Painful stiff joints after having a baby

[BettyBleue]

Hi, I had my first baby almost 7 months ago. Ever since she was born, I've had very painful and stiff joints. My knees are the worst and if I kneel down it can be agony getting up again. My back hurts too, as do my arms and hands. I spoke to my GP about it, who just dismissed it as just 'one of those things' and it will go in time, but it isn't showing any signs of going away.

I wondered if anyone else has experienced this and if so, did you get treatment?

Thank you

Hi, I've had this too, DS is 8 months. I figured it was just that 'toll' everyone says pregnancy puts on your body. My pregnancy was ace but it seems to have all hit me like a freight train since delivery!

I had back ache for a while plus achy hands. Can't remember when that stopped (twins are 20 months now).

Go back to your GP and insist on a work up.
Could be autoimmune/arthritis type thing.

I had this for a bit, it eased up when I stopped breastfeeding. I remember that I couldn't come downstairs in a normal fashion, I had to shuffle down on my bum.

I agree that you should go to your doctor though.

Yes I have this. Dh keeps laughing at me. I think I had it previous times too.

Generally I have some other ailments going. On so I think I am pretty run down.

I wonder if it is to do with the relaxin or whatever it is called disappearing..,?

Dc3 is 3mo and I am bf

Thank you all for your replies. I thought maybe the pain was due to carrying a very heavy baby around (she's off the chart for height and very high up for weight) but your point poocatcher about relaxin, is interesting. I suffered very bad pelvic pain in pregnancy which I believe is due to relaxin and maybe there is a connection.

Yes, I had this with my first and fourth pregnancies. It went away at about 9 months and 11 months post natal respectively (huge baby, like you). It was awful, I'd seize up whilst sat down, try to get up and nearly fall over. Everything ached. I hope yours passes soon.

Might be worth seeing a physiotherapist. I had really painful feet and backache after dd was born and physio really helped.

I had this, worse after my second. As soon as I stopped breastfeeding, my joint pains disappeared.

I have this! It's worst in my hands and wrists. GP and physio not much use. 7 months in it's not as bad although my hands are like claws every morning.

If it's not getting better I would push for further investigation. I have Rheumatoid arthritis and know of a few sufferers (not me I've had it for 18+yrs) whose was triggered by hormonal changes after pregnancy.

I had this after my first. I could barely pick him up at about 4 months. It was probably hormonal, I was bf and on pop. I think your oestrogen levels go down.

I have had it again now I am having meno problems. I take vit D3 and omega 3 oils which help a bit. (and HRT)

Are you bfing? I only ask because I had spd during pregnancy mildly. However, after delivery it got worse and worse. Physio said that the hormones bfing releases can also cause or make spd worse.

True to form, when I stopped the aching stopped.

Me too! So glad to find out it might be to do with post pregnancy and not aging which I thought it was at first. I find it much worse lying down so really ache in bed (fingers and knees in particular) once I'm up and about its okay. Feels like lactic acid, does anyone know if it's related to this?

Oh yeah and I'm breastfeeding and DS is six months next week.

Have any of your family got thyroid issues or other auto-immune problems? Have you ever had glandular fever?

I got really achy joints and muscles after DS1 was born, spent about 9 months struggling with exhaustion (expected after a baby), aches and pains ("well you're using muscles you haven't used before), feeling tearful and forgetful (again, PND?) and various other ailments.

It was finally checked by a locum after my own GP had ignored my several requests for a thyroid test and surprise surprise, turned out my thyroid was failing. My mum had it when she went through menopause and my nan was never diagnosed but looking back I'm sure she had it. Should have been picked up much sooner.

It's easily treated if that is the case so if the pains persist do ask for a test.

Yes, or like Wonky says, could be rheumatoid arthritis which is another auto immune condition and can be set off by hormonal changes.

My son is almost 2, and I'm almost back to normal. It took AGES. Still get stiff ankles sometimes but that's all.

That's interesting Mark I've had glandular fever. Have never had my thyroid tested but have often wondered. Oh no I don't want a thyroid problem!