🌼 Still in the middle of it. Still showing up. Here’s where things actually stand.
If you read my original post about my postpartum back injury, you know this has been one of the hardest parts of my recovery after having my third baby.
A herniated disc. Slight vertebral slippage. Nerve pain. Months of barely sleeping. A chapter where I couldn’t lift my own baby out of his bassinet without help.
This is an honest update on where things stand now — halfway through decompression therapy.
If you haven’t read that post yet, you can find it here — When I Couldn’t Lift My Baby: My Postpartum Back Injury. It tells the full story of how this started and what those early months looked like.
This post is just an honest update on where things stand right now.
Where I Am in Treatment
I’m currently halfway through a four month decompression therapy plan with my chiropractor.
For anyone unfamiliar, decompression therapy uses a specialized table to gently stretch the spine and take pressure off the discs and nerves. It’s not a quick fix — it’s a slow, consistent process.
My chiropractor has been adjusting things as we go — the amount of time I’m on the table, the force being used — to find the right settings for my body. It’s been a process of figuring out what works rather than one standard approach, and honestly I appreciate that he’s paying attention to how I’m responding instead of just running through a protocol.
More recently he added shockwave therapy to the mix as well.
I still have two months left in the plan.
What Has Actually Changed
Some movements feel easier. Not dramatically — but noticeably.
The one that means the most to me is this:
I can lift my son more on my own now!
He just turned one. He is heavy and wiggly and wants to be picked up constantly the way one year olds do.
For a long time, I had to ask someone to pick him up and pass him to me. Almost every time. That’s a hard thing to sit with as a mom — needing help to hold your own baby.
Now I don’t have to ask as often.
I still have to be careful every single time. I squat down, make sure I have him centered, make sure I’m not twisting. Every lift is intentional.
But I can do it more on my own.
And in my eyes, that is progress.
But even with progress, this chapter has still been emotionally heavy at times.
The Harder Days
I want to be honest about the emotional side too because it hasn’t been a smooth upward climb.
There have been moments where it all felt irritating and overwhelming and I just broke down.
Life doesn’t pause for recovery.
I’ve been going to appointments while also taking all three of my kids with me to help care for my nana at her assisted living facility. A one year old, a ten year old, and a fifteen year old — all navigating this chapter alongside me.
On those harder days, having a routine helped more than I expected. And my kids understanding what needed to be done made a difference I don’t take for granted.
Something I’m Still Trying to Figure Out
There have been a few days where I experienced numbness — sometimes for a few hours, sometimes lasting most of a day.
I’m honestly not sure what to make of it.
Part of me wonders if it’s nerves waking back up. Before treatment, I was experiencing foot drop and had a really hard time walking — I felt unbalanced and would trip. The numbness I’m feeling now feels different from that.
But I’m not sure if it’s a sign of healing or something to watch.
I’m keeping track of it closely and staying in communication with my provider, especially since nerve symptoms are something I don’t want to ignore.
If you’ve experienced something similar during nerve recovery I would genuinely love to hear about it. These are the kinds of things that are hard to find honest answers about and hearing from someone who has been through it means a lot.
Where My Head Is
Honestly?
A mix of hopeful and realistic.
There are days I feel encouraged by the small shifts.
There are days where it still feels like a long road.
But I’m still showing up to appointments. Still doing the things I can do to support my healing. Still using my red light therapy panel consistently and taking turmeric for inflammation. Still reaching for my heating pad on the harder days.
And I’m still here — still being a mom, still helping my nana, still homeschooling, still figuring it out one day at a time.
Two more months to go.
Fingers crossed. 🤍
If You’re Going Through Something Similar
Chronic pain during what’s supposed to be a joyful chapter of life is isolating in a way that’s hard to describe.
If you’re in something like this right now I just want you to know — I see you.
It’s okay if healing is slow.
It’s okay if some days feel harder than others.
It’s okay to still be in the middle of it.
I’ll come back with another update when I finish the full plan.
✨ Thank you for letting me share this part of my journey.
With love, Rachel (RaiRai 💛)
→ When I Couldn’t Lift My Baby: My Postpartum Back Injury
→ Postpartum Isn’t What I Expected
→ Postpartum Essentials That Actually Helped Me After 3 Births
This post is based on my personal experience and is not medical advice. Everyone’s recovery is different, so always work with your own provider to find what is right for your body.
This post may contain affiliate links. I only share things I personally used or found helpful during my recovery.
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