Aches 4 months postpartum

[ttigerlilly]

Looking for some advice please...

I gave birth to my first child 4 months ago.

Since being pregnant, I have experienced something strange about my ankles. If I am sat down for any longer than 20 mins/half an hour, when I get up I find that they have sort of seized up and feel very tense, which means I hobble around the flat as though I am still heavily pregnant until they loosen up.

For context, I am relatively fit and healthy and I am around a stone heavier than before I was pregnant. I've been doing yoga to see if this helps with feeling more agile.

Did anybody else experience this after having a baby? I wonder if it is normal and it's just part of the healing process for my body. I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me though.

Thank you!

Congratulations on your little baby OP.
My aunt, who was a very well known independent midwife, told me it takes 18 months for your body to get back to normal after birth.
I remember thinking I’ve done well as I felt great within a few months of my first. But when the 18 month mark cane I remember thinking, she was right, as I really food feel ‘back to normal’ then, and realised I really wasn’t back to normal earlier. If that makes sense?
I may be wrong here but I think your joint relax a bit before birth, I wonder if it could be related to that?
But I think a visit at some stage to the GP wouldn’t be a bad idea. I developed really severe hyperthyroidism after my first and had no idea!! I thought every one felt rubbish.

Congratulations on your new baby! Could be some vitamin deficiency? Deff ring the gp.

I developed terrible joint pain and carpal tunnel after having my first baby. Going down the stairs in the morning felt like I was elderly, one step at a time because my ankles were so stiff and achey.

Relaxin hormone levels stay high for as long as you’re breastfeeding and then takes a good while to leave your body. I had physio on my wrists and the physio said it was very common and usually stopped within a couple of months of ending breastfeeding. Definitely worth having a chat with your doctor but it’s likely it will go in due course, might take a good few months though.

@LittleOgres thank you for your response. It's funny that you mention the thyroid as I mentioned a separate issue to a family member and she suggested it might be a thyroid issue. I will definitely follow your advice and book an appointment with my GP tomorrow morning.

@JustC thank you very much! I am going to phone the GP in the morning.

@Wheresmrlion that's very interesting, I stopped breastfeeding two weeks ago. The fact you mention carpel tunnel is ringing alarm bells as I have been struggling with a pain in my wrist for a few days which I thought was just a strain. You've definitely given me a few things to speak to the GP about, thank you for your advice.