I am a nurse practitioner and a mother of four. Prior to motherhood, I had only read and studied about the illnesses and disease processes most common before, during, and after giving birth. Now, after birthing twins and two singletons, I can say I have experienced them.
Not all, I’m sure, but several.
And they can be brutal.
As a mother and nurse practitioner, I want to share some common postpartum illnesses and symptoms, so that you can be aware as you navigate the postpartum period.
If you have any of the symptoms listed below, please call your doctor and ask for an appointment. One of the worst things we can do as mothers is ignore our medical and self-care needs, although it happens all the time.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission. Rest assured this is at no additional cost to you. Please see my disclaimer HERE.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Whether you had a vaginal birth or C-section, I think we can all agree that everything in your pelvic region is just “off” for quite some time after having a baby. Because of all the trauma to the area, urinary catheter, and being distracted by the needs of your newborn, it is sometime difficult to recognize that you have a bladder infection. This is a simple yet dangerous illness if it goes untreated.
Symptoms of a UTI include:
- burning with urination
- urinary incontinence
- urinary frequency (feeling the need to pee often)
- urinary hesitancy (difficulty starting to pee)
- pelvic pain
Chills, body aches, low back/kidney pain, nausea, and vomiting are all concerning signs that the infection has progressed to your kidneys.
I have a good friend that developed a fever of almost 103 degrees just a few days after giving birth. That was her ONLY symptom. It was the weekend, so she was only able to talk to an on-call physician at her OBGYN’s office who informed her that her fever was more than likely from breast feeding and her milk supply coming in.
No.
When she called me and told me what was going on I instructed her to go to an urgent care center and have her urine tested immediately.
Diagnosis? Severe UTI. More than likely from the urinary catheter they placed during labor.
If you have any of these symptoms and think you could have a UTI, get checked out. You NEED antibiotics for this. Water, cranberry juice (not cocktail), and AZO (#ad) may help your symptoms but will not kill the bacteria growing in your urine and bladder.
Constipation
The very FIRST thing I asked for after delivering my third child was my stool softener (#ad).
I didn’t care about the pain medication (yet). I didn’t care about food, drink, or ice chips anymore. I knew I NEEDED that stool softener. I learned after my twin birth just how important that little capsule is. That first bowel movement after giving birth can be rough and I did not want to have that struggle this time around.
Towards the end of your pregnancy and afterward, I would suggesting increasing your water intake and incorporating more fiber in your diet, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole grains (oats, brown rice). Talk to your doctor about specific needs because there are some instances, such as gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, that you need to limit certain foods.
Postpartum Thyroiditis
Now this one really threw me for a loop. About six weeks after giving birth my menstrual cycle returned but was very irregular, which is abnormal for me. I had hot flashes, heart palpitations (fluttering), and was very fatigued. I felt like I was pregnant.
I’m not even sure how many pregnancy tests (all negative) I took before I went to my OBGYN to ask for answers. One simple blood test determined I had developed hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Unfortunately, when this develops, it can damage the thyroid and result in hypothyroidism.
Goodbye, metabolism.
I, like many others who develop this disease, now rely on a pill each morning to keep my thyroid levels at a healthy and functioning level. I still find that I have difficulty losing weight and keeping weight off, which I never struggled with previously.
Symptoms of overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) include:
- Hot flashes
- Weakness
- Anxiety
- Increased heart rate and/or palpitations
- Weight loss
- Difficulty keeping focus
Symptoms of underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) include:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Sensitivity to cold
- Weakness
- Weight gain
- Muscle pain/cramping
I miss my normal metabolism. A “fake” metabolism is just not the same. I will say that I know I am fortunate. One pill a day and check-up every 3-6 months is nothing to be complaining about.
Blocked Milk Duct
One word: ouch.
This is so very miserable. Blocked ducts can be caused by engorgement, wearing the wrong bra (too tight), and inconsistency with breast feeding. Normally you will have a sore lump/knot in the breast, and possibly a small decrease in the amount of milk you are pumping (if you are pumping).
The good thing is that you can do a lot to prevent blocked ducts and take steps to get relief once it occurs:
- Use warm compresses (#ad) or take a hot shower
- Massage breast to express blockage and milk (I highly recommend this Warming Lactation Massager! #ad- Add it to your registry if you haven’t delivered yet, because you WILL need it at some point)
- Wear a supportive bra
- Breastfeed frequently, starting with the affected breast
- Rest
- Drink plenty of water
When these steps weren’t effective, I would rely on my husband to help unblock the duct. Sounds like TMI, but honestly, this was the most effective when the baby’s suction was not strong enough.
If you’ve exhausted every effort and you are still suffering, please talk to your healthcare provider. There may be something else causing your pain and discomfort.
Mastitis
Simply put, mastitis is a breast infection. Because it can start out feeling like a blocked duct it can be difficult to distinguish.
With mastitis you may have:
- A painful lump/knot in breast (same as a blocked milk duct)
- Redness and warmth of breast
- Fever
- Chills
- Body aches
- Fatigue
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Nipple discharge (yellow)
Symptomatic treatment is the same as a blocked milk duct but once you develop the symptoms listed above, it’s time to see your OBGYN. This will, more than likely, need antibiotics to resolve; especially once fever develops.
Diastasis Recti
To break it down simply:
Diastatsis = separation
Recti = ab muscles (rectus abdominis)
This is a separation of the abdominal muscles and occurs in about two thirds of pregnant women. It occurs commonly in pregnancy because of the increase weight and pressure on these muscles. Following delivery you may notice a “pooch” that may be difficult to get rid of postpartum. During pregnancy, I would call it a “tent” because when I attempted to use my stomach muscles (like when getting out of bed), my belly would form into a tent-like shape.
I learned it was best to avoid activities and movements that would cause this from happening. For example: rather than raising out of the bed by sitting up immediately, I would lay on my side then raise from that position. This decreased the amount of pressure on my muscles and decreased the chance of worsening my already horrible muscle separation.
Postpartum, I recommend an abdominal binder to support your core and work to pull your muscles back together. THIS (#ad) is the one I have and I’ve found it very effective.
Other strategies to help heal diastasis include: physical activity, such as walking. It’s important to avoid activities that can worsen DR. These include, but are not limited to crunches, planks, bending backwards, and push-ups.
If left untreated this can lead to back pain, pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and reduced core stabilization. For best results, begin efforts to heal diastasis at or around 6 weeks postpartum.
Baby Blues vs postpartum depression
These are grouped together so I can explain that they are NOT the same thing. It can be detrimental to the new mother’s health to misdiagnose her with baby blues when, in reality, she needs to be treated for postpartum depression.
Baby blues symptoms are short term, will only last up to 2 weeks after baby is born, and include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Crying/Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Sadness
- Decreased ability to concentrate
- Appetite changes
- Irritability
Postpartum depression is MUCH more severe and can last up to a year after giving birth. These symptoms include:
- Hopelessness
- Depressed mood
- Severe mood swings
- Excessive crying
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Difficulty completing everyday tasks
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- A loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed
- SEVERE anxiety/panic attacks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
- Thoughts of suicide
If you have these symptoms and they are worsening or not improving, PLEASE reach out to your physician for help immediately.
There is also suicide hotline which is 988.
I had these symptoms listed above. All of them. I know it’s embarrassing. I know it’s difficult, while you are going through it, to see reason and understand what is happening. I wasn’t feeling like the real me.
If you are feeling this way, you need treatment.
You deserve treatment.
And your baby deserves you. The real you.
If you are a new mother or mom-to-be I hope this list will help you as you navigate the postpartum period. There is so much joy to be had during the newborn stage and I don’t want it to be overshadowed by the postpartum changes your body is trying to adjust to.
Congratulations mama! And much love to you and your family.