Photo from Mount Royal, Frisco, Colorado.

"That is happiness; to be disolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep." - Willa Cather

Tuesday 26 February 2008

Postpartum running rash?

Initially my recovery from delivery was pretty rapid. I ran 9 miles a day on Fri, Sat and Sun, but now I wonder if that was too much too soon.

The weather here was beautiful over the weekend with lots of sun and spring was in the air. SR and I ran together every day. No music, just talking. Christian was being watched for free at our YMCA childwatch. It's amazing how quickly time passes on these runs.

I noticed something that concerned me, though: there was a huge amount of drainage in the lining of my shorts after the runs. It was sort of a clear-rust colored. It crossed my mind that I had urinary incontinence. But, no it actually seemed to be coming from the uterus. I thought and hoped it would just go away. But then things got painful. First it was just chafing of the skin from all of the moisture, then it was pain and itching around the two delivery stitches, which eventually spread all over.

Now the itching is unbearable. I've actually made an appointment to be seen tomorrow. Maybe I'll have an answer then. I honestly don't know if the running has anything to do with it. It is either an allergic reaction or some sort of infection. The saying "physician heal thyself" has never worked for me. My mom thinks it's a diaper rash of sorts. SR suggested I soak in a hot bath last night. This is what the post-partum nurses had suggested I do every day. This was advice I shouldn't have ignored, I guess.

So we, all three (SR, Christian and myself), took a bath together. I don't think our bathtub could be any smaller and still qualify as a bathtub. Somehow all of our naked bodies fit (sorry no pictures :)). And Christian seemed to have the most fun of his (short) life. The warm water was absolute heaven to him. I felt much better and SR liked the silliness after his first day back at work. He said "it's amazing how unimportant work seems." It's really too early for either of us to go back to work. And I work my first shift tonight :(.

The "little bois" (Christian's new nickname) is changing so quickly. It is incredible to watch.



Day 10
Day 12


I don't want to forget any of it.

Oh, and as if there was any doubt that SR was the father, but we received the results of the paternity test we had to have done. And yes, we are the biological parents. They looked at 9 genes and it was so cool to see how he got one allele from each of us. We needed to do that in order to get SR's name on Christian's birth certificate since I was still married at the beginning of the pregnancy. What an expensive inconvenience that was!

I'll let you all know if I find out what this strange rash is so perhaps I can help you pregnant ladies out there avoid it.

Running Song of the Day: Be Mine by Robyn

5 comments:

Lisa said...

SLG: I hope your rash goes away! This sounds like a bummer! As for the paternity test, how ridiculous. Just look at the kid and look at SR. Look at the kid, look at SR. All done. He's his dad's boy, alright.

Great job on the running. I bet you feel great other than that rash.

Why back to work so soon?

Abbie said...

Hope you don't mind me posting. Just had to say how cute your little boy is! Hope you start feeling better too.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you're doing too much too soon? Everything I've read (even for post-partum athletes) says that you really need 6 weeks to ease back in. As a doctor, you know that the pelvic floor has to heal and you will be seeing lochia for several weeks. A sign of overdoing it, according to the ACOG is that lochia will flow more heavily. It's a sign that your body is giving to you to slow down.

SLG, you WILL get back in shape. No doubt. I think it's really important to let yourself heal lest you set yourself back in the long run.

Naomi said...

WOW! you are so brave (way more than me, lol)! I don' think I could separate from my baby at that young age. And how lucky for you that the Y will watch him! My gym won't take babies under 6 weeks :(
keep us posted on the rash; personally I wonder if it's your body's way of asking for some more recovery time; birth is a pretty major physical event :)

notjustamom said...

He is such a cute baby! Really does favor dad, but that may change.

You are indeed lucky the YMCA will watch him, not only will Y's and gyms here not take babies under six weeks, the parent can't leave the facility, either.

The lochia will run more freely with exertion, it may take several weeks to stop entirely.