September 2012 Moms
MississippiCatfish
member
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How quickly after birth does shortness of breath subside?
MississippiCatfish
member
Can any STMs tell me? Does it take a couple days to get back to normal? Or does the shortness of breath go away right off the bat? Thanks! 
*E 10/2012, H 7/2014, F 2/2016*
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Re: How quickly after birth does shortness of breath subside?
That's good to know... I'm getting tired of both!
Well, the shortness of breath caused by squished lungs goes away pretty immediately. However, shortness of breath caused by general lack of physical fitness because of being a big ol' sedentary pregnant lady can hang around for awhile I've found. ;o) Heehee. Really though, I was amazed at how it seemed that the instant DD was out of my body it was like popping this massive balloon. You don't realize how much pressure that baby and fluid is putting on so much of your body until they're back out. I remember feeling like my organs must be sliding around in there with so much space. And, probably, they were a bit. Also, reflux and 9 months of nausea were gone instantaneously. It was awesome
It's an amazing feeling to finally have that baby out. So take that as the antidote to any concerns about post partum recovery. Yes, your vagina will need to heal, but you will be so much more comfortable in so many other ways. It sort of evens itself out. At least it did for me.
I just asked this question on a post above, before seeing this one. I realize nobody is probably awake, but it's good to know that things start to feel better right away.
How about the other things like joint pain, swelling, carpal tunnel, feeling that your pelvis is being ripped apart, sciatica etc.? A lot of us seem to have those symptoms and I'm wondering when those go away.
Also, the act of moving in general is very difficult for me. Getting out of bed etc. Is it the weight? Is it the lessoned lung capacity? Will just the birth be enough to allow me to swiftly get in and out of bed? Of course, if I'm not getting up to pee every hour, I guess it won't be as bad. I'm just so tired of having to heft myself to turn to a different side. I want to be able to go up and down steps without dread.
granted I had no joint pain, sciatica or heartburn with DS, but honestly the pain from my vag (episiotomy & vacuum delivery) took away from all other painful sensations. A lot of my complaints pre-delivery were that my body wasn't used to carrying around all the extra weight ( I gained 45 pounds). I lost 10 pounds just from delivering and that was a huge blessing in itself, also take out the 7lb baby squishing every organ and it makes it MUCH easier to breathe... so I guess its a combination, but most of my pregnancy issues were resolved by the time I left the hospital