Crotch Care 101!?!!?!

JavaVino910

Have you guys seen the article on the bump's main page? It's called Crotch Care 101 and it's pretty terrifying. I suppose we have to be prepared, right??

MommaA117

Usually when I click on thebump I just go straight to the boards. Everytime I click and am waiting (very briefly) and I "think" I see that it says that I say to myslef "no way it says what I think it does". lol. Then the screen changes. How odd.

lynn97

I've been disturbed over this for days (the name itself is awful).  I am choosing to not think about any of the unpleasantries of birth for the time being as there are enough right now.  :-)

mharison

I'm more worried and nervous about the after birth stuff than labor and birth.

susieandmarty

scary!

Birdies08

mharison:

I'm more worried and nervous about the after birth stuff than labor and birth.

Me too! I've heard the first poop is worse than pushing.

Can I get an epidural for that?

kattyleigh

Hahaha this post cracks me up.  Let me just say that DH and I got very very close during the days post delivery.  Modesty flies completely out the window while doing "crotch care".

karantony47

Birdies08:

mharison:

I'm more worried and nervous about the after birth stuff than labor and birth.

Me too! I've heard the first poop is worse than pushing.

Can I get an epidural for that?

That is what I've heard too! I'm scared!

ashleyzzz

I read it yesterday and was freaked out!!!
I think everyone?s different but I have a few friends with children who have said peeing after birth is painful! Is it not bad enough we have to experience the labor!

OMG I?m Scared!!!!

prothumia

I read it too!  It's too late to go back now.  That baby has to get out somehow...I just really hope my husband doesn't freak out over that stuff.

 How do we take sitz baths and waddle around in pads all day with a baby wanting to eat every two hours?  What are the logistics in that? 

egpitt22

prothumia:

 How do we take sitz baths and waddle around in pads all day with a baby wanting to eat every two hours?  What are the logistics in that? 

You take up permanent residency on your couch, try to not move too much and pass the baby off to someone else in between feedings to enjoy a sitz bath

OpheliaChem

This article is a bit scary, but after reading it, it absolutely meshes with what my friends have said and they survived childbirth. In fact, when they described the first days after giving birth, they didn't complain about the pain or bleeding or grossness. They were just in love with their little ones and I don't think the yucky stuff phased them. Believe me, when I hear them talk about it, I cringe, but I think your take-home package far outweighs the weird things that your vajayjay will go through

SarahAndBen09

ok I had to go and find this article and read it...

https://pregnant.thebump.com/new-mom-new-dad/post-birth-recovery/articles/the-truth-about-postpartum-recovery-from-vaginal-delivery.aspx

(in case anyone else can't find it)

Wow.  I read some of the comments at the bottom of the post and there was even more advice.  I, too, am hoping that holding my LO will make me forget about all the bad stuff going on down there after the birth! 

 

 

egpitt22

Ok, I just read the article...what they describe is pretty accurate in my experience, but like a PP mentioned, you really have so much other stuff going on at that time, that your attention isn't 100% focused on your discomfort. 

I had a 2nd degree tear and it hurt to sit directly straight up & down for a few days....I kind of had to do this awkward slouch/sideways sit.  I bled for a few weeks...have some pads & pantyliners at home (I never use pads, so I had to send my mom out to buy some after I was home from the hospital & no longer needed the gigantic pads they send home with you)

I was cleared by my doc to have sex after my 6 week PP check up, but we didn't try until 8 weeks.  It was unbelievably painful & we had to stop; I can't remember when it finally worked but I was too tired to really care much at that point if we ever did it again, so I wasn't too worried about it!

kattyleigh

Ok I finally read the article.  They compare the bleeding to a heavy period?  Um no.  Not in my case anyways.  It was like as much blood as an entire period every day for two weeks, then it went down to normal period like blood for another two weeks.  But...you will pass huge blood clots too.  It freaked me out at first.  Like, the size of quarters.  My OB said he was only worried if they were the size of golf balls.  So strange.  The squirt bottle/sitz bath is your friend.  Witch hazel pads and the numbing spray they give you at the hospital is awesome too.  I did not poop for two weeks so finally my OB had me take some Milk of Magnesia (on top of the stool softners I was already taking every day).  But...there is a lot going on besides in your crotch so you just do what you have to do.  I felt like I would never be the same again and then a few months later, you begin to feel more like yourself and it is worth it!

egpitt22

kattyleigh:

Ok I finally read the article.  They compare the bleeding to a heavy period?  Um no.  Not in my case anyways.  It was like as much blood as an entire period every day for two weeks, then it went down to normal period like blood for another two weeks.

Yes, same for me, at least for the few days...the bleeding let up a bit maybe 5 days or so after giving birth?  But I still bled for a few weeks.  The hospital gave me these waterproof pad things to put on my bed, in case I bled through my clothes in the night so that I wouldn't get any on the sheets/mattress.

dandi799

Stool softener = your friend. 

lovesazzie

kattyleigh:

Hahaha this post cracks me up.  Let me just say that DH and I got very very close during the days post delivery.  Modesty flies completely out the window while doing "crotch care".

Hahaha this too. My MW told me to take 600 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours and I did that for the first two or three weeks. I highly recommend it.

M&M227

Ok, I get that the period of time after birth will SUCK.  But now I am thinking how can I possible take care of myself, a baby, and deal with guests who are going to want to see the baby?  Is it wrong to ask our families to stay away for like 2 weeks, lol?

helenejr

i have read it and i think i must have been prepared for much worse - a lot of my girl friends have given me the complete low down on what happens down there after birth - thank god too - because if i had gone to have a shower 2 days after giving birth and saw a blot clot the size of my liver on the shower floor i would have been dialling 000 (911 for all the americans).

its all part of giving birth vaginally, to be honest i'm more freaking out about bringing the baby home and having to raise it, keep if off drugs, giving it a good education and teaching it that drink driving is never ok for the next 20 years!!!!! ahhh that's the part that freaks me out!

 

 

casirdms

Actually when I found out I was preg again one of the first things I thought about was OMG swollen labia and painnn.

Of course you have the baby, and love the baby, and goo and gaa. But it does seriously hurt to move. And going to the bathroom just to pee would burn so bad! I went through the 2 cans of the numbing spray they gave me, and had to go buy another one.  

egpitt22

M&M227:

Ok, I get that the period of time after birth will SUCK.  But now I am thinking how can I possible take care of myself, a baby, and deal with guests who are going to want to see the baby?  Is it wrong to ask our families to stay away for like 2 weeks, lol?

I think this really depends on your situation with family, but for me, it was soooooo helpful to have people around.  My IL's stayed for the first 2 days when I was home from the hospital and my mom stayed for 2 weeks after they left.  I'm hoping they will be able to do the same this time around.