I don't know if any of you have had this medical condition. Since I delivered my son 8 months ago, I have developed stiff joints sort of like arthritis or osteoporosis it feels like. At first I thought it was from carrying my son who was 9.4 pounds at birth and is now 24 pounds.I thought my body would adjust over time, like when you lift weights at the gym then your muscles are sore the next day. But as time went on, it never improved. Now my son is almost 8 months and I still feel stiff at night and in the morning and I have the restless leg syndrome at night just like when I was pregnant. It is worst in the morning though. I feel like my body is 70 years old not 37!!! I stopped breastfeeding at 6 and a half months and I thought maybe the condition would go away then but nope! Still stiff and my joints are clicky all over my body. It does not make sense. It does not prevent me from running or exercising but it is just annoying that my body aches like that when I wake up. Some people tell me that it is pregnancy related and that now that your body is no longer carrying a baby, your joints are no longer loose and your body is readjusting. I am wondering if it happened to any of you moms and over time if it returned to normal. I also had the carpal tunnel on both wrists when I delivered and my wrist still cracks. I would appreciate any response so that I stop worrying that I am developing some kind of disease like osteoporosis or arthritis at 37 years old. Thank you!
TO everyone that wrote about this...It's has been a long time since that posting and just to let you know what happened. After I stopped nursing at 6 months, my body slowly went back to normal. When my son turned a year, I was back to normal. In Nov 09, I delivered my second son and my body started doing the same thing. I am nursing and he is 7 months now. I am weaning now because I know that when I do, my body will return to normal as it happened with my first pregnancy. Our bodies seem to respond in the same way and I hope all returns to the way I felt before getting pregnant. So I think it is hormones due to pregnancy and delivery related and nursing related.
my joints weren't stiff per se, but my pelvis was definitely different. it still doesn't feel like its all the way back together again. and if i move certain ways it pops & cracks. but my back was sooooo outta wack and it still is. my son was almost 10 lbs at birth and he's a big kid now (about 35 lbs, 22 mos old).
your condition sounds important enough to be checked out.
take care,
rah
Have a blood test. They can look for arthritis markers, lupus, and a host of other things that could be causing the pain and stiffness.
I had extreme carpel tunnel during both my pregnancies, starting with numb thumbs in the 3rd trimester, then building up to a horrible tingling from my fingertips to my shoulder blades, with a burning sensation in my hands that felt like I was slamming them in a car door to put them out. It gradually receded after delivering each baby, but it's never gone away completely. I wear wrist splints when I need to, take medication, have had blood tests, been tested for carpel tunnel (a horrible test, I don't recommend it), etc. Taking Omega-3 fish oil pills helps, as does ice on the wrists and exercise.
Good luck. I know how frustrating it can be.
Hi N. - Are you RH negative (your blood type is O negative, or B negative, etc.)? Sometimes when you're RH negative and your baby was not, it can create some stiffness in your joints. Ask your dotor about it and see what they say - and how long they expect it to last. It may give you some peace of mind. Good luck!
In my experience (two kids) it is totally normal. I actually had my food x-rayed after my first child because I thogut it was broken. My doc later told me it is very normal to have discomfort in joints because everything loosens during pregnancy and it takes time for everything to settle back into place. I say be patient and it may just go away on it's own.
I'm 39 with an 8 month old baby. I have the same thing, although it's gotten better over time. My wrists, fingers, ankles got so achy in the morning and at night. I had all the tests and don't have arthritis or any of those other conditions. Most of what my dr's have told me is that it is normal and it does eventually go away. I've been doing yoga once a week which does help a little but i'm really sore and achy afterwards. I'm hoping that it resolves itself on its own and soon...I also feel like i'm 80 years old, not in my late thirties. Good luck, i hope it gets better soon.
I know this question was made a couple of years ago, but I have the exact same thing you described. I have a 7 month old and my aches started when he was around 3 1/2 months, and they have only gotten worse. The mornings are the worst and my hands hurt so bad I can barely turn the bathroom door handle. I also developed TMJ. I too am worried just the same I just turned 30, and I am going to see a reumatologist next month. I have always been active and healthy. This is just depressing. Are you feeling better??
