Mommies who have been through labor - which is worse?

HeatherandRay · August 2009

Which is worse in terms of discomfort/pain - being full term pregnant of recovering from labor?

I am full term and then some right now and am so darn uncomfortable - soreness, heartburn, indigestion, difficulty getting around. I really want this baby to get here, but am kind of dreading all of the post labor s/e - vaginal soreness, hemmoroids, stitches, sore bbs (I'm not BF but know they will be sore a few days when the milk comes in), etc.

So, which is worse? Should I just lay back and enjoy my indigestion knowing that at least I'm not dealing with episiomity stitches

desabean · August 2009

hmmm, good question.

First off, I didn't realize how uncomfortable I was at the end of my pregnancy. I mean, I was swollen beyond belief and couldn't really sleep but I still was really enjoying being pregnant. Luckily I didn't have indigestion or anything like that.

It is nice to be able to sleep in different positions and be able to cross your legs again once you are not pregnant but I have REALLY hated the recovery from delivery. Granted, I had a tough delivery (3rd degree tear and an episiotimy, plus hemmerhoids) I had heard so many stories about women being able to get up and shower a couple of hours after delivery and working out within a week--- there was no f-ing way that was happening for me and 6 weeks out I am still not 100% (I'd actually put myself at maybe 70% and that is only in the past week). All in all it isn't *painful* and is probably less of a problem than severe pregnancy but psychologically I hate worrying that my little lady may never be the same-- I have anxiety that our sex life will suck and I think that makes my recovery feel much worse than the last month of pregnancy.

I'll be interested to hear other's perspectives though.

Either way it's all worth it-- good luck!!

pamela-matt · August 2009

I really think it is high dependent on how your labor goes. I have friends that have a smile on their face and no discomfort less than a week out and then others like me that had all sorts of issues. I never had hemmoroids. This time was pretty painful for me, but I had stitches, a skin separation, a staph UTI, and no sensation when I had to pee. These are all complications, not considered normal. I had horrible indigestion and I was glad for it to be gone. Good luck.

JGirl2005 · August 2009

labor for me.

i went into labor at 39w1d, but I didnt have heartburn and wasnt that uncomfortable -just irregular contx that took my breath away. the positive is that the baby was here even with all the pain. I had several tears and it was painful for months afterwards -honestly sex still hurts me in those areas. the other positive is that labor is short term -so I guess when i say labor i mean AFTER labor, but labor was painful for me even with an epidural, but i had a short labor so it is temporary (and I kept telling myself that)

lvisser · August 2009

I had a C/S... and being full term (both times) was far WORSE then my recovery from the C/S...

JGirl2005 · August 2009

i cant even imagine a csection -not sure how those moms do it -hold the baby, etc. I was in pain and it was hard to sit up and BF with the tears where i was sitting. I found it difficult to sit.

I think my tears are pretty normal with a vaginal birth. I think I have a pretty high pain threshold and I hate, hate, hate taking pain meds and I even had to take them for the pain that I was in. I stopped a few days after birth and just dealt with the pain, but like I said I hate taking stuff especially while bfing even htough they say it is ok. Since you wont be bfing, you should definitelytake the pain meds as they might help your milk to dry up. Good luck!!!! it will be fine!!!! I normally dont take pain meds that are prescribed even with my cerclagte didnt take ANY. I am just like that i hate taking any tyype of prescritption medicine.

Mrs.OL · August 2009

Hands down - RECOVERY! It was harder than my pregnancy, labor and delivery (vag)! I delivered at 40w2d and I was so uncomfortable. I could hardly walk and I had to sleep sitting up in a chair because DS was so high and on the bigger side (8lb6oz). Little did I know that the worse was yet to come. It took about 2-3 weeks post delivery for me to start feeling comfortable again.

Good luck! I hope your recovery is much easier than mine was!

PhillySue · August 2009

I was in labor for 19 hours, pushed for 3 and had a 2nd degree tear and had a fast recovery. ?I found the last few weeks of pregnancy much more uncomfortable. I was obviously sore afterwards but it was not as bad as I anticipated and some ibuprofen did the trick. ?Plus is was so nice to be able to move around and bend over again. ?I was so so worried about tearing and stitches but my experience was not bad at all!! ?I would imagine if you have a 3rd or 4th degree tear or a c-section then your recovery will be much more difficult. ?

dundasgirl · August 2009

With my first pregnancy the recovery from having a vaginal birth was easy for me. I only had one stitch and I only pushed for three contractions so I wasn't too messed up down there:) I was in the shower about 15 minutes after delivery/attempting to breastfeed for the first time etc.

I am at the end of my second pregnancy now and I feel good. I think the worst is the lightning crotch and the pressure under my ribs and my sore back LOL But I have to say I am on the fence about wanting to meet her really badly, but also being scared of having a 12 month old and a new baby!

I hope you feel better soon and your recovery goes smoothly. It is so different for everyone.

AvaLikeLava · August 2009

I had an emergency c/s, so my response isn't the same as what you asked. I think I had a (knock on wood) very easy pregnancy and also a very easy c/s recovery. PP I was briskly going up stairs within 5 days of my c/s.

Looking back though, I would have to say that end of pregnancy was probably harder on my body. Mostly because of the constipation. Ugh that was terrible for me.

MayDayGirl · August 2009

ooh good question. I preferred the aftermath because everything felt better, though my recovery was rough, so that was really hard, but then I had help (my mom and DH) plus my beautiful baby! I would hands down take the labor and delivery and recovery over being at the end of my pregnancy again

raisingarizona2008 · August 2009

I had a c-section and I think my pregnancy was by far harder to deal with. I had gained 56lbs and was swollen to the point where I couldn't walk. I had 11.5lbs of babies in me and it felt like it. The c-section was a little hard getting out of bed every 2 hours to feed my girls and pumping, but I could breathe!?

TheShellSeeker · August 2009

Being the mom of a IUGR baby who came a month early, I can't say how full term feels however. I would think that it would be easier in recovery because each day you are getting better and moving towards being back to normal, kind of a "light at the end of the tunnel" kind of thing. Being full term pg, you know that labor and recovery is still coming up so there's still alot to endure.

tnkrbl21 · August 2009

lvisser:
I had a C/S... and being full term (both times) was far WORSE then my recovery from the C/S...

This 1000%!!!! When I saw my DR at my 6 wk pp he asked how I was doing and I said the birth was a bereze; I just still have to recover from the pregnancy - it totally wrecked my body!

bride526 · August 2009

Recovery from labor! And I was pretty uncomfortable at the end. But both are tolerable.

Mrs.Greenie · August 2009

Being full term pregnant. The day before my induction was the worst day of my life!

PS I had a 10.5lb baby. I tore and had an episiotomy. So recovery was no picnic, but compared to being PG was heaven.

MrsKilduff · August 2009

I would def. say full term pregnant. Others may disagree, but just like you I had awful pg symptoms. I had severe heartburn, round ligament pain, carpal tunnel (so bad I couldn't write!), I couldn't put my shoes on, could barely groom myself down there, it was just awful.

Post labor, my vag hurt a little but I was very mobile and doing housework 2 days later (i know that's not recommended, in fact, dont!! it causes more bleeding and cramping) however, I vote full term pg was worse...

Happycouple · August 2009

Post labor was 100 times harder IMO....BUT the true discomfort only lasted a week or two whereas for some people they are uncofortable the entire last trimester. I was not really uncomfrtable during my pregnancy so I cant really compare the two, but post labor pains are so different than the pain you feel during PG...