I'm just wondering if recovery time with baby#2 was easier than with baby#1. I had DD naturally(with drugs:)) and tore a little and was pretty miserable for a few wks. Im wondering if I'm less likely to tear with #2 and if I'll bounce back quicker since my body has already been there and done that. I'll have to take care of a newborn and a 18 month old so I'm a little scared;)
Re: Third time moms...
I had a vaginal birth with drugs, tore, recovery took awhile, and I will have a 20 month old when I give birth this time. From what I've read tearing (or not) the first time does not give any indication of tearing subsequent times. Bounce back probably depends on how everything ends up panning out, but I'm also hopeful for a quick bounce back for the same reasons you are.
I'm going to stalk this thread for more insights from 3+ time moms.
I'm assuming this means vaginally with drugs. I've noticed a lot of throwing around of the term 'natural' birth. You can just say vaginal.
I actually had a tougher time with dd2 but I think a lot of factors played into that. 1 - I had a piece of retained placenta that passed on it's own but then required a very painful internal exam at less than 24 hrs pp to make sure everything was out. It really wiped me out, I had been feeling great until that point. 2 - I nursed dd2, but had only pumped with dd1, so that was a pretty big learning curve. 3 - you continue to have contractions after baby is born, which apparently are supposed to be worse with each pregnancy, so I generally felt like id been repeatedly punched in the gut for about 2 weeks. 4 - my kids were 15.5 mos apart and I didn't want dd1 to feel slighted. I really think i pushed it too far too fast at times.
Not the same situation as yours, but I had #1 and #2 both via emergency C-section. I found with #2, I didn't notice the pain as much.. because I had less time to focus on it. When the baby was sleeping, I was trying to spend time with #1 verses just focusing on myself.
with being knocked out for an emergency c section and the second was planned and i was awake. But i would say second time was great. Make sure you focus on you and that helps you heal and be there for both kids
I had emergency C-section with first and a vacuum assisted vag delivery with 2nd...3 hours pushing with pretty good tear. By miles even though that was a rough vag recovery by all medical accounts it was still way better physically than c/s and I didn't think that my c/s recovery was too bad. But I had some postpartum depression with the 2nd that tripped me up some. Mine are 26 months apart and I've really never had 2 kids in diapers. So I'm not sure, since I had 2 radically different deliveries and both with tougher recoveries than most, if that helps or not.
I used this advice though and it might be the best thing anyone ever said to me
When helping one kid make sure to tell the other "I'll be with you in a minute I'm helping baby" and do the same to the baby "baby, I'm helping big boy I'll be with you next" when baby cries,so that they feel equal and eventually this becomes a habit and even now I can see the other one visibly calm down when I say those things because they know I will come help them next. It really helped me keep calm and learn to cope with multiple requests without feeling so sad I couldn't help everyone instantly. It sounds silly but it has worked so well for us.
baby #3 arrived in September 2014...cannot get ticker to work no matter what I try!
I also had uncomfortable post-delivery contractions with #2. Every time I nursed her I felt like I was going into labor (for at least the first week or so). Apparently they get worse w/ each kid so I'm preparing for the worst this time around. Otherwise, delivery itself was much easier.
Kid #1 - 3, Kid #2 - 1, Kid #3 - due 9/10/14