MÈRE Stories: Meg Burrell
“Pregnancy is painful.”
Both my children came into the world through complicated, debilitatingly painful, and ultimately—high-risk pregnancies.
I heard the sentence, “Pregnancy is painful!” on repeat throughout both of my pregnancy experiences. But also, that said pain, a pregnancy symptom, should resolve after birth.
With my first, it (mostly) did.
With my second, it did NOT.
After being told for multiple years across two pregnancies that my back and hip pain was connected to physically being pregnant, I had no idea where to start with diagnosing what was actually going on.
Through a lucky interaction with a mom friend in the healthcare space, I was connected to an orthopedic doctor who specializes in hip preservation.
After an in-depth series of diagnostic imaging (x-rays, MRIs, & CT) I was finally diagnosed with a labral tear, Cam type femoroacetabular impingement, and abnormal laxity in my left hip.
The most effective way to address my injury, and associated pain, was to surgically reconstruct my left hip. During surgery, we learned my situation was much worse than originally diagnosed—fully explaining the sources of my pain.
Left to right: Surgery Day!, My continuous passive motion (CPM) machine that I had to use for 6 hours daily for 4 weeks, The trusty walker I relied on for 2 weeks, My single crutch that went everywhere with me for 6 weeks, & my first solo outing in my hip brace + crutch combo for 4yo birthday party.
It took me almost 5 full years to arrive at a solution. I waited *literal* years to seek care because providers I deeply trusted insisted that my pain was simply a routine part of pregnancy.
For me, debilitating pain was not “normal”. The laxity that occurs during pregnancy exacerbated an underlying hypermobility issue that I’ve since learned has a name: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). No maternal provider ever mentioned this disorder.
“The excruciating pain I experienced throughout both of my pregnancies robbed me of the idyllic experience of carrying my babies that I’d dreamt of. I was truly and completely miserable for 39 & 37 weeks. And yet—so thankful for 2 healthy babies, despite the challenge of getting them here. Not enjoying pregnancy doesn’t mean you aren’t thankful for it.”
— Meg Burrell