I know there are a lot of strange things that happen to our bodies after giving birth. I thought it would be nice to compare notes so those of us who are mild hypochondriacs (self definitely included) can take a deep breath and say "it's not just me." So here's my latest weird symptoms: -night sweats: these suck so bad, I wake up drenched... -dizziness and lightheadedness: sometimes even when I'm lying down I feel a bit of vertigo. I'm putting it down to shifting hormones as I had this feeling in both the first and third trimesters. Also a very annoying symptom.
Go ahead ladies, let us know your weird and annoying symptoms!
My digestive system HATES me after I give birth. I don't have much trouble at all while preggers but man I have so much trouble after baby. I have constipation and I take the stool softeners which help, but it seriously feels like my poop is full of knives when I finally go. It's the worst and I had it after my last baby as well.
My legs get numb really fast/easily. Like the time it takes for me to get LO into the car seat while its on the floor makes my legs go numb. Or if I'm laying down when I get up they'll feel wobbly/like jello for a sec. I'm thinking its lasting side effects from epidural?
Oh thank god for this thread, I have no idea what's normal! Here are mine, 5 days postpartum from a vaginal birth with second degree tears:
-swelling in both feet and ankles with slight numbness, right foot more than the left (I think from IV fluid?) -starting yesterday random bouts of shivering -literally cannot poop. Not that it hurts (though it does) but it's impossible. Dr recommended a suppository today.
I totally 2nd the freezing, I'm missing my internal furnace! Also, I'm 5wks PP and still feeling the cramps when I BF... I thought that was supposed to end after the first few days?
Yep to more intense smells around. Also something happened by my tailbone or to it during delivery. It's not broken according to my Dr but it is painful to sit for 5 weeks now.
This makes me feel so much better! definitely smelly, and night sweats. Also my hands fall asleep at night and sometimes when I bf I feel a dripping sensation in other parts of my body. Not sure if it's sweat or milk dripping but I usually don't feel anything wet. Very strange!
@alisong10 that heavy feeling could be a prolapse. Have you been lifting anything heavier than the baby or working out recently? Keegles (sp?) help to strengthen the muscles that support everything down there. I highly recommend calling your dr to get it checked out just to make sure though!
I also second the tingling/numbness happening easier than it did pre-pregnancy.
@bbrownlee1 I had a lot of pain in my tailbone as well. I got one of those cushions with the cutout in the back and it's so much better now. Have you tried that?
@nackie I'd heard of those but haven't looked in to it yet. Just dawned on me for some reason that I can just order it and don't need to venture to a normal store to find one. I'm going to do that now since I think I'm really going to need it for work in a few weeks. Thanks!
@alisong10 I had that feeling and worried that I must have a prolapse, but I just had my post-partum doctor visit and he says I don't. He thinks it might just be me feeling the healing process. I had stitches in my vagina, which I figure might be what I was feeling. Also, yes to the smell. It's awful!
-mild headaches every day weeks 1-3 -smelly down there AND BO - so gross - night sweats still at week 6 - weeks 5 and 6 random bouts of vertigo -weeks 1-2 TERRIBLE baby blues - weeks 5-6 really bad wrist pain - week 6 - hip pain - I think from the position I nurse in or from sleeping in a weird tense way near her bassinet and then aggravated by running on it to the point that it's now painful to walk!
I told my mom when I started getting night sweats that I was afraid I had the start of a virus. She was the one who told me it was just from hormones. I was never told about this. My neck and hair are damp every morning. I also can smell my pee and have recently begun to have headaches. I figured it was due to lack of water but never thought it was a postpartum thing. I had really bad baby blue from 2 to 3 weeks but in 4 weeks now and still have random weepy moments just not all day like I did for that week. Is anyone else still occasionally weepy? I think it's probably normal with all the changes and lack of sleep.
Numbness of my feet and right arm and headache and I never had itchy eyes before after baby I have them and also cough that is not going away seriously tired from all these ........
Smelly, smelly, smelly! My BO is rank... my downstairs is just eww. Glad I'm not the only one. I'm so paranoid about the smell! I'm 4 weeks pp and getting closer to that 6 week mark (SO is counting down) is a bit nerve wracking.
Also, I had horrible night sweats, although they went away when I stopped breastfeeding.
Totally random, but the skin on my belly, where it stretched the most (lower belly, either side of my belly button and below it) is numb. I can pinch it and not feel anything. It's bizarre.
@bella2210 yes I still had random weepy moments week 4 - although week 4 was a significant improvement over weeks 1 and 2 where I was crying non-stop. And now week 6 is an improvement over week 4. I think it just keeps improving but seems natural to me in my non-medical opinion that there would still be some weepies as we are exhausted, hormonal and go through a massive life adjustment. I go for my 6 wk appointment Tues so figure I will just mention it then to make sure I'm on the right track but emotionally I feel 99% back to normal (and when I hit the gym this week felt 100% emotionally after).
I'm 11 days out. I've been debating on calling my doctor about my bleeding. They said to call if it was bright red, and honestly I feel like anytime there is fresh blood (which is pretty much every time I go to the bathroom) it is bright red. I'm not going through pads on an hourly basis. I had a 2nd degree tear. I saw my doctor on Monday and she said things were healing.
Do do you think I should call about the color of the blood?
@bbrownlee1 I had a lot of pain in my tailbone as well. I got one of those cushions with the cutout in the back and it's so much better now. Have you tried that?
I had severe tailbone pain with my first and it made nursing so difficult. It lasted 3-4 months until the intense pain went away. Sadly I still have issues with it 2 years later if I've been sitting funny or for too long. Sorry you are dealing with that!
I'm 11 days out. I've been debating on calling my doctor about my bleeding. They said to call if it was bright red, and honestly I feel like anytime there is fresh blood (which is pretty much every time I go to the bathroom) it is bright red. I'm not going through pads on an hourly basis. I had a 2nd degree tear. I saw my doctor on Monday and she said things were healing.
Do do you think I should call about the color of the blood?
I think if the quantity of fresh blood becomes worrisome I would call, but it doesn't sound like it's a significant amount. But when it comes to your health it can't hurt to call your OB.
4weeks pp and still bleeding. Last week it changed to bright red and more, (not changing pads hourly and using thins) called my OB because I was really concerned and she said as long as not hourly then everything was normal. I also start moving more and she said that will do it too. If you are concerned then call, it made me feel tons better to hear it from her.
Anyone else distinctly NOT feeling the baby blues or very emotional? It sounds weird but I'm concerned that it'll come out of nowhere and knock me on my ass. I'm only 6 days post partum, so maybe it happens later? I seriously just feel like my normal, pre pregnancy self emotionally, and it's throwing me off. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop!
@katiefinn03 I have felt the random dripping sensation too when I'm breastfeeding! So weird - I always feel a drip rolling down my stomach or on my thighs (and think it's breastmilk) but when I feel for it, there is nothing there...
Also I have headaches and my arms have been falling asleep when I sleep on my back. I will still randomly cry (in wk 3-4 now) but it's every few days instead of every day as it was in weeks 1-2. Those were some of the hardest and most confusing weeks of my life.
Anyone else have serious food cravings now that the baby is here? Because I'm starting to believe the cravings are worse now than when I was pregnant...
Chili cheese fries, anyone? Anyone? No? That's cool... I'll eat the entire plate. And a chocolate chip cookie, too!
Re: Weird postpartum symptoms
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-Mild yet persistent headaches
-So much thirst...
DS1 2010
DS2 2013
DD1 2016
-swelling in both feet and ankles with slight numbness, right foot more than the left (I think from IV fluid?)
-starting yesterday random bouts of shivering
-literally cannot poop. Not that it hurts (though it does) but it's impossible. Dr recommended a suppository today.
Also something happened by my tailbone or to it during delivery. It's not broken according to my Dr but it is painful to sit for 5 weeks now.
definitely smelly, and night sweats. Also my hands fall asleep at night and sometimes when I bf I feel a dripping sensation in other parts of my body. Not sure if it's sweat or milk dripping but I usually don't feel anything wet. Very strange!
I also second the tingling/numbness happening easier than it did pre-pregnancy.
Add inability to hold in passing gas. And that I seem to be doing it all the time. Good job DH and MIL can laugh about it with me!
i feel pressure and muscular pain after walking too - anyone else?!
-mild headaches every day weeks 1-3
-smelly down there AND BO - so gross - night sweats still at week 6
- weeks 5 and 6 random bouts of vertigo
-weeks 1-2 TERRIBLE baby blues
- weeks 5-6 really bad wrist pain
- week 6 - hip pain - I think from the position I nurse in or from sleeping in a weird tense way near her bassinet and then aggravated by running on it to the point that it's now painful to walk!
Also, I had horrible night sweats, although they went away when I stopped breastfeeding.
Totally random, but the skin on my belly, where it stretched the most (lower belly, either side of my belly button and below it) is numb. I can pinch it and not feel anything. It's bizarre.
Do do you think I should call about the color of the blood?
Also I have headaches and my arms have been falling asleep when I sleep on my back. I will still randomly cry (in wk 3-4 now) but it's every few days instead of every day as it was in weeks 1-2. Those were some of the hardest and most confusing weeks of my life.
Chili cheese fries, anyone? Anyone? No? That's cool... I'll eat the entire plate. And a chocolate chip cookie, too!