Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Karin,
    
    I, too, had some dizziness, but it didn't last as long as you 
    described.  I attributed it to lack of sleep.  If I were you
    I would call the doctor.  It's always better to be safe than 
    sorry.
    
    My recovery has been relatively smooth.  Another blessing to 
    add to my list...
    
    
    Linette 
    (almost 11 weeks since Alex arrived!)
    

I've had 2 vaginal infections.  The first one was a pain because it was during 
the first few weeks and that was pretty bad (hard to take care of yourself and 
baby when you're in pain) -- had to take antibiotics to get rid of it and call
my husband home from work early a few days when things got too hectic.  The 
second time was about a month ago (approx. 3 months post-partum) but was the 
usual yeast infection, not too painful and easily cured by the vaginal cream.

I also had a really bad cold for about 3 days (approx. 2 months post-partum)
and then gave it to my baby!  What a mess.  My nose would drip when I was
trying to change her.  I tell you one good thing about being pregnant was
never being sick!

Kyra

    Hi.
    
    I think you should see a Doctor also, but not your OB/GYN, a
    regular family doctor.  The "stress" of pregnancy on your body may have
    triggered another type of problem.  If you feel it is necessary, have
    them run a full series of tests.  Don't stop until you feel you have
    found a satisfactory solution.
    
    Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.
    
    corinne
    
    
    
    

    I'm presently going through my usual post-partum round of
    migraines.  They come on at midcycle starting about 1-2 years
    after the baby, and go on for 6-8 months . . . sigh.  
    
    --bonnie

	I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and I suffer from migraines.  Pregnancy
has a tendency to make both of those things go into recession.  (During your 
pregnancy, your immune system tones down a bit.  The bad news is that colds 
and such last about twice as long.  The good news is that since RA is your 
immune system attacking your own body (think of it as being allergic to 
yourself :-) ), it too tones down for the duration of the pregnancy.  As for 
the migraines, they seem to be caused by too little (too much?) seratonin in 
your brain.  Your progesterone (one of the hormones affected by pregnancy) 
level affects your seratonin level.)

	Within a few months of having Katie, my RA was back full force (and 
worse because I was carrying a few extra pounds) and the migraines soon 
followed.  My digestion was also more touchy than it used to be, just about 
any change in diet would cause at least one loose bowel movement.  Add to that
the general state of being run-down from looking after the baby and working...
Well, I might have thought I was deathly ill based on all the (by now unfamiliar) 
aches and pains I was experienceing.  After a few months things leveled out 
again.  Losing some weight helped the RA.  Getting used to being a parent helped
with the general feeling of being overwhelmed (and under energied :-)).  Time
helped with the hormone levels.  But I still get migraines. 

	Bottom line is, don't panic, it may just be your body getting back on 
an even keel.  But as others have mentioned, it's a good idea to see a doctor to
make sure.

Tracey

    Funny you should mention dizziness.   Jackie is almost 5 months old and
    I also experience bouts of dizziness.  I attributed it to lack of sleep
    and more recently, a cold.  Other things that happened to me after she
    was born... I can no longer where pierced earings because my ears get
    infected, and the arch in my left foot *kills* me by the end of the day
    to the point if I get up at night it hurts.  I never really thought
    about it much, but I guess this is all related to having a baby.  If
    this is my first, I wonder what will happen if/when I have another. :}
    
    Oh - I agree with the earlier response about seeing your doctor.  One
    of these days I'll probably also take that advice and go... but where
    do I find the time anymore??
    
    Mary
    

    I, too have noticed the numbness in my hands and feet. I have a routine
    Dr. appt. scheduled in a couple months and was going to ask about it
    then. It's a strange feeling that I get basically in my hands/arms...
    slightly numb and tingley and some pain. It lasts for about a half an
    hour. I never really associated it with having a baby, my daughter is
    20 months.
    
    Jan

    You might want to look around for environmental reasons for the 
    numbness in the extremities. 
    
    It might be from the baby's weight pressing on a nerve or blood
    vessel in your arms or shoulders when you're carrying it.  For
    instance, if when you feed the baby you always sit with your elbow
    resting on the arm of a chair and the baby's head in the crook of
    your elbow, the pressure may be interfering with the circulation
    or the nerve. 
    
    Another thing I found was that when I slept on my side, gravity
    would pull my breast down onto my upper arm, and with all the milk
    in it it was heavy enough to cut off circulation.  My arm was
    always numb when I woke up, and would sometimes hurt during the
    day.  Putting my arms over my head while I slept didn't help,
    because that position pinches the nerve where it goes through the
    shoulder joint.  But some experimenting did eventually yeild a
    comfortable non-restrictive position.
    
    Hands and feet both sounds like something for the doctor, however. 
    
    --bonnie

Wow, someone else who has trouble with pierced earrings after having
a baby.  Actually, I've always been sensitive to anything other
than 14K gold.  I even developed an aversion to my wedding band
after having my daughter so I take it off at night.   Well, now
that I'm pregnant again my rings give me no trouble!

    Doesn't sound like this applies to you, but it might benefit someone
    else.
    
    My girlfriend developed "carpal tunnel syndrome" in her last trimester. 
    Basically it is numb fingers due to the carpal nerve or something like
    that.  Anway, at 2 months she still has it -- it's very frustrating to
    her trying to button the tiny baby buttons, pin diapers, etc.  At her 6
    week post-partum checkup her doctor said if it wasn't decreasing by 3
    months, he would recommend some type of small operation, or she could
    have permanent damage.
    
    Apparently it is a fairly common side effect of pregnancy, but the
    extent of requiring surgery is fairly rare.
    
    My $.02!
    

    This reply is a bit late but I thought I'd enter it anyways.
    
    I found out my dizziness mentioned in .0 was from low iron.  I am now 
    pregnant with #3 and at about 30 weeks had the same dizziness and it
    was again iron. Also you become incredibly tired when you have low
    iron and have no appetite.  (No appetite is a dead giveaway for me!
    I usually eat lots.)
    
    My iron level wasn't actually anemic but, it was very low for me.  I
    normally have high iron so just the drop caused problems.  I was so
    tired when I had low iron that I couldn't stand at the kitchen counter
    to make Stephen's lunch, I had to bring in a chair.  After about 2
    weeks of iron I really noticed an improvement.