Postpartum crotch care

selenawrites

This article is on the Bump home page, in case you haven't seen it yet:

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

I definitely hadn't given much thought to all of the trauma my ladyparts are going to go through, but I found many of the comments reassuring. One more part of the birthing process to look forward to!

GingerWife

I got that email from the bump today, too. It did not make me feel confident about this whole delivery thing....

kcvasquez

I will say this is one of the "good" things with having had my c-section! Obviously I had other wounds to take care of but didn't have to worry about the lady parts! This time around if I end up having my VBAC things will be a little different!

bigbear

Ya I've seen this one a few times now.

And for some reason it doesn't make me nervous one bit LOL My big "fear" is that I'll poop on the table LOL (I know, I got my priorities a bit mixed up there huh? lol)

But here is what I'm wondering about. The comment about taking the sitz bath every time you go to the bathroom sounds great but do you really think we'll have the time or energy to do it that often? I personally don't see that happening LOL Once a day maaayybe.. LMAO

Just IMO

mrs.larry

I got stitches. Here're my words of wisdom. (FWIW)...  

while in the hospital, ask the nurse to fill a rubber glove with ice and put it in your undies between your lady parts and the pad. ICE ICE ICE! that will help the swelling which will help EVERYTHING. 

warm water in the peri bottle is heaven. Hea. Ven.

get a can of dermoplast from the hospital (they'll probably give you the one you were using while you were there) it helps with the itching and burning of stitches if you get them and generally feels good.

colace is your friend

 

 

Indiechixor

Seriously, the peri bottle is your best friend. Instead of a "sitz bath", Peri Bottle with warm water.

Honestly, it wasn't super terrible, and I tore pretty decently.

I CAN say that a stich didn't keep, so sometimes during sex I re-tear a little...but it's nothing worth getting re-sewn up and put out of commission over, just a casualty of mommyhood.

PinkaDoodle

Indiechixor:

Seriously, the peri bottle is your best friend. Instead of a "sitz bath", Peri Bottle with warm water.

Honestly, it wasn't super terrible, and I tore pretty decently.

I CAN say that a stich didn't keep, so sometimes during sex I re-tear a little...but it's nothing worth getting re-sewn up and put out of commission over, just a casualty of mommyhood.

Oh. MY. Word.  Wow....soooo not looking forward to that!!

lucky81089

Oh my goodness...this was the worst part of labor/delivery/recovery for me. Tearing wasn't bad, just needed one stitch and it didn't bother me, but (TMI) the bleeding was horrible! It was very heavy (think you're worst period) and mine lasted about 2 MONTHS before it finally eased up and eventually stopped. I ruined so many pairs of undies and just had a terrible time in general keeping it under control. Ugh! I hate to even think about going through that again!

BritanyV

I ditto the peri bottle and dermaplast! 

I think I used the sitz bath once.

Pacheco825

The joys of childbirth!

lp0

This is exactly what I've been worried about and why I asked my doctor's about an elective c section (I've mentioned it in posts on here before). I am terrified to give birth vaginally and would much rather take the surgery. I'm not afraid of cutting, I'm afraid of stretching, tearing, and the after effects.

Stilts

mrs.larry:

I got stitches. Here're my words of wisdom. (FWIW)...  

while in the hospital, ask the nurse to fill a rubber glove with ice and put it in your undies between your lady parts and the pad. ICE ICE ICE! that will help the swelling which will help EVERYTHING. 

warm water in the peri bottle is heaven. Hea. Ven.

get a can of dermoplast from the hospital (they'll probably give you the one you were using while you were there) it helps with the itching and burning of stitches if you get them and generally feels good.

colace is your friend

 

 

Ditto everything here. I was in a world of pain for the first few days and sore for at least a week after. The nurses filled a diaper with ice and put it in my stylish mesh undies and it was the best. thing. ever. You will love the sitz bath and not want to get off. You're not allowed to wipe for a while and quite frankly, the thought of anything touching me down there scared the crap out of me.

That said, I have a friend who delivered an 8.5lb baby (compared to 6lb15oz DS) and was sitting on her legs when I went to visit her in the hospital the day she delivered. She wasn't in any pain at all. Meanwhile, I couldn't even walk for days without hunching over in pain. Every experience is different.

trackchik6

it wasn't that bad.  and better than major abdominal surgery if you can avoid it.

christina627

It is usually uncomfortable for a couple weeks and painful for a couple days, the bleeding is very annoying (think extreme bleeding a couple days, and period bleeding for like 5 weeks.) 

You just learn to live with it like everything else with a new baby.  After 6 weeks, you might not be back to "normal", but you will (most likely) be feeling good and healed.

christina627

If you are in the hospital, get everything you can.  Extra mesh panties, extra "ice pads", extra heavy bleeding pads, the numbing spray, the peri bottles (great), etc.

Our MW asks moms to buy a package of "depends".  This is not for "going to the bathroom" like a baby diaper.  This is for the extreme bleeding.  I got lots of the hospital pads and bought lots of "overnight" pads, so I didn't end up using them, but I will probably get some "just in case" for this one too.  At least you aren't ruining your clothes.

Meganne84

I am officially terrified now!! Oh the things your friends with kids decide not to tell you...........

Stirpy33

Stilts:

mrs.larry:

I got stitches. Here're my words of wisdom. (FWIW)...  

while in the hospital, ask the nurse to fill a rubber glove with ice and put it in your undies between your lady parts and the pad. ICE ICE ICE! that will help the swelling which will help EVERYTHING. 

warm water in the peri bottle is heaven. Hea. Ven.

get a can of dermoplast from the hospital (they'll probably give you the one you were using while you were there) it helps with the itching and burning of stitches if you get them and generally feels good.

colace is your friend

 

 

Ditto everything here. I was in a world of pain for the first few days and sore for at least a week after. The nurses filled a diaper with ice and put it in my stylish mesh undies and it was the best. thing. ever. You will love the sitz bath and not want to get off. You're not allowed to wipe for a while and quite frankly, the thought of anything touching me down there scared the crap out of me.

That said, I have a friend who delivered an 8.5lb baby (compared to 6lb15oz DS) and was sitting on her legs when I went to visit her in the hospital the day she delivered. She wasn't in any pain at all. Meanwhile, I couldn't even walk for days without hunching over in pain. Every experience is different.

I agree with you two. I had a third degree tear and the "repairing" after I delivered the placenta was more uncomfortable for me than labor (the epidural was wearing off) i had difficulty walking for a few days. ICE was the best, the dermoplast spray, and the peri bottle, along with sitz baths, colace and large pads! All in all I think I healed pretty well  though and hope this time around I don't tear so bad!

eilatan&nhoj88

I tore as well and never used the sitz bath. I was very sore and had difficulty walking for a while. It took my stitches about 4 weeks to fall out and I stopped bleeding around the same time. My soreness went away around 6-8 weeks. I have to say make sure no matter how tired or unhungry you feel, EAT! I lost a lot of blood during delivery and they didn't do anything for it, no transfusions or anything. I was so dizzy and weak for a month and could barely stand up without almost passing out because I didn't have enough iron in me. For me the sticthes were worse than the delivery. I had to have them give me two shots in the crotch to be able to stitch me up because my legs were shaking after delivery. I never got anything for delivery other than staydol tho which I afterwards found out I have a very bad reaction too. If you hurt after delivery/stitches they will offer tylenol 3. I didn't take that either tho. My biggest fear after the stitches was pooping. I was constipated for 7 days and thought for sure I would tear right back open. It was somewhat painful but no ripping. The scar isn't noticeable forever. I will never understand how all these moms on baby shows are wearing white pants a few weeks after birth tho. You could not have paid me to wear white. I bought all dark pants for post partum and even some of those you could tell got stained. I highly recommend all pants have elstic the first week at least after birth. I also couldn't bare to wear any kind of bra other than sports nursing bra for the first month. Johnson & Johnson's disposable nursing pads were great.

jason&robin

I have had 2 kids already. The first gave me an internal vaginal tear. It wasn't too bad since it was on the side and didn't get irritated like an exterior one would. However, with #2, I didn't tear but the dr told me I got "road rash". I don't know what the true medical term was but it did feel like acid on my lady parts every time I went to the bathroom. FAR worse than the tear with #1. The peri bottle and some vicodin got me through and after a week or so, I felt better....and here I am doing it again so it can't be that bad! It all healed and is back to normal.