Normal to feel like you’re dying after birth?

[Anonymous]

Agree with pps, that doesn’t sound normal. Could be incipient mastitis (I had impending sense of doom for abt two days before coming down with terrible mastitis) or something else, including exhaustion/anxiety/sleep deprivation.make sure you tell your doctors and support system how badly you feel and that you need help! I hope you are feeling better soon and congrats!

[Anonymous]

Not normal. Insist on blood work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the "about to die" feeling when I'm hyperthyroid. It's a panic disorder that is linked to my hormonal dysregulation. Indeed, my terrible bouts with hyperthyroidism started soon after I gave birth to my son. Please get bloodwork ASAP for T3, T4 hormones and TSH.

Since this can also happen with any hormonal regulation, it's maybe not thyroid, but your progesterone that's cratering (normal after birth) and causing you to panic. In that case you would need progesterone supplements. I had my placenta encapsulated and I consumed it daily in pill form for this very purpose after my second child was born, because I put two and two together and suspected my thyroid issues didn't explain everything, and that postpartum absence of progesterone was also to blame. The placenta contains high levels of iron and progesterone - suggestion for your next pregnancy!

Everything is worse with sleep deprivation. You NEED to sleep.

In the meantime, hang in there, OP. Big hugs. I know how awful it feels. While waiting for meds, what helped me is cold therapy. I would open the freezer and just stand there, or get a cold shower, or apply cold packs. I don't know if this will help you at all, but throwing it out there.

I think this could be it too. I had my thyroid checked in pregnancy and it was normal but borderline. I feel so off but can’t pinpoint it.

[Anonymous]

Not normal, I agree to double check for mastitis but even if it’s all PPD you’re in bad shape.

The struggling to fall asleep even when someone else has the baby definitely happened to me!! One really important thing for me was deciding that if I was horizontal with eyes closed, that counts. It’s more restful than scrolling your phone and you can stop beating yourself up for not being “asleep.” I got really familiar with the kind of twilight zone where your thoughts get weird but you’re kind of aware of them. Eventually I returned to totally normal sleep! But I’m still pretty good at just closing my eyes and zoning out and it can be a useful skill for travel actually.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, that’s what bad sleep deprivation feels like to me: shaky, nauseous, woozy, and emotional. Can you drug yourself into oblivion and try to get a long, uninterrupted stretch of sleep? Give the baby formula for a night - figuring this out is more important than breastmilk. I like Unisom for a sleep aid and I think it is safe for breastfeeding (ask your doctor though).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like PPD. Not to downplay the physical symptoms but the mindset part. Did you tell your OB about your mental state? This is serious and needs to be taken seriously.

Do you have help - visiting parent, DH on parental leave etc? Or otherwise paid help? I think I would have felt like this if I were alone.

Yes she knows. She’s the one who put me on anxiety meds the day he was born. She also referred me to counselor.

My wife and mom are here. My wife works from home but both are helping. Even when they have him I really struggle with sleep.

So I do have a good support system I think I’m incredibly sleep deprived.

I don't know if it's safe but if it is maybe you need a short course of ambien to get some real sleep

[Anonymous]

Oh man I totally felt like this too. Not saying you shouldn't have it checked but I did have a 4th degree tear also. Just going from no kid to 1 really was hard for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, that’s what bad sleep deprivation feels like to me: shaky, nauseous, woozy, and emotional. Can you drug yourself into oblivion and try to get a long, uninterrupted stretch of sleep? Give the baby formula for a night - figuring this out is more important than breastmilk. I like Unisom for a sleep aid and I think it is safe for breastfeeding (ask your doctor though).

I feel a real push to continue to BF and it hurts to not feed regularly. Babies feeding is so random it’s hard to get any stretch. So far the most I’ve gotten is two hours at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh man I totally felt like this too. Not saying you shouldn't have it checked but I did have a 4th degree tear also. Just going from no kid to 1 really was hard for me.

My tearing isn’t that bad (2nd and a few 1sts) so sorry you went through that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FTM. Overall good birth experience but had some tearing and bladder retention paired with pelvic floor/tailbone damage that makes me have little bowel control.

Baby is one week old and I’m sure I’m dying. Can’t sleep even when given opportunity. Nauseous, shakey and flu-like feelings. Insomnia on top of frequent wakings to feed baby.

I’m certain I’m going to die. Yes, OBGYN knows about symptoms. Everything normal.
No fever, normal blood pressure etc. I’m on anti-anxiety medication.

Didn’t expect to feel like I got hit by a bus postpartum.

Baby is doing great thank God but I am not, what is and isn’t normal? I think I get 3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period on average. Can this kill me?

Thyroid storm from postpartum thyroiditis- your OB should know better than this JFC. She needs to draw your blood and you need to get sleep but in a hypo manic or manic state thats hard to do.

[Anonymous]

Mom of 5. No this is not normal. I had one recovery that was hard but nothing like this. You need to focus on the insomnia. Can you try Benadryl? That has an anti anxiety component too. Do you have the means to get a night nurse? Your partner needs to help at night. Please don’t be afraid of using some formula to give your body a rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please get a full physical asap with a primary care doc. Ob not as good once baby is out.
You will need a uro gyn for repairs when ready (down the road).
See a psychiatrist about anxiety.

Don’t wait. ER if you must.

FYI my ppd anxiety was about harming the baby, not my own health. Not sure if you have ppd but you need help asap.

I had endometritis that was blown off my midwives, multiple OBs, 2 ERs. I never would have been diagnosed if I didn't have a C-section isthmocele revision where the surgeon happened to take an endometrial biopsy. I had heavy menstrual like bleeding 3 weeks post partum. Everyone blew me off. In retrospect, if you leave the 6wk post partum window without a childbirth complication being diagnosed you are screwed. I would go to the ER honestly OP. Also, you need help to get more sleep. If you have to run up a credit card, just do it. I promise you won't regret it

[Anonymous]

I felt like this for about the first 20 months. It was severe sleep deprivation and malnutrition due to high volume breastfeeding without (time for, due to demon baby) sufficient calorie intake. I bet your hormones are not regulating well because you aren’t getting restorative sleep to recover. Try dropping down to one feed or pump per night and let others do all the other feeds until you start to feel better.

[Anonymous]

It’s pinging mastitis for me as well.

Also exhaustion. Can anyone help you take care of baby so you can sleep? Hormones are horrific the first few weeks. I had a baby that didn’t sleep well and lived without sleep for way too long.

It does get better, but please have someone help and check on you. Please keep eating nutrient dense fat foods and drink more water than you think you should. Keep taking your prenatals.

[Anonymous]

One thing about breast feeding (that I learned the hard way) is that the first time you get that long stretch of sleep, your boobs are going to get full and they might wake you up. But don't let that discourage you from trying to get more sleep at night. Your milk production will adjust, but you need to give it time.