don't rush to pick-up every call... wait and cluster the calls backs into one time period.

-Get your 2-year-old involved in helping with ANY small "do-able" tasks: sorting socks, scooping out pet food, putting toys away, etc.

Good luck, and remember, you'll most likely be well soon!

I threw my back out when our son was 18 months old and could not even pick him up for 3 weeks. Thank God my husband was in outside sales and could swing by regularly throughout the day. But he was my only help. We also had all our bedrooms on the 2nd floor so I was forced to live on the 1st floor until I was better. When my DH was home at night he would set me up for the next day with all feeding, clothing, diapering needs and we would do everything downstairs during the day. I even had to set up stools and ramps to help my toddler to climb up when there was something I needed him up off the floor for. We made it work. But getting everything on our main floor during that time was a HUGE help in recovery. Good Luck!! S.

I have never been in your situation, or in one even similar! However, I thought I may let you know about when I have been extremely under the weather with little ones around. I think one of the most important things is containment! Pick a room/area that you will be spending most of your time in, and drag a bunch of their toys in, movies (small tv if none in there), crafty things...whatever your kids like to do during the day. Then use a baby gate and just hang out in there. That way you aren't having to hobble around to different rooms of the house trying to check up on them, or tend to them if something went wrong. They are in yoru view, you can rest your foot...easy access to the children, and minimizing your moving around. As long as the kids have their favorite things to do...they don't mind where you spend the day (bedroom, livingroom, diningroom...whatever!)Hope you heal quickly!
K.

Hi T.

Sorry to hear about your broken foot. I would have the 2 year old help as much as possible. But try not to be or want to be Wonder Woman while you're in a cast. Do what you can do and what you can't do, don't worry about it until you're healed and can move around better. One of our biggest faults as women is still trying to do it all when we really need to let our bodies heal. It can be frustrating but it can be even more frustrating when it takes longer for the area to heal. Be patient!!! You'll be fine. Ask your help to do as much as possible while she/he is there. I wish you the best. GOD bless you!

I went through the same thing! I found that the only way to get up and down the steps safely was to scoot on my bum. Sounds silly but very effective. I also would take food upstairs and put it in a mini fridge so if my son got hungry in the middle of the night I could feed him. (I had to stop BFing early due to medication. He also never minded the cold food) There shouldn't be many reasons for you to leave the house for a few weeks so if you can call in help for things like grocery shopping and such you should be ok. I usually only did things that would require movement to another room while he was napping. Your 2 yr old will see you need help and try to pitch in.
Good luck!

You poor thing! You have my total sympathy! 1st piece - take any and all help offered no matter how much you want to resist it. My dr told me it would be no problem to remove a lump in my breast a couple of days after I broke my foot. When that side was as big as a watermelon after being on crutches, I started sending evil curses to his privates. What got me through was renting a wheel chair. I could cook and carry things. Stairs are a problem which can't be resolved. Try to keep everything on one level as much as possible. Best of luck!!!