Nerve Damage from Childbirth

Nerve Injury and a Baby After

Thank you to Marissa for sharing her story about her nerve injury during childbirth and her experience having a baby after her injury. We so appreciate your willingness to share with our community and wish you and your beautiful family the best.

When I gave birth to my firstborn in 2022, I experienced femoral nerve damage in both legs. I was completely numb from the waist down, a mix of fear, confusion, and anger overwhelming me. Despite the joy of having a healthy baby boy, I was baffled by how this could have happened to me. Had I been paralyzed after birth? I had never heard of such a thing! The doctors were at a loss, but luckily, my aunt stumbled upon this Facebook group for me. I immediately joined and began seeking help and answers. After six months of twice-weekly physical therapy, and the ongoing support from my partner, I was finally able to walk again.

Baby Steps: Maternal Nerve Injury and Pilates Inspired Routines

A huge thank you to Irissol for sharing her story with us today. You have given us a beautiful gift during this MICA month.

Ten years into my recovery, I’ve learned: never stop advocating for yourself, always make body-based decisions and we can do hard things.

After laboring 37 hours with my first born (5-7 hours in stirrups) and experiencing several falls at the hospital after giving birth, I was discharged with a beautiful baby girl, one functioning leg, a walker, and a femoral nerve injury diagnosis, which would keep me from walking unassisted for months. It would take another 7 years for my OB-GYN to diagnose me with pudendal nerve damage as well, also caused by that first delivery, made evident only by the lingering pain in my inner thigh and my insistence to the doctor that something had been missed.

MICA Month 2025: Standing Up for Those Who Can’t

May, the month we celebrate mothers, launches our eighth annual MICA Month. Standing Up for Those Who Can’t is our theme to advocate and to educate globally regarding maternal nerve injury from childbirth birth awareness. MICA, run by a team of dedicated volunteers, has achieved a great deal since our beginning in 2018. We are very proud of the many resources we have developed that are now available to any mom globally suffering from a nerve injury. Our advocacy focus in 2025 is a message of HOPE. We will be discussing the Protocol for Recovery for Newly Injured Moms and Birth Plan for Baby after Childbirth. We are reminded to be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction and Faithful in Prayer. Romans 12:12.

Social Media: MICA has continued to develop its presence on social media. The MICA Month Facebook page has over 850 followers, Instagram has @micamonth 180 followers and the Facebook support group Moms with Femoral, Peroneal, Sciatic Nerve Damage from Labor and Delivery has grown to 2600 members from 60 countries. We added 400 members since May of 2024. Our social media presence during MICA Month is vibrant with 100’s of advocates sharing posts globally with their communities including their favorite parenting Facebook groups.

Foot Drop Awareness Day 2024

Foot drop is when a person has difficulty lifting the front part of their foot. If a person has foot drop, the front of their foot might drag on the ground when they walk. Foot drop is not a disease itself; it is a sign of an underlying neurological, muscular or anatomical problem. These problems can be caused by a nerve injury, muscle disorder, nerve disorder, brain disorder, or spinal cord disorder.¹ For women who have sustained foot drop from childbirth, generally it is their peroneal nerve that has been affected.

Foot drop after childbirth can be devastating (as can all foot drop). It can be hard to diagnose, hard to get proper care, hard to care for oneself, and hard to care for one’s new baby. Experiences and moments a new mom hoped for can be ripped away, while she just tries to get through the day with one or both of her feet and ankles not working properly.

Impact After the After

Today I’m posting a story shared by Shuly. She is a mother of two in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She is passionate about public health and bringing smiles to the world through humanitarian and theatrical clowning. She can talk pregnancy, birth, and parenthood all day everyday and can be reached at sgoldman07@gmail.com

I truly thank her for being willing to share her story and thoughts. I have no doubt her openness will help other moms out there struggling with nerve damage from childbirth.

MICA Month 2024: Standing Up for Those Who Can’t

May, the month we celebrate mothers, launches our seventh annual MICA Month. Standing Up for Those Who Can’t is our theme to advocate and to educate globally regarding maternal nerve injury from childbirth birth awareness. MICA, run by a team of dedicated volunteers, has achieved a great deal since our launch in 2018. We are very proud of the many resources we have developed that are now available to any mom globally suffering from a nerve injury. Our advocacy focus in 2024 is a message of HOPE. We will be discussing pain management, triggers (emotional), the healing process and guidance for pursuing lifelong fitness after physical therapy. We are reminded to be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction and Faithful in Prayer. Romans 12:12.

A Ski Trip

For years, you never could have told me this was going to be possible.

When I started to regain the use of my legs, I was elated I could simply hold my baby while standing. The doctors weren’t really sure what was going to happen. “We think you’ll get better. See us in 6 weeks if you’re not” was the final direction I received while I was in the hospital. Unfortunately, I got to surprise the staff when 6 weeks later I was back and still didn’t have use of my legs. But eventually, I did stand up and hold my baby.

When I had my second baby two and a half years later, I literally took pictures standing and holding her, just to prove I could.

Foot Drop Awareness 2023

September 22 is National Foot Drop Awareness Day

MICA Month 2023: Standing Up for Those Who Can’t

May, the month we celebrate mothers, launches our sixth annual MICA Month. Standing Up for Those Who Can’t is our theme to advocate and to educate globally regarding maternal nerve injury from childbirth. MICA, run by a team of dedicated volunteers, has achieved a great deal since our launch in 2018. We are very proud of the many resources we have developed that are now available to any mom globally suffering from a nerve injury. Our advocacy focus in 2023 is a message of HOPE. HOPE for moms planning for a baby after nerve injury, as well as HOPE for moms in recovery both short and long term, as we discuss physical therapy as a necessary tool for recovery. BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER. Romans 12:12.

Foot Drop Awareness Day 2022

Today is National Foot Drop Awareness Day.