When you are not a mother (or father) and you suffer from some kind of evil that needs rest, I think it takes us a little longer to take it more seriously and remedy it. When you have children, you extend the ailment, because you realize less or because you do not have time, until this can with you and you run (it is a saying) to the emergency department.
There the doctor examines you and asks you how you have endured so much, that you have, for example, a muscular contracture of the championship and that you can be discharged for a few days. The low ?, I think. No, no, with a couple of holidays by sure means that I overcome it well.
"Well, but rest.", orders the doctor. At that time, the first thing you think, moving to possible past rest, is, "Look how good, bed and blanket, stack of books and magazines, radio, an infusion ... and rest until it heals."
Immediately, that mirage disappears and crosses your head, as an accelerated video clip, toooooodo what you have to do with your children every day and that, in theory, you will not be able to do. Glups! Here the contracture starts to hurt more (will it be psychosomatic?)
You want to tell the doctor if you cannot also prescribe rest for your partner or a family member so he can take care of your household chores and the usual children (which does not mean they are all yours, but who is Will he take care of what "touches you"?).
To me this situation that I just went through has reminded me in a certain way of postpartum, when the first few days I had to be in bed almost all the time) and I felt useless to do anything at home. With the big difference that, fortunately, the babies "rest" with me in bed and little else I needed.
And there it is the big difference of a rest with or without children. It is not that newborn babies are not children, and there are the points or breasts that explode to remind you. But when they grow up, who else who least goes to school, eats elaborate dishes (not by themselves), and asks you to play, give him a candy or take it to the park. And of course, all that, from the bed, is quite difficult.
"No, if I'm not so bad ..."
At first it seems that things can go well. The girls are approaching you, because they already know that your back hurts for several days, and they have explained that you have gone to the doctor, you are ill and you have to be in a quiet bed. You see them enter through the door cautious, almost on tiptoe, whispering "Mommy, relax, tanquila ..." (Wow, how stressed I must look every day). They even put classical, very short music on the radio alarm clock. How cute, they are going to take pity on me, they are aware that I need to rest.
And of course, you don't want to worry them, you get back a little (hiding the face of pain), "Oh, my girls, if I'm fine, this tomorrow is already cured because the doctor has given me some great pills." They answer you: "And you can come to ...? (Add what you want: give me water, watch my school work, put on the TV, a band aid, wash my hands, check the" rainbow "that enters through a slit of the window… )". And you get up slowly, and you do it.
Big mistake! And not only because they see that you are not "so bad", is that there is surely another family member observing that ... you can move. However, as you will have to go back to bed immediately, you will still have help for some time. But don't trust yourself.
For your children, more and more accustomed to seeing you in the bed of rest, it will become an everyday situation. Do not be surprised if you end up with the TV installed in front of your bed and a pile of stories, children's books and coloring pencils next to your bedside table. They will want to watch TV with you, sleep with you and take pictures with you in that "original and fun" situation.
The heat pad that so relieves you will serve as a hat or bag of potatoes with which to make your first sales. Your mobile, entertainment and connection with the outside with which you take advantage of not to miss what is being done today (and in your work, let's not forget that you are not low, you will return shortly and you will have to know what happens there) , it will only serve for them to color Nemo or Hello Kitty.
You thought you were going (at last) to watch some news or that movie that you have been waiting for so long, and you find Clan and Disney Channel as background perpetual companions.
Fortunately, medicines are working, and you see that little by little (But when have I rested?) You are able to do many more things, with or without children, at home. And you start to sit down, and to go out, and to work, and to take care (and worry) about everything you did before, and it probably won't take you long to notice that you start having a little tug on your back ...
A small tug, a small nuisance that can become a big headache, something more fat if we do not take care of it from the beginning, no matter how difficult it is with young children at home.
Definitely, I think that, along with the leave, there should be something like the "low home" so that a medical prescription rest could be a true rest. Even so, thank you very much to all those who, with your help, make it possible for moms or dads not to end up again in the ER because they have not been able to rest.
Photos | hang upinthere and Lars Plougmann on Flickr-CC On Babies and more | Postpartum visits can be a great help, Being a dad: the first days and visits
