Postpartum health issues and breastfeeding struggles

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?

I really hope it’s not arthritis, because that thing is brutal—we have a diagnosis in our family. Are you taking any specific vitamins? What did your doctor suggest for managing it?

Honestly, ever since I gave birth, I've just been constantly sick. Even though I kept taking my prenatal vitamins on my OBGYN's recommendation, I was still struggling. I didn't breastfeed, but I was pumping, which probably just drained the life out of me.

First, I had a low-grade fever for about ten days. I went to the doctor, but they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me; it just eventually cleared up on its own. Then, after feeling okay for a couple of days, I caught rotavirus. It absolutely wrecked me. To this day, my ligaments still ache. They told me that whatever pain I had during pregnancy is basically what I'll be dealing with from here on out.

Maybe it was because I spent seven months of my pregnancy on strict bed rest, only to travel to Washington, D.C. three days after giving birth and spend every single day walking around hospitals on my feet. Combining that forced inactivity with absolutely zero postpartum recovery—you know, actually resting instead of jumping right back into things—is likely why I ended up so run down.

As long as I live, I won't forget how my postpartum nurse kept lecturing me: she insisted a woman needs to eat well, stay hydrated, and lie down to get at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep for at least a month after delivery.
Yeah, right. As if anyone actually provided that kind of support for me.

And let's face it, age plays a part too. By the time my mom was my age, she was already a grandmother.

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...

ironbadger9 said:In Japan, they actually have hotels specifically designed for new moms. They go there to recover and rest, focusing entirely on breastfeeding and bonding with their baby.

Honestly, most of my friends get that exact same treatment at home. Since they all live in multi-generational households—either with their parents or in-laws—someone else handles the cooking, the laundry, and the cleaning while they just focus on the baby. Well, maybe not "most," but basically everyone I know except for me and one other person, whose mom also drops by every single day to help out.

I guess it's because I can't stand living with anyone, so I don't have any of that support. My apartment looks like a total disaster zone right now. I’ve seriously considered hiring a sitter for just a few hours so I could finally clear my head and catch six consecutive hours of sleep, but I feel too guilty. Everyone keeps giving me that look like, "How can you not keep up? You're home all day." Yeah, right—it's hard when you're stuck with a baby who spends half the day screaming through colic and other digestive nightmares.

ironbadger9, any idea if rheumatoid arthritis can be linked to pregnancy? Since it's autoimmune, could it have been simmering under the surface before I even got pregnant?

As for postpartum recovery—honestly, my husband was a total rock. He was cooking almost every day, mostly homemade chicken soup, feeding the baby my expressed milk, doing the laundry, running the dishwasher, ironing baby clothes... he stepped up big time. I was basically sliced open from belly button to pubic bone and bled for over 40 days, but I wasn't about to just lie there playing the invalid. I was pumping day and night while trying to catch some sun on the patio—couldn't really manage a seated position back then. The little one had colic all day long, and we had guests over, but luckily he’s retired now, so he handled most of the heavy lifting. No cooking or appetizers needed; we had plenty of that.
The absolute worst part was when someone would drop by right when the baby was screaming from cramps...

Anyway, he helped immensely. My sisters didn't step up much—one gave birth, another ended up in the hospital, and Mom is constantly running between clinics... she doesn't drive and doesn't have a car.

I was already dealing with chronic issues before pregnancy (Type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism), and then I hit preeclampsia during the pregnancy. Even though it shouldn't have stuck, my blood pressure stayed high and I'm still on meds for it today—a second pregnancy would be way riskier than the first. Plus, in these last two years, I haven't quite managed to get my glucose levels back to where they were. I don't know if that's strictly a medical issue or if I just can't find the headspace to prioritize myself anymore—my condition demands a lot of time. There have been countless times I wanted to dose insulin but the baby was fussing, so I missed it, only to realize later how late it was—especially with those 24-hour long-acting doses. Between the 101 midnight wakeups and the baby wanting only me, I'd sometimes pass out mid-feed and miss my basal insulin, only to wake up at dawn when dosing makes no sense. Once the baby gets older, I'm getting better at managing the chaos.

Physically, I felt completely unraveled at first. But now that the baby is two, despite being a few extra pounds heavier, I actually feel limber and quick again. It's a mix of the kid and work—I haven't really found my rhythm yet—but when she first started crawling, getting up off the floor was brutal. It sorted itself out eventually, though. Some of my bones and joints still ache, but mine is likely kidney-related. Still, secretly, I worry about rheumatoid arthritis—those autoimmune "besties" love to show up in groups, so since I've only got one, I guess I should just hold onto it and be glad I made it through.

ironbadger9 said:Giving birth can bring so much joy to some people while presenting a few little hurdles for others...
I didn't want to open this thread in the Health subforum since it's strictly for issues caused by pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, and carrying babies, and there are honestly quite a few of them...
Back pain, hormonal shifts, skin issues, breast changes, circulation problems, teeth, veins... you name it.

Specifically, I'm reaching out because I've been dealing with one particular issue for about ten days now.
JOINT PAIN.
My finger joints ache in the morning, my wrists hurt, and once I actually get up, I can barely walk because my knees and feet are in such pain. The hardest part is that I can't hold my baby properly, and things keep slipping right out of my hands.
I've been doing some research and everything points toward rheumatoid arthritis, which I really hope isn't the case since there's no cure, so I'll definitely be getting tests done as soon as the holidays are over, but in the meantime, I just needed to vent here.
Has anyone else dealt with something similar, and can someone please reassure me that this is just temporary?
Is it possible that breastfeeding a six-month-old could deplete my calcium or magnesium levels?

Please don't worry, because I went through the exact same thing and it lasted for a few months. I asked my OBGYN about it and she mentioned that the joints just take a lot of strain from carrying the baby, so while she wanted to run some tests, the pain eventually subsided before I ever went in, though I did pick up some Biolectra magnesium to take for about a month after using it during my pregnancy.

My right arm was killing me—turns out I have that thing called "mother wrist" or whatever they call it.
It’s kind of a temporary thing 😬

ironbadger9 said:While childbirth brings immense joy to some, it certainly introduces a host of complications for others...
I didn't want to open this thread in the Health subforum because that section is specifically reserved for issues caused by pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, and postpartum care—and there are quite a few of them...
Back pain, hormonal imbalances, skin issues, breast changes, circulation problems, dental issues, vein problems... oh my...
Specifically, I am reaching out because of one particular issue that has been tormenting me for about ten days now.
JOINT PAIN.
In the mornings, my finger joints ache, my wrists hurt, and once I actually get up, I can barely walk because my knees and feet are in such agony. The absolute worst part is that I struggle to hold my baby properly, and things keep slipping right out of my hands.
I have been doing some research, and everything seems to point toward rheumatoid arthritis (which, honestly, I am terrified of because there is no cure), and I fully intend to get tested as soon as the holidays and my time off are over, but in the meantime, I just need to vent here.
Have any of you dealt with similar issues, and can someone please reassure me that this is temporary?
Is it possible that breastfeeding a six-month-old could deplete my calcium or magnesium stores?

The pain you are describing sounds exactly like what I went through just a year ago. For me, it lasted about two or three months. There were several mornings where I woke up unable to even straighten or spread my fingers; they would stay cramped for about ten minutes until I could move them around a bit. My knees were absolutely killing me—honestly, I felt like I was going to collapse at any moment while holding my child.

In my case, I think the culprit was staying indoors for so long; I was practically housebound for two months and barely saw any sunlight. I ended up being deficient in Vitamin D, and then my calcium levels started acting up too. I took supplements along with four drops a day and made sure to get outside in the sun as much as possible (even though it was a very gloomy winter). Please, go get your blood work done first; get a full panel. It might turn out to be nothing, or perhaps just a simple deficiency, and I truly hope it isn't rheumatoid. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.😉

Does anyone else deal with abdominal pain? Specifically in the upper abs? I tried to get some crunches in today, but I couldn't manage even one single rep because my muscles are just killing me. Honestly, I could barely pull myself off the floor. On top of that, I'm having issues with my lower abdomen, right below the navel, so that area isn't getting any work either...

When my little one was about two months old, I started having these awful issues with my hands—mostly numbness, but it was that intense kind where my hands would go completely dead and I wouldn't feel a thing at all... plus, this constant aching in my wrists and elbows. It used to get so bad at night while I was sleeping, everything would just go numb and throb...

I ended up seeing a physiatrist and went through various MRIs, only to be diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Looking back, it probably had been brewing for a while, and then carrying the baby and pushing the stroller just acted as the ultimate trigger...

I went through several rounds of physical therapy—you know, the whole works: exercises, magnetic therapy, ice, lasers, electrical stimulation—but honestly, the symptoms didn't truly subside until my toddler turned a year and a half and I finally stopped pushing the stroller so much...
I can still tell when I overdo it now; if we're out and about and I push him for more than an hour, that tingling sensation starts creeping back in...

I guess my body was manufactured in 1975 or something... what a joke...😬

Frank, you're a good one—but haven't you heard? The old machines are actually the best 😬

ironbadger9 said:Giving birth brings joy to some, but it also brings certain little problems...
I didn't open this thread in the Health subforum because it deals specifically with issues caused by pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, carrying babies... and there are quite a few...
Back pain, hormonal issues, skin problems, breast issues, circulation, teeth, veins... haha...

Specifically, I am reaching out with one problem that has been bothering me for about 10 days now.
JOINT PAIN.
In the morning, my finger joints hurt, my wrists hurt, and once I get up, I can barely walk because of the pain in my knee and foot joints. The worst part is that I can't pick up my baby properly, and things just slip right out of my hands.
I've been searching online and everything points toward rheumatoid arthritis (honestly, I hope it isn't, because there's no cure), and I will definitely get tests done as soon as my vacation and holidays are over, but in the meantime, I just need to vent here.
Have any of you had similar problems, and can someone please comfort me and say this is temporary?
Could breastfeeding (six-month-old) deplete my calcium or magnesium stores?

You didn't even mention bleeding😛

It's possible you're low on calcium... I was taking calcium and iron. I started the iron because my blood work was bad, and the calcium because my nails were literally starting to fall apart.
My legs were hurting really badly too; I thought it was my veins, but it was actually from anemia. I figured that out because the pain stopped once I started taking iron.🙂

I don't want to downplay your pain, but I will try to comfort you.
My hands hurt too—I was holding them strangely while breastfeeding (I was supporting my breast with my hand).
And my knees and feet, because I was breastfeeding while sitting cross-legged on the floor. That eased up when I changed my posture.

Ugh, my back and shoulders are killing me too because I hunch over all weirdly whenever I lean in to comfort him—I just end up pulling my shoulders inward. I don't know how else to do it, so I'm just stuck dealing with the pain.

A topic made just for me🙂
Joint pain, tingling in my hands, and even intense bouts of dizziness... and I honestly thought I had it rough after my first pregnancy when I didn't sit down for a month after my C-section healed 😢 (of course, those issues have returned this time around, too)
The little guy is quite heavy—my primary care physician tells me all of this stems from breastfeeding positions, lack of sleep, and constantly carrying him. He says things will improve once I stop nursing, which I don't plan to do for at least another 7 or 8 months (he's already 10 months old). I was also terrified it might be arthritis, but they say joints feel hot during inflammation, whereas mine don't—I just end up feeling incredibly sore.
To help with the dizziness, they recommended magnesium plus B vitamins, so I take those occasionally.
I'm not exactly a spring chicken at 36, though I'm certainly not ancient either.☕

I actually dealt with some pretty intense issues with my hands during my first pregnancy—constant aching, tingling, and there were times I couldn't even move my thumb. It turned out to be tendonitis, specifically what they call De Quervain's tenosynovitis, or "mother's wrist," if you want to get technical.
I managed to sort it out after about a month of physical therapy and picking up a good wrist brace. After that, I stopped carrying the baby in my arms altogether and switched strictly to using a baby carrier.
With my second little one, I didn't run into any of those problems at all because I was much more mindful of my posture and how I held them, plus I already had my favorite carrier ready to go before the baby even arrived.😁

In the end, it wasn't really about when the product was manufactured; it was just a matter of overworking my wrists by using the wrong technique.

feralmoose32 said:Once my baby hit the two-month mark—everything just shifted—and I started dealing with these issues in my hands: constant numbness (like, to the point where my hands would go completely dead and I wouldn't feel a thing), plus this nagging pain in my wrists and elbows. It would even flare up at night while I was sleeping—just total numbness and pain.

Michelle Nelson4 said:Basically— Tendonitis flared up—specifically in my thumb tendons—and now my mother's wrist is totally shot. Or whatever the heck it’s called—honestly.

Basically—it wasn't about how old the device was—but rather about overworking the arm in all the wrong ways.

+1

It’s just such an incredibly uncomfortable pain—honestly, it's awful.

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...

Ashley Cooper52 said:I had pain in my right arm and eventually found out it was called "mother wrist" or something like that.
It was temporary 😬

The pain is intense—it actually makes you feel lightheaded when you move your wrist a certain way.😳

Since I was breastfeeding, I couldn't use any creams except for Arnica, and I couldn't go to physical therapy because I couldn't be away from my little one for that long.🎉
I ended up helping myself by making makeshift splints out of cotton balls and popsicle sticks. I slept with them on and tried to wear them as much as possible during the day just to keep my thumb in a position where the tendon wasn't being stretched.😁
If I remember correctly, it lasted about two months.

By the way, is it "during the" or "in the middle of"? My brain is a bit foggy.😁

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. 🙂

rowdypanther12 said:it hurts so much—it’s honestly enough to make you pass out whenever you move your joint a certain way...😳

since I was breastfeeding, I couldn't really use any creams except for some Arnica stuff, and I couldn't even make it to physical therapy because I just couldn't be away from my little one for that long enough...🎉
I basically saved myself by making my own splints out of cotton balls and popsicle sticks—I’d sleep with them on and try to wear them as much as possible during the day just to keep my thumb in a position where the tendon wasn't being stretched too tight.😁
It lasted about two months, if I remember correctly...

By the way, does "during" sound okay in that sentence? It's been scratching at my brain...😁

Everything took quite a while for me—it all started when my baby was just two months old, and I didn't finish my last therapy session until he was a year and a half old. It wasn't until then that things finally started to settle down slowly...

But I have to tell you, even now, I still get that numbness occasionally—just much less often and not nearly as intense...