Tricks to help you later....

mrs&mrsk

Maybe this is TMI (some of it) but I've heard a few things that can help ease your pain later.... 

Confirm or debate these and /or add your own!

~ use a washcloth to ease nipple pain during BF 

~ kegels to help leaking

~ slight stretching of perianal (is this the right term) to lessen chance of needing stiches

ATXmommas

Didn't do any of this, other than some kegels during yoga occasionally. I went into it knowing that my OB/midwife practice use olive oil during labor to massage the perineum. Seemed to work! I only had one small vaginal tear - and a 7lb, 3oz baby, so not a large baby. I had some pelvic floor discomfort for a while after birth. Not painful, just unpleasant. But eventually it all went away. And my nipples adjusted after about 6 weeks of BF-ing. I don't think I've heard of the washcloth trick!

My best advice is to stay moderately active throughout pregnancy. It will only benefit you during labor.

Jazibel

These all sound great. I used warm wash clothes to help "pucker" my nipples for nursing when my milk came it.  My boobs were so engorged my poor LO(s) couldn't latch.

 

Also cabbage leaves for engorged boobs.  Just place a full leaf inside your nursing/sports bra.  The leaf doesn't need to be refrigerated it just automatically feels cooling.  Replace when it wilts, it might take a few hours.

Mother love nipple cream is amazing, and coconut oil

Sitz bath herbs ( I got mine on Etsy).  You make a tea and then put it in the  peri spray bottle you use after delivery.  I used the bottle for a couple of weeks I think?  (I can't remember).  The herbs smell great and help everything heal. You can also soak a wash cloth and apply either a hot (or frozen) compress to your nether region.  Again great for healing. I had a 3rd degree tear the first time (9.5lb baby) and healed without stitches.  The second time around (9.3lb baby) I had a 2nd degree tear and stitches (so I could be up chasing my toddler). Both times Sitz bath herbs were great.

That's all I've got for now.

KH826

Dermoplast spray for after delivery! My baby was 9lb 6oz and I had two 2nd degree tears (front and back) with stitches, and then unfortunately I got an infection on top of that from the catheter. It wasn't pleasant. They gave me the Dermoplast spray in the hospital (along with witch hazel pads, which I also recommend), and it helped a lot. It numbs the area for a short time, and is great for temporary relief. I ran out of what the hospital gave me, so my MIL when out and bought me more to use at home. I used it for about 2 weeks along with the witch hazel pads and the peri spray bottle.

In terms of preventing tearing, I don't really think that there is a ton that you can do (in my experience), especially if you have a big baby. My wife likes to tell me (unsolicited feedback) that she saw me tear, and that there was absolutely no way that baby was coming out without it happening, that it was just completely necessary. I believe that considering how big our son's head was. I don't think any amount of stretching in advance would have made a difference.

I am actually glad to be talking about this. I feel like delivery and recovery are so often the unspoken part of this journey. I would have liked to have heard more about all of this before I gave birth. Several times I remember asking the nurses at the hospital "is this normal?"... I really wasn't prepared for the recovery process the way I would have liked to have been. So for all of you who are pregnant or TTC, if you have questions or want to hear about people's birth experiences, I think it would hurt to start a thread about that and/or recovery, if others are interested...

ATXmommas

KH826 said:

Dermoplast spray for after delivery! My baby was 9lb 6oz and I had two 2nd degree tears (front and back) with stitches, and then unfortunately I got an infection on top of that from the catheter. It wasn't pleasant. They gave me the Dermoplast spray in the hospital (along with witch hazel pads, which I also recommend), and it helped a lot. It numbs the area for a short time, and is great for temporary relief. I ran out of what the hospital gave me, so my MIL when out and bought me more to use at home. I used it for about 2 weeks along with the witch hazel pads and the peri spray bottle.

In terms of preventing tearing, I don't really think that there is a ton that you can do (in my experience), especially if you have a big baby. My wife likes to tell me (unsolicited feedback) that she saw me tear, and that there was absolutely no way that baby was coming out without it happening, that it was just completely necessary. I believe that considering how big our son's head was. I don't think any amount of stretching in advance would have made a difference.

I am actually glad to be talking about this. I feel like delivery and recovery are so often the unspoken part of this journey. I would have liked to have heard more about all of this before I gave birth. Several times I remember asking the nurses at the hospital "is this normal?"... I really wasn't prepared for the recovery process the way I would have liked to have been. So for all of you who are pregnant or TTC, if you have questions or want to hear about people's birth experiences, I think it would hurt to start a thread about that and/or recovery, if others are interested...

I 100% agree with this statement. During pregnancy I was so focused on labor and delivery that I never stopped to think about postpartum recovery. I was shocked at how sore I was afterwards - and I had minimal tearing. My IRL friend and I said the same thing - why don't people tell you about what to expect afterwards? It was a mental shock.

mrs&mrsk

The delivery & the aftermath scare me so much.  I have vaso vagul so I have major issues with passing out (hopefully the increased blood pressure of pregnancy will help).  When i got my wisdom teeth taken out, it was so bad (afterwards) that i cannot force go back and get the other side removed. 

I am planning to take hypnobabies to hopefully help because most of my issue is "mental" as I like to say. 

Thanks for all the advice & help!!  

bfonz619

My absolute worst fear about labor is tearing so DW and I are looking into any and every way possible to best avoid this.  I have always been told I am small, to the point where my gyno has to use a child's spectrum during exams, and I am so worried that a tear is in the cards for me.

KH826

sdfonz619 said:

My absolute worst fear about labor is tearing so DW and I are looking into any and every way possible to best avoid this.  I have always been told I am small, to the point where my gyno has to use a child's spectrum during exams, and I am so worried that a tear is in the cards for me.

I cannot give any advice on avoiding a tear, and my honest, personal opinion is that sometimes they just can't be avoided and are much more common than you think...however, I will say this: The worst part is recovery. I didn't even realize I was tearing when it actually happened in the moment. There was too much else going on and my mind was 1000% occupied with pushing my baby out safely and quickly. I also didn't even realize that I was being stitched right away because I was too busy being in complete awe of my newborn child. I had a really icky post delivery experience, and almost needed a transfusion due to excessive blood loss and my uterus not clamping down. I hardly remember any of it. I just remember my baby. I did have an epidural, but we turned it off completely 10 minutes before I started pushing at my request, so by the time all of this loveliness was happening I definitely had plenty of feeling back. Anywho, my point is that while no one WANTS to tear, it is not as scary as it sounds. The recovery by far was the worst part in my opinion. I don't want anyone to think it is totally unmanageable or out-of-this-world painful to the point that they are scared. Wanting to talk about this stuff is not motivated from a place of wanting to instill fear, but I think it is good to be prepared.

Honestly, I had a really crappy recovery (which was amplified by my baby being in the NICU and my not wanting to sit in bed and rest because I wanted to be with him, but my getting discharged but not going home b/c baby was still in the NICU). With ALL of that said, about 10 days postpartum I started to feel myself a bit again, and by 3 weeks post partum, I felt mostly just fine and dandy. Now at 15 weeks postpartum, I would do it all again in a quarter of a heartbeat. Every single second of it. It was so beyond worth it. The light at the end of the tunnel comes quickly, so don't fear. It's a good thing too, because for about a day I thought William might have to be an only child LOL

Oh, and don't forget, all the meds and comfort measures are your friends! I usually refuse to take pain reliever of any kind because I am super stubborn and don't like to take anything. I took my Tylenol with codeine as instructed for 10 days, and it really helped me function when I didn't think that I was going to be able to. You do what you have to do. The human body is amazing.

You will be fine, promise!

ball.and.chain

What exactly is the washcloth supposed to do?  A cold washcloth (or, better, a compress or icepack) would help with engorgement, and heat is supposed to help milk flow more readily, so it can increase output when pumping.  Not sure what a washcloth would do for nipples, though?

I never did kegels and I've had no issues with leaking postpartum.  I had leaking while pregnant, but that's cause everything in there is pressing on your bladder and no kegels are going to help you then!  I did do prenatal yoga, which generally does help the pelvic floor, but I think I only ended up going six times.  I do think kegels help strengthen the pelvic floor (and thus reduce the likelihood of leaking), but it isn't the only thing that will make a difference.

I also never did perineal stretching.  The OB did massage the perineum during labor.  I had a second degree tear, but it wasn't bad and healing wasn't bad either.  Frankly, since perineal stretching is painful and the tear was not (due to having an epidural), I'd sort of rather have the tear!  Especially since you could have tearing even with stretching/massage.

Twochickshavinachick

Being a FTM there is little I can contribute at this time, except to say that we have read that Perineal massage, if done regularly from the thirtieth week, can significantly lower your chances of tearing.  No harm in trying, right?

mrs&mrsk

sdfonz619 what have you found so far?

mrs&mrsk

ball.and.chain  i heard that if you "rough up" your nipples with a washcloth it helps prepare you for the pain or help with it? later.  i dont remember where i heard that. 

ball.and.chain

@mrs&mrsk, got it. Didn't try it but not sure if I buy it...it's a totally different type of stimulation. But I'd be curious to hear if anyone here has any experience with it.

redrockmama

I don't think any amount of roughing up your nipples can help you prepare for the pain of breastfeeding. It's only temporary though

Jazibel

I used a hot washcloth to soften my nipples when my breasts were too engorged (the nipples were taut). The heat softened them so Kaden or Owen could latch better. I don't think "roughing" them up would be helpful - but I've heard that advice too.

bfonz619

mrs&mrsk said:

sdfonz619 what have you found so far?

Sorry for the delay, I am not sure why I didn't receive a notification of this message. 

We are planning a water birth which I know helps aid in less tearing, as well as, perineum stretching with oils.  I have also been looking into pressure assistance during pushing which I read about in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.