Towards the end of my pregnancy, I had the distinct pleasure of watching my ankles slowly disappear and had the amazing opportunity to strap on unwieldly wrist braces every night to prevent my hands from being perpetually numb.
Needless to say, I was looking forward to the swelling beating a hasty retreat, and anticipated it disappearing shortly after delivery, just like my heartburn.
Alas, not only did it not leave, but ended up being even worse than before. At times, it felt like the skin on my ankles was going to split apart… my ankle bones completely disappeared…and my fingertips on my right hand have been numb since delivery.
I guess this is pretty normal, especially when you get an IV in the hospital, which I did, but just like no one mentioned how bad afterpains can be, this possibility went unmentioned somehow…I tell you, there needs to be a “supplemental guide” to delivery to address these and other little known facts. You know, things like turn down the “opportunity” to watch the delivery in a mirror, you may “toot” uncontrollably for multiple days after delivery, you don’t get fresh styrofoam cups of ice water delivered to your bedside after you go home, so you may silently wish to stay at the hospital for one more night…stuff like that.
It is finally starting to go away, slowly and painfully…every morning I wake up sweaty and crazy sore but a little more “myself” – it’s really quite the process…
The things we go through for those cute kiddos, huh?
— Post From My iPhone
