How Do Dizzy Moms Survive Raising A Child?

I don’t know how many of you are dealing with a Vestibular Disorder and a baby but somehow, I am back in that mix. Americans have created a new ‘norm’, grandparents raising/keeping their grandchildren. Some grandparents do it because their choice is, raise the child or loose them to the ‘system’. Mine was a choice, sort of… Mike swears it was my choice but that’s not quite how I remember it…not unusual in our marriage. I found myself, back in time somewhere recently. A time before I found my voice, when I didn’t or couldn’t say, “NO”!  Mike and I were on our last day of a long over due vacation this past Summer. Our daughter Sarah, called us in a panic! There had been a ‘snaphue’ with her childcare located at her work place. If she’s in a panic, then I become panicked, not the best mom trait I realize. It is just part of my PTSD and if I’m honest, I am a ‘problem fixer’. While in this (out-of-body) state, I apparently agreed to keeping our new granddaughter until the ‘slot’ opens! Brain fog, I tell you! What did I get myself into???

In reality, Mike is doing more than me, I could NOT do it alone. I am sure there’s a dizzy mom (or two!) reading my blog and they understand what I am saying. How do YOU do it? I give you mothers’, doing the immense job of raising a child while dealing/living with a Vestibular Disorder, a standing ovation! Here’s an example of our new typical week We get up at 6:15 am to be ‘ready’ for Olivia (put on a robe?) at 6:30 am.  It’s a mad rush for us just to get to go to the bathroom and make coffee (must have coffee!) before she comes. Sometimes, it’s an ‘either’, ‘or’ situation. Occasionally, we actually pull it off. Sarah is very prompt and after a quick hand off, Olivia is ours for the next 10 hours, yes, TEN hours! Mike continues working nights and I continue waiting up for him. We are now getting 4-6 hours of sleep (just like a real mom) then, trade-off catching naps.  I have to get sleep or I will have a flare of Fibromyalgia (ME! ME! ME!). When does Mike get any sleep? Usually while holding Olivia… Some days, I am able to ‘let’ him sleep for more than a few hours (aren’t I generous?). It just depends… and that SUCKS!

Do I regret ‘making’ this decision? Not at all but doing this while dealing with a Vestibular Disorder totally changes the experience. When Olivia was an infant, I rarely had problems as it was all feedings, diaper changes, and gazing at her while she sleeps. I hold her in my lap ‘croaking’ out show tunes from ‘My Fair Lady’, all the usual childhood songs, 1,2,3’s, ABC’s, etc. She is a ‘normal’ baby, so this stage didn’t last long. She quickly learned to roll, twist, turn, pivot (all developing her Vestibular System!) and before we knew it, she was sitting, then quickly mastered crawling. Now, she’s trying to walk! In reality, Mike and I were able to see all her ‘firsts’ and watch her huge smile go from being just toothless gums to now having 5 (going on 6) teeth!

Among her favorite things, turning her head upside down, similar to the Downward Dog Yoga position and I can’t do that simple thing… she loves throwing herself backwards while sitting in our lap (better have a good hold!) and look at her world upside down. I can’t do so many simple, silly, and fun things that I could before I acquired a Vestibular Disorder. I know I’m not alone in this… I know also, I have accomplished some things I thought I couldn’t. Keeping a baby is one of those things and it’s a fantastic form of VRT, also. I’ve tried laying on my back, flat on the floor with her but it always made me dizzy. At least I was already on the floor, where was I going to fall, then? I modified this play activity by stacking pillows to raise my head to my optimal position and I could do it. I wasn’t laying actually flat though…

This time will soon end for us, when she begins daycare. Will I miss her beautiful face and her giggle, and her chubby legs and precious little fat feet and…? Of course! We will still see her every weekend. I envision myself being a ‘better’ Memaw because I won’t be the Zombie I/we have become.

vestibular.org/