I told my mom that ya'll were terrifying me and she told me that it was NOTHING like this for her at all! She only had one small tear with my brother (huge baby and no drugs) and bled for a couple weeks after but said it was just like a bad period and she was never in much pain, and no tearing or complications with me or my sister, both induced (her choice) and epidurals (her choice), and other than soreness and painful pooping didn't have a hard recovery.
So here's hoping the rest of my body continues to take after hers. So far I've been lucky in mild pregnancy symptoms, no vomiting, and getting pregnant the first try, same as her, so hopefully I take to labor and postpartum as easily as she did as well *knockonwood*
Just a less terrifying story for some other FTMs out there, yes these things do happen, but it's not a guarantee it WILL happen to you! #optimism
I look at it from a it could be worse perspective...some of these stories are terrible so my first labor and recovery wasn't as bad as some of these. I fell somewhere in the middle.
Honestly, it's no walk in the park but like @apinkpelican said, you get to leave with your baby! AND those of us who have done it before are doing it again knowing what we are getting into - so it wasn't bad enough to make us stop!!
I had a pretty easy time too. There are so many horror stories but mine was a pretty good one. I did have a small tear with a couple stitches. They were a bit sore but nothing too painful. I gave birth naturally to a 9lb baby. I went poo the same night but thankfully it was soft (they didn't offer to give me any softener, nor did I take one). Breastfeeding was a breeze for me and I was absolutely terrified of it. I never got engorged, never felt my letdown, never got raw nipples, never leaked (except one day, after my milk came in), never had any supply issue. DS is 15 months and I am still breastfeeding. I've had a couple of rough times where I think he got lazy with his latch and my nipples hurt but nothing that lasted more than a few days. Bleeding pp lasted about 2 weeks. DH and I cautiously resumed sex after 6 weeks without an issue. My period came back 10 weeks pp and they were heavier and longer than before (7 days vs 2-3 previously).
I know this sounds like a brag post but I just want to give some ladies some hope that it's not all bad and you could be lucky like I was. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best. I didn't even know breastfeeding could be pain free at first. Here's to hoping pp with baby #2 will be similar!!
Re: What to expect after birth
Having a little version of what love makes is wonderful :x
I know this sounds like a brag post but I just want to give some ladies some hope that it's not all bad and you could be lucky like I was. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best. I didn't even know breastfeeding could be pain free at first. Here's to hoping pp with baby #2 will be similar!!
Sorry for the long post...