Oh my aching arms

When my wife was pregnant we went to a 5 week course on becoming parents. We dicussed everything from c-sections, the role a Dad takes in the delivery room, to breathing techniques.

But not ONCE did we talk about the pain your arms, elbows and wrists will experience once the baby has arrived. I mean, I am talking RIGHT after she was born and I was holding her in the hospital, my elbow started hurting. At first, I thought, oh, I must have bumped my elbow at home or in sleep-deprivation-state in the delivery room I must have bumped the food cart or the bed side guards.

But after about two months I went to the doctor when it had not gotten any better and he diagnosed "tennis elbow", or what I like to call HADLEY elbow. It is tendonitus. And now my write has a knot in it. I think it is a combination of working on the computer and holding the baby for hours at various times during the night, while your arms are clenched and at right angles.

We recently had couple over for brunch from our baby class. They have a two-month old. I brought up the soreness in my elbows and wrist and they both acknowledged they have the same thing only not as bad.

I do feel bad complaining about this given what my wife had to go through giving birth, etc. but it is a lingering painful problem that needs to be talked about and brought to light. If you have any suggestions for combating this, or lessens the pain, please comment. I have been consciously trying to relax my arms and wrists when I am holding my bundle of joy. It has helped but I am still taking some anti-inflamatory pill so ease the pain. The physical therapy starts soon.