feeling like crap ? normal?

[Delicate_Dove]

I am feeling like crap and unsure if something is wrong.

I would call the hospital but after the birth I am done with Drs and medical staff, (always had issues)

I am 11 days postpartum of a vaginal birth. Day 4 I got mastitis that had me back at the hospital and on anti biotics.

The antibiotics seem to have made me sicker, with a mucus cough (think its lifting off an old chest infection)

I have had chills and fevers and general flu like symptoms from the mastitis or at-least i think thats what it was due to.

but my bleeding is quite heavy again and bright red seems to flow out with each cough but I am not soaking a towel in an hour as some sites suggest.

the other thing is it has become excruciating to go to the toilet (number 2's)
I have no problem with this in the hospital. It doesnt feel like the stitches but more like a sort of bruised anus or muscle spasm.

is all this normal? Iam over tired cranky and have my mother in law staying with us for 12 weeks and nothing feels normal about that.

[paradise lost]

Hi Dove,

You don't sound well to me honey, so despite your aversion (and i am SO hearing you - hate it all to the point of homebirth!) i'd give your doctor or Ob or midwife a call and see if someone can come see you. Your antibiotics will have been 7 days worth? Yes? So you're nearly done, you should be feeling better by now, usually if you're going to feel worse on anti-b's it's the first 24-48 hours when they war starts inside you that's the worst.

As for the number 2 pain, i'm not sure what that could be. It might be a pulled muscle (all muscles can get pulled!) or you might just be a little constipated? Or it could be, if you have disolveable stitches, that something's dissolved and worked a bit loose but not come off and it's pulling your perineum a little. Or it could be an anal fissure, which is like a little cut in the skin on the actual anus, so when you go number 2 the treching and the "traffic" open it up. I've had these and they sting like hell, to the point you have to psyche yourself up to go (well, i did). Without checking you won't know.

It's really really important you look after yourself. One of the hardest lessons of motherhood i had to learn is that once the baby arrives everyone sort of expects the mum to suck it up and get on and cope and often no-one notices if we're ill, or exhausted or just plain low. So, it's hard to make yourself do it i know, but give your doc a call and get yourself checked over. Ok?



Bec

[MantaRay]

Oh DD, you poor thing. I agree with Hoobley, please go and see a doctor, for peace of mind if nothing else. Also on the MIL thing - is there anyway she can leave early? I had MIL stay for 8 weeks after Tom was born - big mistake. She made everything WORSE despite the things she did to help. I think I was on the verge of PND, purely bcos she was there. I would have been better off with 2 under 2 by myself. Do what you need to do for yourself sweetie. Even if you upset your MIL, she'll forgive you later. You have to put yourself first now. Please see a doc and take care. I hope you feel better soon.

[StrawberryMumma]

DD

Sounds like you are having it real tough :hugs: Things are hard enough aren't they without being unwell too. I would definitley say go see someone.

The other girls have given you some great advice. Hope things pick up soon for you..

Oh..and the bruising thing..it could well be that because I know I was SO shocked to see how bruised I was around there! Mine felt really, really achey.

[visitor1]

Your #2 pains could be a fissure?

But i think u should get checked out hun...you dont sound well at all.

[Delicate_Dove]

thanks for the replies,

actually mother in law is here from India so, no she can't go home early... hubby says I am being emotional but quite frankly she is just annoying the crap out of me without even doing anything.
and she always has done and reduces me to tears normally so being sick and sore and tired isnt helping.

I feel she is an intrusion into my life right now. and hubbys "your emotional right now" is patronising.

I feel uncomfortable in my own home, she doesnt speak much english which is making it worse.

as for my health, you are all right, I should go and see a doctor cause it sounds like it's not normal afterall....

thanks for the replies....

don't you just wish you could sit in your jamma's breast feed in front of the t.v and order pizza if you don't want to be bothered cooking , and not make small talk 24/7 with a women who annoys you.

[Delicate_Dove]

thanks for the replies, hubby did drag me to the dr's only to be told he wouldnt give me any thing, said I had to grin and bear it if i was breastfeeding..

I have a respiratory infection, swollen glands as well as conjunctivitis in my eye.
basically Iam totally run down and dead on my feet.

I bought a breast pump and have had someone do a feed for me in the middle of the night which meant I got 4-5 hours un broken sleep which helped a lot, that is until the next day of broken sleep and I am back to feeling dead on my feet.

[Nelle]

Aww Dove, I remember how tough it is, and you've got a few complications on top of what I had!

Keep up that expressing and getting someone else to do a night feed for you, if you can. Is your MIL helping with the cooking at all? If not, screw it all and order takeaway! Seriously. You can even feel better about it by getting relatively healthy takeaway - there's always Subway. Do what you need to do to survive. If you get a moment where you're feeling good, a big cook-up and then freezing extra meals can be a great help.

I remember a friend with a 6 week old baby visiting when my son was a few days old - she looked great, she looked human, and was heading out to get her hair done. I told myself, I'll just try and make it to 6 weeks. I didn't think beyond that. Then, I was at 6 weeks and feeling so much better about things - I'd had a chance to recover a bit more from the birth, and land on my feet a bit better with parenting.

Hang in there, and get those people around you off their butts and taking care of you! Cups of tea, foot rubs, making meals - whatever it takes for you to feel human again.