Hello! I am currently 26 weeks pregnant and have been reading up on vaginal delivery what I hope to have and the recovery process. But I have a weird question that I'm hoping some experienced moms can give this first time mom some advice on!
I've read about swelling, witch hazel, all of it. What I'm wondering is what other moms have worn during the recovery process. Meaning, I've read about different pads, wearing adult underwear ... but what is the most comfortable / effective clothes to wear while recovering? I'm afraid of "leaking" with the amount of blood I've heard happens during the first few days and possibly weeks. Did you wear just a night gown / robe and hope for the best? Spandextype shorts to kind of hold everything in there? Just curious to what I should expect to wear for the first few days at home once I'm out of the hospital bed and on my own furniture and bed. Or should I just expect some leaks to happen? haha
Thank you in advance for any input!
Re: Vaginal Delivery Recovery
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The worst of it for me was in the first 48 hours or so. I took alot of the hospital pads and disposable underwear home and had enough for about a week. I wore yoga pants and changed the pad often. Once home, it was as heavy as a heavy period. Nothing unmanageable. Then it was light and by 3 weeks there wasn't any blood, just something like discharge for another several weeks. A liner was enough.
The adult diapers were totally uneccessary and I was glad I didn't buy any. Dermaplast (i think thats what it is called) was great as well as the squirt bottle for cleaning each time.
I was super crampy and wanted nothing tight on my belly making it worse. I wore boy short style undies that were cheap and didn't matter if they got stained, with an extra long ultra absorbant pad and yoga pants or pajama pants. I only leaked once with my first LO in the hospital. Once I got home, it was ok. I did have to make sure I changed the pad every 2-3 hours, though. Really only the first week was a lot of bleeding, after that mine lightened significantly. You look about 6 months pregnant when you leave the hospital, so maternity pants or loose yoga pants are a must for a few days until everything really shrinks down.
I would highly recommend bringing home the mesh underwear and giant pads and the perineal ice packs they give you in the hospital. Take as many as the nurses will give you. I would have cried if anyone tried to make me wear spandex. Soft stretchy yoga pants were my go to gear.
BFP #1: 10-25-11, MC: 11-1-11 @ 5w5d
BFP#2: 12-29-11, DS born September 2012
TFAS: July 2014, BFP#3: 12-29-14, EDD 9-9-15
ETA: I bled like a stuck pig for 8 effin' weeks. I mean, like, it was a crime scene in my pants every time I dropped trou. I never once had a leak, though!
I don't know if this happened to anyone else, but in the second or third week, I would think my bleeding had slowed but then suddenly I'd have a random "gush" of blood, usually when standing up after BFing. That was the cause of most of my "leaks" because I'd think I'd be fine with a liner, but no ...
I don't remember leaking any by the time I got home. I liked the mesh underwear at the hospital (I had no idea what people were talking about when they kept saying mesh underwear, so in case you're wondering mine were like boyshorts and were super comfy. I don't know if its the same everywhere or not)
At home I wore yoga pants or pjs, my regular undies, and used always infinity pads. I may have worn an extra pair of the mesh underwear the first day. I actually started wearing my own clothes after I showered the first time at the hospital. I felt way better in my own clothes.
The first few days had a lot of blood, but it wasn't worse than a heavy period by the time I left the hospital/after 2-3 days. Nothing a heavy-duty pad couldn't handle. I think I bled for a few weeks, it really tapered off definitely after 4 weeks or so? I was fine with my giant pregnant lady undies and pajamas/comfy pants.
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I put on running pants the morning after both of my deliveries. I wore the jumbo pads in the hospital, then just switched to some overnight thin ones while at home. I definitely liked having yoga/spandex type pants on to hold the pad still, because, well, ew.
I never leaked onto any clothing
At my hospital, they also put a line of tucks pads (I did my own witch hazel pads at home) down the center of my pad, to help heal everything... It felt really pretty good!
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