9 months pp.
During pregnancy I suffered from low iron. Although, mine only went to 111 I displayed symptoms of fatigue, fast heart rate and generally unwell. I felt so low. I have quite a high iron level so this isn’t low for some people but it was for me. I was prescribed iron tablets and they really helped. Although it did take a month to go up to 113 then another month to reach 120.
Dizzy spells - no idea why I was suffering from these. Maybe part of the low iron or the high heart rate. Sometimes it would rest at 120bpm. I got checked out and everything came back fine luckily.
From 20 weeks pregnant is when this all started happening. My blood pressure also started to increase. 140/90 then gradually over the weeks 160/88. I was put on labetalol to steady this but in also developed white coat syndrome which wasn’t helpful. At home I could manage it but as soon as the professionals did it. It was always high so they were brilliant and took my readings and then told me to go wait in the car do them again and show them pictures. Luckily I never developed pre eclampsia. They tested me a lot for this and everything was good.
My birth was good apart from delivering a biparted placenta. So with this they could only assumed it was all removed. I bled a lot! My iron level plummeted to 82 but I didn’t qualify for a transfusion as it needs to go below 80. I was losing massive clots. Turned out I still had 9cm of placenta inside. This was removed 3 weeks postpartum. I spent 4 weeks at home recovering. I couldn’t even hoover up I was that exhausted! I had a forceps delivery but burst my stitches so this also added to the recovery. Overall I’d say it took me 6 months to feel my whole self. It was definitely from the major blood loss.
Although I only had a second degree tear I suffered from pelvic floor problems for 2 months. I was really struggling with my bladder and bowel. I felt so humiliated but I went private and she reassured me even at 6 weeks postpartum some people take longer and it would come back with exercise. How 9 months on I would say I’m 90% back to where I was with pelvic floors. I can hold my bladder and bowl. It feels the end of the world at the time but patients is key. So there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Yellow discharge. Mine lasted until 12 weeks postpartum. I asked for additional swabs and it turned out I had an infection so got some anti biotics. Even after this is was still yellow. Some peoples just last longer than others so don’t worry.
I hope this can help other ladies as I felt so alone at the time.