Postpartum Physical Symptoms Persist for Months With No Clear Answers
Several posts detail the physical challenges new mothers face, including joint pain, teeth issues, ringworm concerns for their child, and postpartum itching. These experiences highlight a need for better information and support regarding the realities of childbirth and recovery.
SOURCES (60)
“Ever since having my first baby every scratch or cut I get scars. I don't pick at it and it still scars. Is this the new normal after having a baby? I'm worried this means my body can't heal as quickly as it used to…”
“I’m not a new mom, I’m actually 9 month pp with my second. My oldest is 6 yo. I’ll be honest this time around life has been so busy, apart from the immediate postpartum after care I haven’t done much in terms of exercise or pelvic floor care. But now that im getting back into exercising I’m noticing sever hip pain. Which I realized I’ve had the whole time, because if I spent all day cleaning I’d be limping by the end of the day. But now with deliberate exercise it’s just more severe. Has anyone”
“Sex honestly grosses me out since giving birth. I’m 8 weeks postpartum, and the thought of anything going inside my vagina grosses me out. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel bad for my man because I really do want to be intimate again, but I’m genuinely scared. The thought of getting pregnant again, feeling down there, and knowing how much my body might have changed freaks me out. I’m scared I’ll be loose or feel completely different. I don’t even like wiping normally, I just pat because I”
“Postpartum hemorrhoids… HOW are we supposed to survive these?! 😭 I’m 5 days postpartum and I’m in SO much pain from hemorrhoids. The swelling, pressure, and pain are honestly making it so hard to sit, walk, use the bathroom, or even get comfortable. I’ve been trying the usual postpartum things, but I feel like I need some serious relief at this point. For anyone who has dealt with really painful postpartum hemorrhoids, what actually helped you?? Sitz baths, ice, creams, witch hazel, something p”
“Hi! I’m looking for book recommendations to read before trying to conceive. I’d love something that explains the physical changes your body goes through during pregnancy and after giving birth, including postpartum recovery and any longer-term changes. I just want to understand what to expect and feel more prepared! Are there any books you found especially helpful or wish you’d read before getting pregnant? Thank you! submitted by /u/Least_Worldliness447 [link] [comments]”
“Like the title says, I’m 11 days postpartum and I’ve broken out in small red angry bumps on my feet, ankles and legs. They’re incredibly itchy and annoying. I thought it might be my eczema flailing up but since I’m breastfeeding and pumping AND recently gave birth, I’m wondering if it’s something baby related. Has anyone else experienced this? submitted by /u/qitn-sansasnow [link] [comments]”
“This is a bit of a rant. I just need to vent. I’m so angry. I got my first postpartum period. It’s not light like others have said it would be. It did not get delayed by exclusively breastfeeding and latching every 4 hours or less. I’m only 8.5 weeks postpartum. I’m not even healed enough from my second degree tear to use tampons. Technically the skin is “healed” because it’s not raw flesh anymore, but the tear didn’t heal closed because my stitches all tore through and I have deep muscle remode”
“Hi! I’m 10 months postpartum and I’m starting to finally reflect on labor (what I remember from it) I’m curious if anyone went through what I went through with my epidural during labor: My epidural failed TWICE. Both times the right side of my body started to regain feeling within an hour of getting the epidural done Both times the epidural was present, every time the medication was administered either through the timer or through my own button, my spine, like from base of my skull to my tailbon”
“I’m sharing my mastitis journey because I honestly feel exhausted and desperate for answers, and I’m hoping someone here has been through something similar. ❤️ I gave birth to my daughter almost 8 weeks ago. She was 4 kg at birth, is growing beautifully, and breastfeeding has been going really well overall. I absolutely want to continue breastfeeding — but mastitis has made these past weeks incredibly difficult. I’ve now had mastitis around 7 times in less than 8 weeks . My first episode came wi”
“Has anyone dealt with a serious health issue postpartum? I’ve been sick since delivery (and during pregnancy) with what they discovered was a duodenal ulcer causing an obstruction. I just had a stent placed to avoid a surgery and am on a super strict diet (after being on a liquid diet for 1.5 months). I have an underlying rare inflammatory illness yet never anything like this has happened. I feel like I’ve missed precious bonding time with my amazing baby by being in the hospital so much and jus”
“4 month pp here. My labor was highly complex and a bit traumatic tbh but the recovery was great. I have some pelvic pain that I already had from pregnancy but apart from that I can't complain at all. Now, for the mental part, my labor was very traumatic, nursing was super difficult during the first month, and the adaptation to the reality of having a baby was, very hard, for both me and my partner. Now...I know things take time but I am curious to know when you felt your libido return. I see”
“Hello mommas, I’m 4 months postpartum having neurological symptoms including muscle weakness, twitching and other things. I’m just trying to find moms that are going through the same thing. Trying to understand what’s going on with my body. I feel like it’s deteriorating completely after 3 babies back to back. I feel so alone. :( idk how to heal myself. submitted by /u/aloy_lantern [link] [comments]”
“I have a weird one, I struggle with back and neck pain and since having my son just all over body aches especially my knees ankles and arms. I have started to notice it gets better right before my period and during it and then once it’s finished I get excruciating pain back again. It’s so strange has any one experience this or am I just delusional 😂 submitted by /u/Equivalent_Common287 [link] [comments]”
“Hello, I'm wondering if this has happened to someone else. I am 9 months postpartum. I have never been hyper mobile but in the last few weeks, I have had weird over extensions like over shooting my teeth alignment and also spraining my jaw. I've sprained my wrist with it having no flexion (I made a fist that sprained my wrist) and I over extended my elbow by tapping my chest.... submitted by /u/Gullible_Time8370 [link] [comments]”
“Hey all, this is a little embarrassing so I won’t go too much into detail but I just had sex for the first time since having my baby and I am having some decently intense contraction like cramps. I had a c section, healed up fine. Got a clean bill of health from my OB, besides now having a grade 2 bladder prolapse. Got my period back 5 months pp, and have had virtually no problems since besides that I can no longer use period discs anymore due to my prolapse. I even had my hormone levels checked”
“Hi, I am four months postpartum and I consulted my doctor a month ago because I have pain down there after pregnancy and she contacted me today morning and she asked about the pain so I told her that my pain has gone after she checked up down there, so everything is okay at that time, she told me have you ever been to an intercourse. I told her that no, and she asked me like Oh poor man, I was so upset because I am handling my postpartum on my own. My husband is working full time, and there is n”
“I was wondering if anyone else has experienced heat rashes appearing all over their body postpartum. Im 2 weeks pp and ive been getting these awful itchy heat rashes everywhere. Doctor said to use antifungal cream and that helps but only so much. Those also come in pretty small tubes and when I say theyre all over my entire body I mean it. Did anyone else experience these and was there anything that helped/made them go away? Im so itchy and uncomfortable 😭 submitted by /u/mountainju”
“I need to get this shit off my chest because my postpartum has been horrible. TW: Traumatic delivery and postpartum complications Heading into labor I really naively thought I was going to have a normal uncomplicated delivery. I knew complications could happen, but I truly thought probability was on my side and I would have a normal experience. I’m not going to go into every detail, but I’ll sum it up as this: I was induced at 39w6d, labored for 48 hours, got to 10cm dilation and full effacement”
“For context, I have a lot of MH issues + COVID really screwed me up when I got it in 2020. As a result my memory is really really bad as is my brain fog. My daughter is 6 months today and we’re finally letting her sleep in her own room (maybe if I can let her lol). I realized putting her down though- it’s so difficult because I can’t remember much if any of her birth or newborn days. Everything is so fuzzy I don’t remember the days in the hospital pretty much at all (and I had a super smooth bir”
“Back pain. Unless you’re already very physically fit, nursing and holding a baby (even though they’re teeny!), and just being in positions you’re not used to 24/7 is going to kill your back. If you’re nursing, a Boppy is not enough. I recommend putting a pillow under the Boppy so you’re not hunched over. Stretch whenever you can and take Epsom salt baths as often as you can. Get ahead of the back pain before it gets to the point where you can’t sleep or feed comfortably. Feeding laying down, wit”
“I had sex 4 weeks post partum and now I'm really anxiety ridden about infection risk submitted by /u/Temporary-Tree-1715 [link] [comments]”
“I’m curious if anyone else has had a similar postpartum experience because I’m starting to look back at the last few years very differently. Before pregnancy I was around 142 lbs, very active, worked out constantly, ate really well, weighed my food, and was pretty disciplined about staying in a calorie deficit when I wanted to lose weight. I did have hair loss before pregnancy, but I did not struggle with fatigue. During pregnancy I was told I had low iron and was prescribed iron, but it made me”
“Hi moms, wondering if anyone has experienced a change in bowel movements for a prolonged period of time after birth? Since having my third over two years ago, my BMs are loose about 90%+ of the time and the sudden urgency to go comes about out of nowhere. I’ve been seeing a pelvic floor therapist to help with the urgency but am at a loss for the other part of the problem. Could it be a food allergy maybe? Would appreciate any insight with anyone who has had a similar experience. Thanks sub”
“Who has been through this and has any resources both for myself and or something to help my teen understand what her mom is going through? Right now they seem to be just on each others nerves all the time. Our daughter is a good kid but a typical teen, needs to be reminded of all of the chores, it’s always ‘I know’. My wife grew up in a yelling house, I did not. I do not respond to yelling, so I don’t yell. My wife, while not necessarily yelling pulls out her ‘teacher voice’ so to speak which is”
“Did anyone get acne on their arms and forearms after having a baby? If you did what did you do? Im breaking out and have no idea what to do… I’m 6 months postpartum and this is completely new submitted by /u/Ok_Armadillo4291 [link] [comments]”
“The acne on my arms is insane and definitely new. Did this happen to anyone else and what did you do? submitted by /u/Ok_Armadillo4291 [link] [comments]”
“Hey yall. Had my baby at the end of July via C-section (not planned). He’s nearly 6 weeks old. Anyways on to my question/concern. I swear my c section shelf looks and feels bigger today. Like it’s sticking out more and feels plumper. Is that normal? submitted by /u/ninezerone [link] [comments]”
“8 months pp. I swear I wake up with a new ache and pain every day. I want to exercise and be more active, but it’s so hard when every bone in my body is telling me to lie down! Idk if it’s the hormones (still pumping) or just general recovery, but this sucks. submitted by /u/Caff3inatedCunt [link] [comments]”
“I never had any issues with my hands, arms, or shoulders before having my baby. After giving birth, though, I immediately developed De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (“mom thumb”). It was incredibly painful for months—to the point where even taking care of my baby could be excruciating. I eventually got a cortisone injection, which helped after some time. Not long after that, I developed trigger thumb (not from massage—I honestly have no idea what caused it). Most of the pain is around the MCP joint.”
“I’m 2 days post partum. I ended up having to get a c section, so I’m not sure if this plays into things, but I’ve noticed a weird smell in my pee, and on my baby. It’s the same smell. It’s sort of like a metallic smell, that’s the best way I can describe it. Never smelled anything like it before. Anyone else experience this? submitted by /u/mother-nature42069 [link] [comments]”
“I’m not sure if this is the right place for this but I think it has something to do with hormones so asking here. 8 months pp. Most mornings since giving birth I have a lot of soreness and joint pain. It’s what I imagine an elderly person might feel like in the morning. By midday the pain is totally gone. But it’s painful for me to get up from a seated position and pick up my baby (she is heavy lol) in the morning for the first few hours before getting moving. It ebbs and flows a bit. Some days”
“Hey all! I gave birth 9 weeks ago and I’ve noticed lately that my clit feels lower/smaller/hidden since giving birth. I would love to have some time with my husband but it genuinely feels off down there when we try any foreplay. Which stinks because part of my body is rearing to get back in bed but my vagina is like “nope sorry!” I couldn’t find a lot of info about this, has it happened to anyone on here? Pls tell me the cooch will go back to normal 😭. Reading the Off Campus series also isn’t h”
“Ok so my Husband and I have only just had sex 10 weeks postpartum, he didn't finish (nor did I) he says that I feel different, like he thinks he can feel the scar tissue from where I had internal stitches, we had a forceps delivery and I tore inside and out! Has anyone else had a similar situation?? Is this a thing?! EDIT: Appreciate the love and support from you all but he isn't an arsehole 🤣 or maybe he is 🤣. It was a genuine question if anyone else has had their partner claim they c”
“I'm 6 months postpartum and the hormone stink is pretty bad. I tried exercising today and after 15 minutes of yoga you could've killed flies with my stinky shirt. I've tried 4 different deodorants (can't use spray though since it makes my pits itch like crazy), regular and anti perspirant Dove deodorant roll ons, local brand deodorant cream in a tin and Dr Teals. I wash my armpits very intensely with a bar soap and scrub for 2 minutes each side with a wash cloth. I also tried ant”
“Hi! I’m 36 female, and had my baby 4 years ago. I have no idea where to post this so I’m hoping this is the right place! For reference, after I had my child I was 185 lbs ish and actually lost weight during pregnancy (due to gallbladder restrictions). After I had him, I gained significant weight some depression, bad choices etc. About 3 months PP I had such bad tailbone pain I couldn’t sit. I did PT and she also mentioned to me I had “mild prolapse” and “a very weak pelvic floor”. Fast forward s”
“Hello all 👋 this is a little long, but i appreciate the read. my baby is a year old and I feel like I've finally passed all my postpartum issues (or most of them anyway). So this might be slightly random, but with the death of Hayden Panettiere, I've been thinking about how she not only had to portray someone going through post postpartum depression, but was experiencing it in her real life as well. I cant imagine the toll that could play on a new moms mind. I was lucky that it didnt ex”
“Hi all, I've wanted to create this post for a while now in hopes that it helps others and possibly hear from others that have had similar experiences. I tried desperately to look for relatable posts when I went through this traumatic experience over a year ago... but I couldn't find anything quite like my story. Having a large 7cm hematoma (I've dubbed it Hermy to make light of a traumatic situation) that was not drained. I felt so alone and wished I could talk to someone that went t”
“So I started having the skin on the bottoms of my feet peel a lot ever since like 2 months postpartum. I looked it up and apparently it's a common postpartum thing to just happen. Has anyone else experienced this? What have you done to make it better? I've never had super dry or peeling skin anywhere, so I honestly have no idea how to handle it, but it's getting to a point where I have to keep bandaids on hand since my feet will sometimes peel enough to cause pain. It doesn't hel”
“I’m 15 months pp and ever since I got my period back about 6 months ago these awful ovulation symptoms are happening. Was bedridden today. Is there anything that helps? submitted by /u/Impossible-Cheek4352 [link] [comments]”
“Or offer me some peace of mind? I had an emergency c-section last fall and looking at my op notes it said one of my ovaries and tubes wasn’t able to be adequately due to scar tissue. That was before my c-section. I have no idea what it is from. But I did have some cysts during pregnancy but they didn’t burst. Anyway this makes me anxious that the c-section caused more adhesions and I am afraid of it making me not able to have another baby. Can anyone offer why advice to make me less anxious?!9””
“My son is 18 months and I just found out I’m pregnant again (yay!). With him I had intense morning sickness in my first trimester, and horrible pelvic pain in the third trimester. He went 10 days past his due date and I was induced, delivered vaginally. The postpartum experience was traumatizing to say the least lol. I guess I’m wondering if things might be better/easier this time around. My pregnancy and labor weren’t that difficult, honestly, it was really the early postpartum months that kill”
“Why did nobody tell me?? Beyond all the crazy postpartum pain, depression, and anxiety….whats with the postpartum sweat?? I’ve NEVER in my life had night sweats, but they are awful! Doesn’t matter if it’s cold in the room or if i sleep basically naked, i wake up sweating like I just ran for five miles in 90 degree weather. During the day I smell like onions. I’m not a dirty person by any means. I’ve always made sure my shower routine has been on point. My after shower routine, same thing. Nothin”
“Well girlies, the hormone monster got me.. at 19 days post partum. It wasn’t anything rough and it didn’t hurt at ANY point. I used the bathroom immediately after and washed my labia with antibacterial soap just to be safe (never put soap INSIDE the hole obviously) & air dryed. With my first I had sex 2 weeks pp as well n obviously I was fine since that was 9 years ago lol but I’m having a breakdown rn & scared I’m gonna die (anxiety ASF) so someone please tell me I’m crazy n to just wat”
“You guys,seems i got my perioad back 5 months and a hald after delivery. I am so sad,i thought i had more time. With my first,i got it 14 months after. It was 8 years ago and i do not remember much,but length and pain were not improved. I am EBF,on demand day and night. What can I expect? How did you manage? Hopefully milk will be the same. Thank you! submitted by /u/Good_Emergency_5478 [link] [comments]”
“If you're chronically ill, who takes care of the baby if you take a turn for the worse? Postpartum recovery has been good mentally but my physical health has taken a profound nosedive after some cardiac complications during pregnancy. I don't know if I'll get better and so now I'm wondering: If I don't recover and am unfit to care for the baby due to limited mobility and disability, what happens? Does CPS intervene? Can I ask a hospital for resources? Is there some sort of go”
“Hi! Not sure if this is where I could ask this question, I'm 2 months postpartum. When I was pregnant my hands got so swollen I had to take my wedding and engagement ring off, (they fit perfectly before) they've been off for at least 5 months now. I try every so often to put them back on but my knuckles seem to have gotten bigger. I was wondering if I go ahead and get them resized or if I should just wait longer to see if they go back to fitting? Has anyone experienced permanent size cha”
“I have to sleep with a bra on and am constantly soaking through my breast pads. How do you all manage to not be a leaking mess throughout the night? submitted by /u/semeg4life [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, hoping to get some advice or hear from anyone who has dealt with this because I’m feeling really frustrated and lost on next steps. I’m currently 9 months postpartum. Around 2–3 months postpartum, I noticed my fingers/joints were swollen and I developed a trigger finger in my right ring finger. My postpartum physio and GP both told me this is super common due to hormones and fluid retention and that it usually resolves on its own by 8–9 months. Instead of improving, it has actually”
“Hey everyone, so I’m F35+, gonna be 36 next month. Gave birth last July to my first and got my period back around 5 or 6 months pp. In general my pp has been going well, save for extra hip/lower body pain and dysfunction that required some work with a physiotherapist. While that is managed and I just need to stay consistent with the mobilisation exercises and stretches, I’ve noticed that my aches and pains in those regions are extra about a week leading up to my period. Like, right now is one ex”
“It’s about the same amount of time, but heavier and much more painful. The moods swings are honestly wild (my poor husband) and my headaches are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Surely I’m not the only one who has experienced this, right?? I would appreciate hearing other’s experiences. Thanks! submitted by /u/maddiecounts2amilly [link] [comments]”
“Has anyone dealt with this? If so, what were your symptoms and how long did they last? Im 3 months postpartum and I have been having multiple hot flashes a day, pounding heart, dizziness/lightheadedness and worst of all, I have lost over 1/3 of my hair. The amount that is coming out when I wash my hair is grotesque. I’m very lucky that I have a ton of hair so it doesn’t look too scary yet, but I can’t do much more of this without going bald. I’m taking prenatals, extra iron, omega3s, vit d, and”
“so looking for some advice I guess? I’m 4m post partum and haven’t gotten my period yet. I am breastfeeding which I know can delay getting your period after birth. my 1st 2 kids I didn’t breastfeed so this is all new territory for me. I’m in a mom group on fb and tons of them who are EBF have gotten atleast one period (all our babies were due the same month). I am very active with my boyfriend and so far all my tests have been negative. Just wondering how long on average it takes to get that fir”
“I use my husbands account, since I’m not active on Reddit and you need an active account to post here. 15 months ago, I gave birth to our beautiful second child. My first was born via C-section, which was tough, but manageable. The second birth caused quite a few issues for me. I needed several stitches and was told that it would take some time for everything down there to feel normal again. But to be honest, I’m starting to feel like it will never be the way it was before. One of the biggest ch”
“My mental and physical health has been on a complete rollercoaster for the last almost 9 months since I birthed my son. I had a scary breech birth where I thought I would die or my son would, ever since I’ve never been the same despite all my efforts. I’ve had countless medical testing done everything’s coming back fine, only thing showing so far is anaemia. I know I’m hypermobile and have POTS diagnosed pre pregnancy. My ferritin was 9 and I’m really really struggling. I have severe anxiety and”
“I’ve always had issues with my jaw here and there but this is brutal! It’s giving me vertigo and making my vision hard to focus. I went to the doctor and they said everything else was fine. It’s really taking a toll on me and caring for my baby. They simply just referred me to my OB (can’t get in until the end of the month) since my period happened during this time and was pretty heavy. Its came and went though and I’m still miserable. Does anyone have any advice? I’m EBF so I don’t know if my p”
“Our LO is 8.5 months now and I’m finally starting to get flashbacks of pregnancy and the birth. For a while there I really blocked it all out. Every pregnancy “symptom” in the book, I got. I was induced two weeks early because I was on blood thinners. Induction took 3 days with failure to progress. I ended up getting a high fever and had to go in for an emergency c-section. The combo spinal/epidural didn’t work after 5 attempts and top ups. I felt them cut into me, I felt it all. They had to put”
“I’m wondering if anyone has any feedback or have ever had a Jumu massage, I’m 8 month PP and suffering with joint pain every single joint is aching. It’s so bad I’m at a loss for what to do as I do already fortnightly physio, and have had back and neck pain for quite sometime so I’m wondering if Jamu massage would help. submitted by /u/Equivalent_Common287 [link] [comments]”
“Im a year postpartum and thinking back something i found so helpful when recovering is remembering that recovery isnt linear. Sometimes youll feel better, sometimes you can barely move. Maybe you go a week without pain, and then the next you feel horrible. It really does a number on your mind. Its ok to have bad days where you feel like youre going backwards. The truth is youre not. Every day youre one step closer to recovery. And if you think youre all better, give yourself another week of bedr”