Ashley Iaconetti Talks Struggling with 'Mommy's Wrist' Pain from Son Dawson: 'I Know It's Common'
Ashley Iaconetti/Instagram
Ashley Iaconetti is getting candid about her current struggle with "mommy's wrist."
On Thursday, the former Bachelor contestant, 34, opened up to her social media followers about the wrist pain she's experienced since welcoming her son Dawson Demitri, whom she shares with husband Jared Haibon.
"A week ago, I thought my mommy's wrist was kind of funny… and it's not really a joke anymore," the new mom said on her Instagram Story. "My wrists freaking hurt."
"It happens from the repetitive movements like picking up the baby and how you hold their bottle," she added while holding baby Dawson in her lap.
Mommy's wrist or mommy's thumb is a nickname given for a condition called de Quervain's tenosynovitis, or tendonitis. It is a common tendonitis that causes inflammation of the thumb or wrist due to overuse of the muscles and tendons. It is often seen in parents and is typically due to repeatedly lifting a child.
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Iaconetti then shared a screenshot of all the parents who messaged her about their own experience within minutes of sharing her story.
"I was so shocked to see how many people DM'd after they saw the braces on my wrists a couple days ago," the I Don't Get It podcast host said. "How does mommy's wrist go away when you have to constantly use your thumb to pick up the kid and feed them… and they're only going to get heavier."
Iaconetti continued, "I know it's common but I'm sure the majority of moms don't have it or there would be more talk about it. My mom had it. She even got stretch marks on her wrists from the strain when we were babies."
The mom of one has been very vocal about her experience with motherhood since she and Haibon — who met during their time as cast members on Bachelor in Paradise — announced the arrival of their first baby on Instagram in January.
Back in March, Iaconetti shared a lengthy post on Instagram explaining her decision to not breastfeed her son, saying it's what's best for both herself and Dawson.
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Ashley Iaconetti/ instagram
Iaconetti said she made the choice to have her body be "only mine again" after carrying a child.
"My body needed a break. It didn't need to learn to do something new again," she said at the time. "Growing a human was enough for this year. It was awesome how pretty much instantly after birth I felt 'normal' again. This is a feeling I feared I'd never feel again."
"I didn't want my body to have to struggle again if breastfeeding didn't come easy, which it so often doesn't," Iaconetti continued. "I knew the frustration that could come with that challenge wasn't going to be good for my soul. Dawson deserves the best version of me."
She also told her followers that feeding baby Dawson formula has also been easier for her and Haibon as they adjust to parenthood.
"I'm lucky that this decision was so well supported by my inner circle," the reality star said. "Jared and I were both formula fed from the start and we know plenty of other healthy adults and babies who were formula fed. Happy to report, Dawson has 100% of the time been excited to slurp down a bottle."
"I think breastfeeding is beautiful and I'm in awe of the women who choose to do it," Iaconetti ended. "I just know the choice I made was right for our family."
