What was your recovery like?

adoxyinherear · August 2012

8 days postpartum and I'm finally not afraid to wipe! I call that progress! Stick out tongue What was your recovery like, for those gals who had a vaginal delivery? Of all the things I'm surprised about, is that I'm actually still into DH... no way am I ready for sexy time for quite awhile, but the thought of it doesn't fill me with dread! Which, you know, after I gave birth I thought NO WAY NEVER AGAIN I AM RAVAGED.

piedpiper07 · August 2012

It wasn't/isn't that great. I had a lot of carnage down there haha 2 tears and an episiotomy. It took so long for me to be able to even sit. I can sit now but I went to an outdoor concert last weekend and sat on the grass and ended up bleeding for 3 days after. I would also like to know what others in a similar situations timeline is like.

adoxyinherear · August 2012

Oh, goodness! I had a second degree tear, but honestly feel like the hemorrhoids were worse.

Scooby2358 · August 2012

Recovery has been much better this time around as far as tearing is concerned; only 2 stitches this time. I'm 2 weeks pp and not terribly sore. With DD, I had a 2nd degree tear plus a peri-urethral tear. The 2nd degree tear wasn't fun but the peri-urethral tear was much worse; that hurt for a good 6 months.

Karen1998 · August 2012

I'm trying to remember. I think I used the peri bottle for a good two to three weeks. It may have been four. It wasn't because I thought I absolutely needed to, but I decided it was better safe than sorry. It takes about that long for the stitches to dissolve, so I used it every time I went to the bathroom until I knew enough time had passed for them to dissolve. I figured it would help to keep things clean so everything could heal well.

At a week PP, I decided to do yoga. I felt great, but that was a bad idea. The stretching pulled on my stitches and it hurt. I had second degree tears and two episiotomies. It did occasionally hurt to sit, but only if I sat absolutely straight up. Leaning back didn't hurt at all. It didn't even hurt going home from the hospital - I was surprised. Leaning forward sometimes hurt a bit.

As for sex, it finally stopped hurting and/or feeling like sandpaper around 6m PP. It's really not unusual for it to be uncomfortable until your done BFing. We did try at 6w PP (after doc clearance) and there was NO way. It hurt like a mofo. It also felt like I was retearing. By that point, sex was the only thing that hurt. Well, other than the occasional vagina lightning. Since you've torn, sex will most likely hurt for a while. You also need to make darn sure you've fully healed before getting to it or you could retear and get infected.

adoxyinherear · August 2012

Karen1998:
I'm trying to remember. I think I used the peri bottle for a good two to three weeks. It may have been four. It wasn't because I thought I absolutely needed to, but I decided it was better safe than sorry. It takes about that long for the stitches to dissolve, so I used it every time I went to the bathroom until I knew enough time had passed for them to dissolve. I figured it would help to keep things clean so everything could heal well.
At a week PP, I decided to do yoga. I felt great, but that was a bad idea. The stretching pulled on my stitches and it hurt. I had second degree tears and two episiotomies. It did occasionally hurt to sit, but only if I sat absolutely straight up. Leaning back didn't hurt at all. It didn't even hurt going home from the hospital - I was surprised. Leaning forward sometimes hurt a bit.
As for sex, it finally stopped hurting and/or feeling like sandpaper around 6m PP. It's really not unusual for it to be uncomfortable until your done BFing. We did try at 6w PP (after doc clearance) and there was NO way. It hurt like a mofo. It also felt like I was retearing. By that point, sex was the only thing that hurt. Well, other than the occasional vagina lightning. Since you've torn, sex will most likely hurt for a while. You also need to make darn sure you've fully healed before getting to it or you could retear and get infected.

Oh, I am definitely NOT in a hurry, and will probably wait longer even than the six weeks PP. I just expected that I wouldn't even think it would seem appealing for aaaages. Maybe DH is just taking too good care of me and I'm feeling all sentimental.

chloebeth930 · August 2012

A disaster zone. I had a 3rd degree tear. I don't think I used TP for a month. Then I had a nice anal fissure that took forever to heal up. Then my vag still felt like it was on fire (my ph was all messed up) It has been 3 months and things are finally back to normal down there. Only plus side to DH being in Afghanistan he didn't have to witness that haha!

LoveOfMikesLife · August 2012

Y'all are going to hate me but mine has been cake. Next to no pain, very little pressure and it pretty much felt normal almost immediately. I am however still bleeding, at almost 5weeks pp

Hoping to get cleared for some sexy time on Tuesday

charmedgrl517 · August 2012

I haven't quite come that point yet but so far it's not as bad as I thought. I have 2 stitches but am really only sore if I sit too long. I have used ice packs to help the swelling and some IB profen occasionally but I really thought it would be much worse. I am feeling the same way towards DH, very sentimental. I agree I think it has to do with how helpful he is and his emotions towards our little Hannah : he is so loving to her I am reminded of how much I love him! :

october_artist · August 2012

Recovery for me was great, until I overdid it....

I had a second degree tear, and my stitches weren't too bad but as soon as I went home I thought I was super woman and after jumping into the car because I somehow forgot my bottom end was not normal, I did a number on myself. Pushed back getting the okay to exercise and sex it up by 3 weeks... I ended up having a little issue with the healing and just went back to my midwife at 15 weeks pp, I am now FINALLY fully back to "normal". Phew. Lemme tell you, don't overdo it! Take rest in those first few weeks.

WearingRed · August 2012

LoveOfMikesLife:
Y'all are going to hate me but mine has been cake. Next to no pain, very little pressure and it pretty much felt normal almost immediately. I am however still bleeding, at almost 5weeks pp Hoping to get cleared for some sexy time on Tuesday;

This was me, I stopped bleeding at 4 weeks but spotted for another 2-3. But it was almost 4 months before sexy time was enjoyable.

Longer version now that I am on a computer: Once my damned epi. wore off (it took 12+ hours) I was up and walking the halls of recovery. I even turned down most of the medication in the hospital. My nurse was not only shocked she was rude about it. Kept telling me you don't need to be a hero just take the pain meds if you hurt. BUT I wasn't in any pain so I didn't take them. I had no tearing or cuts down there though. So I don't think my recovery would be much help to those who had issues down there.

SharonB222 · August 2012

I had a 4th degree tear and recovery went well since I was expecting a lot worse. I noted in my journal that overall swelling (e.g. feet) was down on Day 8 pp, flow became light Day 9 pp, slept on my stomach Day 11 pp, and on Day 13 pp "stopped Ibupropin, stool softener (stopped witch hazel patches a while ago)". My sutures fell out at near 5 weeks, my spotting stopped at 6 weeks. Had our first date night at almost 10 weeks. However, even a year later - I don't know that I am back to normal or ever will be (weak vaginal wall). Time will tell. Congrats on your babe and glad your recovery is going well.

Jered&Gena · August 2012

I had a 3rd degree tear but it really wasn't too bad. I felt pretty normal about 2 weeks pp. I bled for 6 weeks tho. Dh and I have only dtd two times pp, both hurt at first but a few min in got better. I was expecting way worse, but we still have a long way to get to "pain free".

luvmyducks · August 2012

It wasn't too bad. The first couple days at the hospital I was sore and moved pretty slow, but by the time we were home I just didn't have as much energy--walked slower and not as far (on our walks with the pup).

But I also got hemorrhoids and didn't know that was the problem bc they were internal--I had asked my OB at the hospital if it was normal to hurt more in that region than vaginally and he said the the small tears I did have were towards that area. So I dealt with it for 6w until my checkup and asked. It was so bad I felt like I was going to faint when going to the bathroom. I got an Rx and within a couple days I felt completely normal! Ahhhh. Such a relief

kaleb87 · August 2012

I had a third degree tear and an episiotomy. I felt like I would never be back to normal. I bled for four weeks, and then would randomly spot. I sat on my boppy pillow for two weeks pp. I think I used wet wipes down there for three or four weeks. When I went for my 6 week check up I still had most of my stitches. They took forever to lose. At 10 weeks I had lost them, thank goodness doctor said he was going to cut them out if they weren't gone by then. Intimate time wasn't an option until four months, and it's not so bad. I played it up to be worse than it was. It's crazy what all we have to deal with after having a baby. Your supposed to rest to heal, but it's hard to do with no sleep. Then your having to fight off dh advances, there are so many excuses you can use.

gilmoregirl105 · August 2012

Thankfully not too bad, I think I had just prepared myself for the absolute worst and was pleasantly surprised when I felt pretty good. The first week I did not feel well, but didn't feel that awful either, and was good if I took it easy and just rested up. Last week I felt a little better and like I had some more energy, but still felt like I needed to take it easy because I'd feel sore if I overdid it. So far this week I feel really good, like I am just about back to myself!

Kasi80 · August 2012

I was very lucky. I didn't tear and I have had nom pain at all. It's like I never had a kid come out of the vag. I'm still bleeding and sexy time sounds great but I'll wait for that.

Junebug060609 · August 2012

I was afraid to wipe a lot longer than you!

2nd degree tears inside and out. Stupid stitches didn't come out on their own until 4w (doc said it was ok...). Sexy time didn't happen until around 8w even though I was cleared for take off at 6w. All-in-all my recovery wasn't bad, probably par for the course.

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