Something on your mind? Ask our postpartum recovery expert. ❤️

Hi my son 💙 who turned 1 on saturday and has been waking up every couple hours at night for about a month now and refusing daytime naps. He used to be a great sleeper, sleeping through the night since he was 2 months old. And i think during growth spurts and teething issues he has woken up frequently at night but it only lasted a few days and he was back to sleeping regularly, it has never lasted this long and im getting concerned, any insight?

Hey, so since she specializes in pelvic floor, I have a question!

After my first child (C-section, 3&1/2yrs ago) I did kegels religiously in hopes of going back to "normal"... Unfortunately I had excessive discharge and even leaked pee and had to wear pantiliners constantly. This lasted for 3 yrs, until my next pregnancy.

So my question is: how in the world do I get back to normal this time? Just kegels wasn't enough for me. Is this just how I am forever now? Or do I need like surgery to fix it or something?

Hello Sara, I had my son by emergency C-section 2 years ago. Since then, I've had pain in my hips especially while lying down so it interrupts my sleep and I can't open my legs very far for incredible pain (which inhibits sex)
I don't exercise as much as I used to and as I'm working part time now, my life's more sedentary so I have gained weight. Do you think that the pain is due to this, or something else?
Thank you 😘

Hello Sara, My Son is 1 yr old to be exact 15 months old. He has "Bow legs" this makes me concern the GP says I need to wait until he is 2 yrs to send me to a orthopedic but I'm concern that he is not improving, is there something I can do before taking him to the specialist?
Important fact: I did suffer from the same condition, when I was young too so it might be genetic in the family but I did use special shoes and treatment when little.

Hi, I had a c section 10 months ago with my first baby, and the epidural gave me a nasty side effect during labor that cause me to throw up shake my whole body involuntary.

The next day I had excruciating pain down my right arm radiating to the inside of my arm down to my rib. I couldn’t move to my right side from a laying position to sit up without screaming of pain. Doctors said it’s gas pan and will go away.

Fast forward to my 1month old daughter still had this pain it was so hard to hold my baby . 10 months today I still have that pain along with lower pack pain that paralyzes me when the pain acts up and the now affecting my hips and my right leg sometimes my leg gets so painful I can’t move it !

It’s really scaring the crap out of me ! Especially that I have to take care of my daughter 24/7 my husband works and helps me on the weekends.
Can you please help me? I have been to many doctors and they are turning away just because I am young and no complications

According to them

My son is 12 weeks old, born using epidural, episiotomy and forceps. Since his birth I have had a tightness in my right hip/groin and towards the bottom right of my abdomen, I wouldn’t say it hurts as such but when I’ve been sat down or leaning over baby to change etc when I get up it feels really tight and I can no longer lie in bed on my front like I used to before pregnancy as if I do have my right side stretched out for a long period, when waking I cannot move it as it’s so stiff, I have started exercising again for a number of weeks now but it doesn’t appear to be improving

Can you suggest any exercises that help relieve backache? I’m 6 months pregnant with my first and I’ve been suffering with back pains since around the 10 week mark. Some days it’s so painful that I just want to lay down on my back as flat as possible because that’s all that seems to help. I’ve tried hot and cold compresses, I’ve tried support belts and nothing seems to be helping. I wanted to try an exercise as I know it’s my muscles that are having a hard time due to my fast growing bump which is quite large for me.

Hi there, I've got a 14 wk old and am breastfeeding a lot. I am careful when possible to support my back and use bbhugme nursing pillow which is amazing, but I'm suffering from terrible insomnia as my upper back, shoulders and neck feel restless at night in the same way as restless legs feel super uncomfortable. I toss and turn to try and get them comfortable but there's just a horrible restless sensation in them. I do yoga weekly also but it doesn't seem to help, do I need to be stretching every day? I also read that taking magnesium could help. Anything you could recommend would be amazing

Hi Sara, not sure if your area of expertise, I have diastasis recti still at 4 months post partum and wonder about exercises to help this. However I also have a small umbilical hernia. Would any core exercises exacerbate this? I was referred to a physiotherapist after birth but nothing came of the appt or the dr follow up.

Hello Sara thanks for taking time to review our questions .
I am currently 4 mths PP & sometimes when I am having a bowel movement it feels as if I’m having a baby every time . It’s uncomfortable at times . I don’t believe I’m straining .
I also know it will more than likely take forever for my body to heal .

Hi Sara, thanks in advance for reading this. I’m 3 months postpartum and have a recurring health issue that my midwife/OBGYN and family doctor had drastically different opinions about. Sometimes while breastfeeding or afterwards, I start to feel weak and dizzy, then my ribs (front and back) feel like they are on fire and are in uncomfortable pain. Then my arms and hands begin to tingle and become cold. Recently, it happened again and my legs started to tingle, too. My family doctor thinks it is a heart issue and my midwife/OBGYN thinks it is a spinal issue. What are your thoughts on the matter? (I’m really trying to avoid going to the ER, during the pandemic, so I just try to self-medicate with Tums and Tylenol...)

Hi Sara. I'm 6 months postpartum, having had twins by c-section. I had an extremely severe, uncontrollable primary postpartum hemorrhage and needed an emergency hysterectomy two hours after my c-section. I've had trouble with bladder control that doesn't seem to be improving at all. Stress incontinence is my big problem, along with urgency. I did some pelvic floor physical therapy for about two months, and then covid put a stop to it. Should I have seen some improvement in those two months? Should I try again at some point or take another approach? Or should I just repurpose all of my obviously unneeded menstrual pads into pee pads?

Hey Sara! I had an unplanned C-section 5 months ago due to my son's heart rate dropping and having a hard time coming back up. Since having my son I have been having bad lower back pain that is pretty constant. I see a chiropractor about once a week to try to help and manage the pain. My C-section was pretty rough with side effects. Lots of vomiting, shaking and feeling very cold and disoriented. Didn't get to see my son right away due to vomiting and him being born a month early and IUGR baby. My main question is when will the back pain get better or what can I do to help? I do have PCOS and endometriosis which I think the endo has gotten worse since PP. Also when will I get feeling back in the area of the C-section? Light pressure I do not feel anything. If it is firm pressure I can feel a bit. Thank you so much for helping all is Mamas out!

I had a c section August 2016 and they said because his head was so big that my bladder “tore”. My husband as they were rushing him out of the OR heard the word “nicked” Ultimately it needed to be stitched and I had to go home with a catheter for a week. We’re not sure exactly what happened. I’ve had x-rays done, a cat scan done on it and they say nothing is wrong with it. Still to this day though, it leaks and causes issues. Can this be fixed? I’m not even 30 and it’s very embarrassing for me. 😔

Hi Sara! Thank you so much for answering questions!!! I know this isn’t your particular area of expertise, but as a PT, I thought you might have some suggestions. I had my right leg amputated below the knee in February. Because of the corona virus & my weakened immune system (due to rheumatoid arthritis and the meds that I’m on for it) I haven’t been able to see a physical therapist since I was in the hospital (February 10-19). I got my starter leg and I’m having a lot of pain in my residual limb when I try to use it. Is there anything I can be doing to help lessen the pain? I want to be walking again, but even with crutches, the prosthesis causes a lot of pain, particularly in the posterior distal end of the limb. I thought I’d be back to close to my previous life by now, but I’m stuck in my wheelchair and my bed. I’m exhausted anytime I walk even short distances. Any suggestions would be so helpful!!! Thanks for taking the time to read this!! I hope you can help!!!!

Hi Sara,
I was wondering is there’s a specific meal plan that you could recommend while I’m pregnant to help maintain a healthy weight?

Thank you!!!

Hi Sara. I am waay past post partum (7months to be exact). I had stitching down there and I believe they did a bad job on it. Even though it doesn't hurt, if I put pressure on it with my finger it feels very tight??! And that's not how it felt before. Who do I see this about? My family doctor or the ob that delivered me? Thanks

Hi! I’m 5 months postpartum and still have a lot of pain in my pubic symphysis when laying on either side or sitting certain ways after a while. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning it’s painful to walk for a few minutes. I thought it would have healed by now and I’m not sure what I can do to help the pain and get back to normal. Thank you!

Hi Sara, I've been bleeding since I delivered my baby almost 2 months ago. It stopped after about 6 weeks then it started again a few days later then stopped then started again. Is this normal?

Been doing pre natal pilates however it seems I have diastasis recti (when I lie down and lift my neck up to look at stomach my stomach turns into a cone). Should I continue with pilates? Thanks!

Hi Sara,
When should we start c section scar massage? I'm 4 weeks pp from my second c section. Apparently there were a lot of scar tissue and adhesions they had to break up from my first emergency cesearean.

Hey! 💕 I am 4 months postpartum and since being 6 months pregnant my pubic bone area feels weird and a bit instable. It's a lot better now than during pregnancy but I still feel it every day. Any advice? Thank you!

Hi Sara, I had symphysis pubis dysfunction during pregnancy and I’ve read that it usually goes away on its own after birth. My daughter is now 5 months old and the pain has overall improved but if I wear her in the ergobaby or do a lot of walking, the pain comes back. Do I just need more time to heal or should I be more proactive and get therapy/do exercises/other forms of treatment?

I'm a first time mom and breastfed my son for a year and a half. Just recently completely stopped. Any tips on getting my breasts back to their original size or anything that can help me feel sexy again in relation to my breast? It's still really awkward with my husband in that area for sex

I had a 3rd degree tear with my baby 9 months ago and have been having really bad lower back especially when I wake up in the morning. What can I do to fix that? Do I need to strengthen my core muscles?

Hey everyone, thanks for taking part in our Q&A! Sadly, we couldn’t answer each and every question, but we’ve put together some handy tips for the most popular topics below. If you prefer, you can head on over to our Instagram (@peanut) to watch Sara answer the top questions.❤️ 🥜

💛 Tearing during birth 💛

• This is very common, most women do tear.
• Most likely to be mild, grade 1-2, which is from paper cut size to a little bigger.
• To prevent tearing, make sure you start perineal massage from no later than 35 weeks.
• You can also use a warm compress on the area during birth when you’re pushing.
• And try side-on positions during birth rather than on your back, this can minimise the risk of tearing.

❤️ Healing from a tear ❤️

• In the first 2 weeks after a tear or episiotomy, it’s all about healing.
• Use ice, take ibuprofen, take it easy, stay hydrated.
• After 2 weeks start using heat, warm baths can help and you can try gentle Kegel contractions to bring blood flow to the area.
• At 6 weeks you should have a check up, and you can then try perineal scar massage.
• If you’re experiencing pain after 12 weeks you should see a psychical therapist.

🧘‍♀️ How to sit after birth 🧘‍♀️

• Use a cushion, one with a cutout for the area, even an airplane pillow for your neck will work.
• Lessening the pressure is key, so don’t cross your legs and this will tug on the tissue.
• Ice is your best friend for the first 3-5 days, grab an ice pack or some frozen peas to soothe the area.

🙋‍♀️ C-section scar recovery 🙋‍♀️

• The first few weeks are all about healing, you’ve had major abdominal surgery!
• Prioritize deep breathing, inhaling in your ribs to open up and allow your belly to softly expand.
• At the 4-6 week mark you can start doing gentle core and pelvic floor contractions.
• At 6-8 weeks you can start scar massage around the area.
• At 8-12 weeks you can massage more directly on the scar as it’s healed a little more.

✋ Scar massage ✋

• It’s really important as scar tissue restriction can lead to pelvic pain, painful sex, bladder issues and constipation.
• Tissue can easily get tight and restrictive so mobilising your scar through massage is great
• Remember that it is never too late to work in your scar - whether it’s 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years!
• You want to try massaging completely around the scar, both clockwise and counterclockwise, repeating your movements a few times.

👀 Pain during sex 👀

• This is common, but not normal at any time after childbirth.
• If you’re experiencing pain after 12 weeks postpartum you should see a physical therapist.
• You could have dryness from hormone changes, scar tissue restriction or tight muscles that need some work to soften and relax to accommodate intercourse.

💭 Kegels didn’t work for me! 💭

• Research shows 50% of women don’t actually do them properly.
• You need to be working on both quick and long contractions, as you have slow and fast twitch muscle fibres.
• You also need to make sure you’re not just doing them in your car or at your desk. Do Kegels with movement, do them standing, do them when you’re lifting your kids or weight.
• The key is to integrate kegels into your day-to-day activities.

🙍‍♀️ Urinary leakage 🙍‍♀️

• If you’re experiencing this, you need to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist.
• Research shows if you experience urinary leakage at 3 months you’re likely to still experience it at a year postpartum. It doesn’t go away on it’s own!
• It’s not just about doing Kegels right, you also need to choose the correct exercises to strengthen your muscles.
• You also want to avoid straining - don’t push when you pee or strain during exercise.

I just had my second child almost 6 weeks ago. My first is 3.5yo. Does it take longer for moms with little help to heal?

I got a question I had my son 3 months ago in October almost 4 and it still hurts to go to the bathroom. My behind hurts every time I do. Is there a reason, is there something I can do to ease the pain cause it hurts to sit or walk around afterwards :/

How to get rid of the hated c section belly?