Ok Moms,
I am looking for answers for someone who is facing symptoms unfamiliar to me, and I have been a doula and childbirth educator since the dawn of time I think. I am unable to reference them in any of my medical journals etc. I am hoping one or more of you Moms have experienced this and would share your wisdom with me. BTW this lady is NOT a client, and I referred her to her practitioner.
So, I have a Mom who is 4 weeks postpartum. She is still having the full feeling that you have before 38 weeks when your diaphragm and intestines are pushed up to make room for baby. Have any of you had this, and if so would you please share what was the cause and resolution? i kow she wouldbe happy to hear your wisdom as would I.
Thank you so much in advance!
T. Nelson CD
Thank you for your quick responses already. Let me state as I failed to do so previously, I DID recommend she take this up with her practitioner! I do not attempt to diagnose or do anything outside my scope of practice. This is not a cleint, but a neighbor and friend who is asking. She figured in my line of work, I may have heard of something similar. I said I hadn't but would throw it out there for other people to share their thoughts.
Thanx Moms.
She may have a large clot in her uterus made of blood from the delivery. It will remain until it is expelled. She may need help to get it out. Another posablity is a fibroid that grew larger from all the birth hormones.
Hi T.,
I was a childbirth educator for 15 years, and a postpartum doula as well. Any unusual physical symptoms should be reported to her doctor or midwife. I think this is outside the scope of your practice. As childbirth educators and doulas, we do not diagnose. A mom does not have to wait til her six week postpartum visit to contact her medical caregiver if she has concerns. If this were my postpartum client, my advice would be for her to contact her OB or MW.
Interesting. What does her medical Dr say? It could be a cyst or something?
Did she have a C section? I heard something similar with a coworker and she ended up in the hospital for weeks because the OB/GYN accidently cut her bowel during the C section. I sure hope this isn't the case....she should definitely talk to her doctor.
ok just off the wall here,, Is she certain there isnt another baby? My mother,, a lot of years ago, was expecting and went several weeks not feeling any movement, and was told the baby had died. She went in and had the fetus removed. Im sure way back then it was different, but still, the Dr came in, and did whatever to remove it and she came home the next day. 2 weeks later she had terrible pain and bleeding and delivered another fetus at home. She had been pregnant with twins and no one knew. So I know technology is far advanced now, but still, some women have no idea they are having twins until they deliver, and sometimes tests can be wrong and not eveyone has a sonogram. It just makes me wonder. Hope shes ok.
I had very bad acid reflux that gave me no symptoms other than 'Air Hunger', which is a feeling of not being able to take in a full breath of air, or a satisfying amount of air. Maybe she could try some Zantac. I was on Nexium because mine had been happening for many years before any doctor could ever tell me what it was. It took 3 weeks for the Nexium to help, but I've been off of it for a long time & now when I get that feeling I take Zantac and it goes away.
She may have acquired a hiatal hernia. It is a not so uncommon, mostly benign condition that can often be brought on by pregnancy or childbirth. It can cause this feeling of fullness, shortness of breath, heartburn...
Her practitioner would be able to diagnose it, though it can be difficult sometimes if the symptoms are not persistent.
Does she have uterine fibroids? Sometimes a fibroid will grow -and grow largely -during a pregnancy. I think it's pretty rare, but I saw a program on Discovery with a woman whose fibroid had grown to the size of a 6 month pregnancy during her actual pregnancy! If she doesn't know if she has them or not, she should see a doctor.
