Physical Postpartum Symptoms?

The cramping is common, especially if she is breastfeeding. I also had hot flashes. I don't know about the nausea but I would expect that loss of appetite has to do with that.

All normal, hormones are RAGING right now and will continue to do so for some time! Good luck and give your sister any rlief you can offer .
M.

I experienced these same symptoms. My doc attributed it to hormonal changes as my body tried to adjust after the pregnancy as well as fatigue/stress. If possible, I'd recommend that others help with the baby and give your sister lots and lots of support, including with meals, and social interactions, including getting out of the house a few times a week at least. This can help rebalance her biochemistry and hopefully prevent postpartum depression. If the symptoms continue for a few weeks, she should definitely follow up with her doc.

M.,
All that sounds normal to me. I didn't have nausea, but I can see that you might because hormones are raging and changing so suddenly. My temperature ran really hot the whole time I breastfed. I would be sweating like crazy and everyone else in the room would be comfortable. I cried buckets for a few weeks post-partum. Can't remember how long, but it was a few weeks. Mostly in the early evening and I think it was b/c I was really tired by then but knew I had a long night ahead of me with a baby that needed to be fed every 2-3 hours. Tell your sister to hang in there, give her lots of TLC and tell her everything she is feeling is normal. If someone could come help her with the baby for a few hours, especially at the time of day which is hardest for her, that would be a big help.

It all sounds normal or at least normal based on my own experience. My doc did give me a prescription pain killer for the cramping that was safe to use while breast feeding. I was also told I could take 4 advil every 4 hrs for the pain. Of course she would have to consult her doc to make sure that is appropriate for her but that may help with the pain some. As far as the hormones that just takes time.

Hope she is feeling better and adjusted soon!!

I think these are all pretty normal - I had all these, especially the hot flashes - I woke up with full blown hot sweats for days after my first daughter was born. I cried occasionally for months.

What I will say is this - my symptoms were minimal with my second pregnancy compared to my first. In hindsight, I think that my hormones were a little too out of control the first time, and I probably should have spoken wiht the doctor. I can't say I was ever really depressed but I think I might have enjoyed my new dauhter more if I had felt better. For this reason, I wouldn't worry too much about your sister, but I would watch her and have her husband watch her. She doesn't know how she is supposed ot feel and she may be bad at telling you if it gets worse. Hopefully, she will only have a bad week or two before it stablizes. But she sounds just like me right now.

She sounds normal to me. If she's breast feeding, cramping while feeding is normal - I was told it helps the uterus return to it's pre-pregnancy size. I loved being pregnant, but it felt so good to have my insides to myself again (my son was 9 lbs at birth) he was very active on the inside and kicked me everywhere). She's probably losing some water weight (I lost 20 lbs when I delivered, and then another 20 within the first 2 weeks afterward). Hot flashes and sweats - normal. It'd be great if you or a friend could come watch the baby for a little bit so she could get a nice shower and a nap in once in awhile - when she's ready for it - she'll probably want to try to be super Mom for awhile till sheer exhaustion hits. It takes nine months for the hormones to ramp you up for delivery, then birth happens and everything switches back to normal more or less within 6 to 8 weeks - it's a lot of change in a short amount of time. A hormonal mess is pretty normal all right.

Sorry to hear your sister is going through this. I had the same problem after my oldest was born. I learned after a few very long weeks that it was because I was not resting as I should have been. Once I figured that out and stopped trying to be super woman, I slowly got better. It was rough trying to take care of my baby and feel the way I felt, so a lot of times I would just lay in bed with her and keep everything close by, including a cooler with her bottles in it and a portable bottle warmer. Finally after a couple of weeks of pampering myself like that, I started feeling better and was able to do more. I hope she feels better soon!

Yes postpartum is miserable but it doesn't last long. Tell her to "hang in there". She will feel better in two weeks. AF

Hi M.,

Yes, those all sound very very normal for day 4. Days 3-5 are when the milk comes in (whether breastfeeding or not) and the hormone prolactin that brings the milk also brings the tears. It's a wild hormonal shift and most (if not all) women will have crying spells for a few days. It's normal to have crying episodes for a couple weeks even, but if it lasts much longer and seems to be getting worse instead of better, that's something to pay attention to.

The cramping is coming from the uterus moving back into her pelvis (also taking place days 3-5 post partum) and the increased oxytocin release from nursing. Watch for increased bleeding, that would tell you something is wrong, but if bleeding is normal, cramping is okay. It should also subside soon. Afterpains vary in intensity for different women and she may be particularly prone to that pain.

The hot flashes and sweating is the body's way of ridding the excess water of pregnancy. It's okay. Check for fever if she feels very hot, that wouldn't be normal.

I don't know about the loss of appetite and nausea, but it could be a symptom of lack of sleep. She should try to rest (I know, I know, new baby....) and alert her care provider if it's getting worse instead of better.

Hope that helps,
G.

It sounds like all of the normal things after having a baby but never hurts to check in with the Dr. I had horrible hot flashes for awhile but I think I would tell her to call her OB.

B.