Anecdotal datapoint: My ex-husband, who is 41, had hip dysplasia, which was treated with the hip to knee plaster, which worked, lo it cured him and his hips are fine. (He has a memory of the first time he saw rain, after the cast was off, because his mother was afraid it wasn't waterproof and so only took him out when it wasn't raining. This from people who had no car and lived in Lancaster, England, which has 300 rain days a year.) His niece -- you were saying it runs in families! -- who is maybe nineteen now, had the same thing, and it was treated by putting on a double diaper, and she is also fine. They checked Zorinth for it about a zillion times when he was born, but he didn't have it. I think you're right though, even severe dysplasias are treated better now and much less of a problem.
I think there are issues about pregnancy and disabilities, and I think you do have to think about them -- and look, you're thinking about them in a sensible way. My response when I was pregnant and strangers asked me was to talk about asthma -- yes, there's a chance he'll inherit it, they have good ways of managing it now. (In fact he didn't.) It sort of took the wind out of their sails when they were looking at my cane. A serious discussion of rosacea might have the same shutting rude strangers up effect. I don't know though, people in the US have different boundaries on that stuff.
I think you have a lot to give a child both genetically and environmentally. I'd have two disability questions, actually, if I were you, and they're both practical ones. First, is actually physically giving birth going to be a problem? Check with your doctor. My pelvis was better in pregnancy than normal. But make sure your midwives and other medical professionals are clued up, and most important make sure Curiousangel and any other birthpartners aren't afraid to tell the professionals things they need to know. The worst moment in my childbirth was a clueless midwife grabbing my bad leg in mid-contraction so she could check dilation -- no reason in the world for her to be that side, and they'd all been told not to, but she was sure she knew best. It was the only time I screamed in the whole 27 hours. She ignored me screaming totally. She could have done serious damage if my ex-husband hadn't stopped her, and I was in no state to be able to stop her. Have a Caesarian if you need one, but only if you really need one, it's a major medical intervention and takes a long time to heal.
Second potential practical problem -- is picking up the baby going to be a problem? I caused myself a lot of back problems from picking up a weight that started off at 7lb and got heavier and heavier. Again, think of good work-arounds, consider buying an adjustable level cot -- I would have if I'd had the money and if I'd guessed there would be a problem. Consider heights of changing tables. There's more lifting than I thought.
If you're feeling broody, I think you should go for it as soon as you've phudded. Why, you fill me with a desire to rush out and buy little booties for zir.
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Date: 2002-12-03 05:22 am (UTC)I think there are issues about pregnancy and disabilities, and I think you do have to think about them -- and look, you're thinking about them in a sensible way. My response when I was pregnant and strangers asked me was to talk about asthma -- yes, there's a chance he'll inherit it, they have good ways of managing it now. (In fact he didn't.) It sort of took the wind out of their sails when they were looking at my cane. A serious discussion of rosacea might have the same shutting rude strangers up effect. I don't know though, people in the US have different boundaries on that stuff.
I think you have a lot to give a child both genetically and environmentally. I'd have two disability questions, actually, if I were you, and they're both practical ones. First, is actually physically giving birth going to be a problem? Check with your doctor. My pelvis was better in pregnancy than normal. But make sure your midwives and other medical professionals are clued up, and most important make sure Curiousangel and any other birthpartners aren't afraid to tell the professionals things they need to know. The worst moment in my childbirth was a clueless midwife grabbing my bad leg in mid-contraction so she could check dilation -- no reason in the world for her to be that side, and they'd all been told not to, but she was sure she knew best. It was the only time I screamed in the whole 27 hours. She ignored me screaming totally. She could have done serious damage if my ex-husband hadn't stopped her, and I was in no state to be able to stop her. Have a Caesarian if you need one, but only if you really need one, it's a major medical intervention and takes a long time to heal.
Second potential practical problem -- is picking up the baby going to be a problem? I caused myself a lot of back problems from picking up a weight that started off at 7lb and got heavier and heavier. Again, think of good work-arounds, consider buying an adjustable level cot -- I would have if I'd had the money and if I'd guessed there would be a problem. Consider heights of changing tables. There's more lifting than I thought.
If you're feeling broody, I think you should go for it as soon as you've phudded. Why, you fill me with a desire to rush out and buy little booties for zir.