Posts by ironbadger9

It turns out it was exactly what another lady on this forum mentioned—just a Vitamin D deficiency...
I’ve always been more of a homebody anyway, and between breastfeeding and those rough first few months, I barely saw any sunlight at all 🙂 Just those quick little walks with the baby twice a day, and that was about it.
I actually started giving the little one some Vitamin D drops for a while, and honestly, I felt so much better after that.

It’s the exact same thing for me. I put an earring in just once, and my earlobbs started swelling up within a minute... I had to rip them right out and douse everything in some antiseptic spray. It felt just like an allergic reaction. And honestly, I’ve never had any issues with jewelry before this...

rowdypanther12 said:By the way... can you use "during" or "throughout" in a title? It's been driving me a little crazy... 😁

I'm just sitting here wondering how on earth I'm supposed to go about changing that in the title now... maybe if I try again later... 😢I’m posting from CG, so please excuse any little typos...
If the moderators have the authority to make changes, then I really don't have any objections... everything should be fine. 🙂

rustymason92 said:That pain you’re describing... honestly, it feels like I’m listening to my own story from about a year ago. It lasted for maybe two or three months for me. There were times I’d wake up and just couldn't spread or straighten my fingers... they’d be all cramped up for about ten minutes until I could move them around a bit. And my knees? They were absolutely killing me. I seriously felt like I was going to just collapse one day with the baby in my arms...

I think my issue was that I stayed in bed way too much. I was basically indoors constantly, didn't see a lick of sunshine for two whole months. My Vitamin D levels tanked, and then my calcium started acting up too. I was taking four drops of supplements a day along with the mali, and tried to get outside in the sun whenever possible—even though that winter was just so gloomy... Go get your blood work done first, though. Get a full panel. It might be nothing, or maybe just a deficiency, and I really hope it isn't rheumatoid... Fingers crossed for you... 😉

Oh man, that sounds totally plausible. My nails have been looking pretty terrible lately too, probably because we haven't been out much with the colds and this freezing weather...
I'll definitely get my blood work done ASAP, and I might start those Vitamin D drops as well. If they're safe for the baby, there's no harm in me taking them too...

Carol Garcia said:As long as I’m breathing, I won't forget what my postpartum nurse kept drilling into my head: a woman after giving birth needs at least a month of eating well, staying hydrated, and constantly lying down to get at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep.

In Japan, they actually have hotels specifically designed for new mothers. They go there to recover, just rest, breastfeed, and focus entirely on the baby. If we had something like that here in the States for my second child, I swear I’d take out a loan if I had to just to stay there...
With all the guests coming over and the endless housework, it took me way longer to recover, to bond with the little one, to get my milk supply up, and to finally move past the baby blues... self-care and actual nutrition were always at the bottom of my list.
The worst part is when some virus hits me and I don't even have the strength to pick up the baby, or when you deal with those stubborn health issues right after delivery because you pushed yourself too hard...
I guess age really does play a part... 😢 If I had given birth at twenty, I probably wouldn't even be posting about this...

Giving birth brings so much joy to some, but for others, it definitely comes with its own set of hurdles...
I didn't want to open this specific thread in the Health subforum because it's really just focused on the complications caused by pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, carrying a newborn... and man, there are so many...
Back pain, hormonal shifts, skin issues, changes in breasts, circulation, dental stuff, veins... oh boy...

Personally, I’m reaching out because of one specific issue that’s been absolutely wearing me down for about ten days now.
JOINT PAIN.
In the mornings, my finger joints ache, then my wrists... and once I finally get up, I can barely walk because my knees and feet are hurting so much. The worst part is that I can't even hold my little one properly, and things just keep slipping right out of my hands.
I’ve been doing some digging online, and everything seems to point toward rheumatoid arthritis—which, honestly, I am praying isn't the case since there isn't a cure—but I’ll definitely be getting some tests done as soon as the holidays and vacations wrap up. In the meantime, I just needed a place to vent here...
Has anyone else dealt with anything similar? Can someone please tell me this is just temporary?
Is it possible that breastfeeding a six-month-old could actually deplete my calcium or magnesium levels?