Knees Hurt Since Having a Baby

Here's a link that may explain what you are experiencing http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com/joint-pain-...

I know the swelling in my hands took a lot longer to go away after having my daugher than I expected. It was months! But it did slowly go away. Maybe that's the problem?

Just a guess! :)

N.

I remember those pains!! I think they are just your body "getting back to normal". Mine have since dissipated.

Hi D.,

Go see your doctor! As long as you let him know that you're nursing, he won't give you any medication that would harm your daughter. On the other hand, he may be able to show you some exercises and stretches that will help. I have had issues with back and knee pain all my life (even in my thin years ;) ), and I can tell you from experience that there are simple things you can do a few minutes a day that will really help.

The one thing you DON'T want to do is ignore a problem that might turn out to be something serious. Better to be safe and get your doctor's advice now than wait and worry.

Good luck!

HI D. you need to build your body. your body went through a lot giving birth. you need a whole food supplement go to www.jtsharesjuiceplus.com and see what you can get.
J.

Hey there! The hormone is called relaxin and it helps loosen the ligaments in the body as to accomadate the growing and stretching that is required during pregnancy. On another note are you retaining any water? I found I retained ALOT of water after having my son and it put pressure on my knees. I also have about 20lbs to loose to get back to my pre-PG weight. Also keep in mind, for every Lbs. you carry on your body it puts 4lbs of pressure on your knees. So even just a small amount of weight left over from your PG can have an effect on your knees. Better safe than sorry is to talk to a doctor about it. There might be a really simple solution, and you'll feel safer carring your little one around.

Tam

I never had this problem following childbirth, but knee pain like you are describing sounds familiar. Exercise is vital. If you exercise your legs with squats, in particular, you will develop strength in your thighs and calves and take some of the stress from your knees. Don't worry about it being a bigger problem requiring medication. You are doing some heavy work now up and down more often and with a weight in your arms. Try changing your most used chair to a firmer higher one that a couch. You will be surprised at how strong you will get with the baby workout that all mother's must do, changing, feeding etc. Glucosamine chondroitin is helpful but you should ask a doctor about the safety to your nursing baby. Exercise always hurts a bit at first, but the strength you get will serve you well. Good luck.

I know after i had my kids, i noticed how i use to get up from my chair and i emphasized on my knees more and they would hurt, and the pain would go away, if thats not the case i would contact your doctor and see what they feel might be the problem

Hi D.
I had the exact same thing with my knees after having my daughter (now 20 months). I was also 32 when she was born and in good health with no previous knee problems. I worried too - it's not fun at all losing confidence in your own body to hold you up especially while holding your new baby! I did go to the doctor, who not so impressively, told me, "Yes, pregnancy does all sorts to your body!" No help... Anyway, the good news is that it slowly improved - started improving at about 3 months and my knees were back to normal after about 5 months. It may have been a combination of starting to exercise at a 'normal' pre-pregnancy pace and also just the body's recovery after carrying extra baby weight (I lost this after 4-5 months) - I still don't know for sure. Good luck, have patience with yourself and I hope you have strong knees again really soon :), Georgina

Hi D.,

While my knees felt fine, my wrists began hurting me so badly after I had my son - out of the blue!! I thought I had broken my wrist or something & I was also concerned about his safety. I thought I'[d drop him. I couldn't hold his bottle! It turns out I had tendonitisis, a common post-partum ailment that doesn't get talked about....(great-one more ache & pain). The point being is this-go to your doctor or google your pain & post-pregnancy & see what comes up.
Feel better!
-J.
p.s. after the third cortisone shot in my wrist, the pain mysteriously disappeared directly after Thanksgiving 2007. My son is now 17 months old.

I had really bad pain in my feet and lower legs up until almost a year after having my baby. It slowly got better until it was gone. When you are pregnant, you have an increase in the hormone progesterone that can cause some muscle relaxation and lax in the ligaments of the back/knee/feet, etc. The knee joint needs the ligament support and this is what causes the pain. As the hormones begin to return to normal the pain should get better. In the meantime, acupuncture is an alternative treatment that is safe while nursing. It can increase circulation to the area, decrease inflammation, and increase endorphins to decrease the pain. Also chiropractic might be helpful by strengthing and aligning the knee joint which increase ligament support. This is also safe while nursing. Maybe only consider conventional medicine if the pain is severe, the alternatives don't help, the knee is giving way or swelling. Good luck. J.

You probably want to see a doctor, cause anytime something changes suddenly it should be checked out.
That said, I have trouble with my knees too and found something that's cheap and works well- curry capsules. Curry is a natural anti-inflamatory, there are no side effects, and it has really helped me. I recently started running again and was really having trouble, and this has eliminated the pain for me. I don't take anything else (and I'm still bf-ing too).
hth.

During pregnancy developing babies take from you what they need to develop properly. One of those important nutrients is calcium to build their bones and teeth. If you did not take in enough quality calcium while pregnant your baby took calcium from your bones and teeth. Because of this many mothers like you develop problems with teeth and bones, such as your weak knees. It is important for you to take calcium supplements and not just drink milk. The calcium you take in must have with it magnesium and vitamin D in order for you to absorb it fully and strengthen your bones and teeth. Even after your knees feel better you still need calcium supplements because the older you get the more you need to protect your bones and prevent osteoporosis in the future.Try not to worry about safety issues with falling down. You are young and alert and when you feel weak sit down or lie down until you feel better. Check your food intake also to make sure your nutrition is adequate, mothering takes a lot out of us.Don't forget to drink lots of fluids too, water is very important for good health.I am a nurse and a mother and grandmother and take good quality calcium supplements every day.Good luck and stay safe and healthy.

wow, I am 38 and having the same trouble. My daughter is 3 months old and my knees hurt so bad, especially my right knee, even when I go to bed it hurts. I gained 40 pounds during pregnancy and have lost it all. I am breast feeding and this is my 4th child. I never had knee problems with any of my kids. I am not in the best shape but active. Not sure why this is happening and also considering going to the Dr.

Hi D.:
I had the same problem and since I have lupus I was already visiting a rheumatologist. When I told the nurse practioner about the problem she said it had to do with the hormones during pregnancy relaxing and afterwards I didn't have those hormones to loosen my joints. I started exercising through the discomfort and the pain went away within a couple of months. I didn't need to take any medication for it. I hope this helps you!

My therory is that like all things after having a baby you may now be using different muscles caring for the baby that you never used before, even if you are in the greatest "shape" in the world...........For example, I had severe wrist issues after having both of my children........crazy as it may seem, I would go to see the doctor.....refuse meds if offered, but maybe they can give you physical therapy and/or special exercises to do for your knees........All the best and I hope you feel better soon!

P.S. If you are bathing your child in the bathtub and putting alot of pressure on your knees while doing it, the most wonderful invention in the world that I purchased with my first child can be purchased at OneStepAhead.com and it is called the "Baby Smart Tub Guard Set" (it is royal blue in color) it comes with a mat that goes over the side of the tub to support your elbows and it also come with a mat for the floor that supports your knees.......I was having knee issues until I purchased this........also for other "on your knees" tasks you can buy a kneeling pad from any gardening store so you are never putting pressure on your knees directly.

P.P.S.S Remember........even if you are in great shape and exercised throughout your pregnancy now that your body is attempting to "go back to normal" you may be feeling the "after-effects" of the extra weight you had when you were pregnant which you didn't even notice when you were pregnant because you brain has you concentrate on other things when prego and now recognizes the pain now that you have given birth ;-)

D.,
I also had severe knee pain, toward the end of my pregnancy and for like 3 months afterwards. Only difference with me is that I did gain alot of weight during the pregnancy and still have quite a bit to lose, but- I NEVER had any trouble with my knees before being pregnant. I've only been pregnant once, (and we have a beautiful baby girl!), but when I read your story, I could relate as I also had trouble getting in/out of the car, up/down from the couch, and forget even trying to kneel! I still feel a bit of knee discomfort, but I'm pretty sure it's only related to being a bit overweight now. During the pregnancy, I had major swelling in my feet/ankles/legs and was even put on bedrest. I think the swelling definitely affected my knees, but after the C-section, and a few weeks recovery, the knees started to feel better as time went on. I also didn't go see my Dr. about it as I was breastfeeding, and figured all they'd tell me was 'it will go away', or offer me medication which I'd be afraid to take. So I waited. And it eventually got better. You can always talk to your Dr. anyway just to find out, then decide if you want to take medication if they say it's safe, or just bear with the discomfort for a while longer... Good luck to you and your husband, and congratulations!!

D.:
Due to the production of Estrogen to help with pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding...the joints are loose. Zinc can help balance the Estrogen and won't interfere with the breastfeeding. Take the proper amount though...I am not sure but it is not much.
I have a 7 month old son and he even had the effects from it for a month to 3 months after birth...his hip was clicking. After an Ultrasound to make sure all was well the pediatrician told me about the hormones...I was having my shoulder and my wrist pop out of place and he said it was the same for my son.

In time everything will go back in to place...it usually take up to a year after giving birth. I reccommend to buy yourself those "Ace" knee supports and use the Zinc. Be well and Good Luck:)
L.

Have you ever tried any of the Market America products. They are wonderful and the company spends millions of dollars on research on them. I use OPC-3 and Glucosatrin. Both used together works great. If you want to try them, log onto www.marketamerica.com/lizsheffield Let me know how you make out. Oh all the products are natural, not chemical.

L. S

I had the same issue after having baby..when I got up from my desk at work, it was really week and hurt...baby is now 9 mths old and still have the feeling when I go down the steps...although it has subsided a little.

Hopefully, it will eventually go away.

I don't think it has anything to do with baby. Knees get a lot of stress without us noticing. Mayge they ARE a little sore, so try not sitting on low furniture, like the couch for a while. Give it like two weeks and hold on to chair arms or car frame when sitting or getting up. Sometimes I've had to lift my leg with my hands when getting out of the car, but it has always stopped hurting, without any medication. I'm 57!

I'm not sure...but when you're pregnant, there is a hormone that makes your joints a little looser. Perhaps you're feeling some of the after effects of your hormones going back to normal. It wouldn't hurt to give your doctor's office at least a call. And just so you know...most OTC pain relievers are completely safe to take while BFing, like Advil or Motrin for example.

I didn't have a so much as a tylenol when I was pregnant or delivering my daughter (unmed. birth). I also BF her for 2 years, but I'm not a martyr, lol! After she was born if I had a bad headache or my sciatica flared up, I took an advil if I needed something.

after having my baby, my wrists began to hurt reeeally badly. (hate to tell ya, but they still hurt a bit, 9 months in) after speaking to many other mamas (and doctors who could give me no answers), i think it has something to do with breastfeeding depleting you. seems pretty common that nursing girls get joint pain. i brought it up in my baby yoga class and one mom had gotten a cortisone shot in the joint and she said it hurt for 2 days, then fixed her right up for good. another mom said that she had used alfalfa capsules (whole foods) and the pain had gone away...aiming to stay organic, that's what i tried and i feel it worked. i can't say the pain went away completely, but i wasn't religious about taking the pills every day. definitely helped though, hope it helps you :) also, you might try sleeping with knee braces on...sounds backwards, but the doctor suggested i sleep with braces on to correct while at rest...good luck!