Why do my joints hurt postpartum?

Last reviewed June 19, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom linePostpartum joint pain is common, mainly from pregnancy hormones (like relaxin) still wearing off plus the strain of lifting and feeding a newborn, and usually eases over weeks to months; severe, persistent, or swollen joints should be checked.

Joint aches after birth are common, mostly because the pregnancy hormones that loosened your ligaments are still wearing off, combined with the physical demands of caring for a newborn. It usually eases over the following weeks to months.

Why it happens

• Relaxin and other hormones softened your joints and ligaments in pregnancy; they take time to tighten back up.
• New postures and movements: Lots of bending, lifting, feeding in awkward positions, and carrying the baby strain joints, wrists, the back, and the neck.
• Carrying extra weight during and after pregnancy.
• Wrist and hand pain (like de Quervain's tenosynovitis, sometimes called "mummy thumb") from repeated lifting of the baby.

What helps

• Pay attention to posture when feeding and lifting; use cushions for support
• Keep the baby close to your body when lifting and bend at the knees
• Gentle movement and stretching
• Rest sore joints and use provider-approved pain relief if needed
• Wrist supports can help "mummy thumb"

When to see a doctor

Check in if joint pain is severe, persistent, or comes with swelling, redness, warmth, stiffness in many joints, or fever - this can occasionally point to arthritis, a thyroid issue, or another condition that needs treatment.

Femora helps you log aches and symptoms so you can track whether they're improving.