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February 2015 Moms
digwriter
member
The ultimate postpartum post
digwriter
member
The postpartum pads post has opened my eyes to the fact that there are quite a few moms to be who may not be aware of everything that happens after delivery. So i thought it might be helpful to start a post about all things postpartum.
This post is for you if:
This isn't your first pregnancy and you would like to share you experiences.
This is your first and you would like to ask questions and/or hear about the experiences of others.
You would like to help others get up to speed on what to expect.
This post is for you if:
This isn't your first pregnancy and you would like to share you experiences.
This is your first and you would like to ask questions and/or hear about the experiences of others.
You would like to help others get up to speed on what to expect.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: The ultimate postpartum post
Immediately afterward I was the most exhausted that I had ever been in my life.
The bleeding wasn't as bad as I'd imagined ... until i encountered some complications. All I'll say about that is to be diligent about watching just how much you bleed. Do take it seriously. If you're filling a pad in less than an hour and doing so repeatedly think seriously about getting medical help. I didn't take it seriously at first and really regreted it.
Make friends with your peri bottle! If you have stitches the peri bottle will making urinating much easier.
Tucks pads are fantastic. Feel 0 embarrassment about buying them.
The feeling of your uterus contacting isn't awesome, but following labor it's a walk in the park.
If you have hard kichen or dining room chairs, do yourself a favor and buy a chair pad. Trust me.
People will want to visit. All the time. Feel free to tell them no. If they come over anyway, feel free to put them to work.
Don't let yourself get constipated!!! Once you are the road ahead is much worse. Even if you don't think this will be a problem for you, it easily could be. I always take colace until I know things are going to keep moving on their own. I learned that lesson the hard way too. Ouch!
After you give birth, your bladder has sooo much more room. I wouldn't have the urge to pee all the time, so I would forget to take regular bathroom breaks. So, make sure to keep track of how often you go.
Hot flashes- wow. I was sweating after delivery and probably for weeks after. I was not prepared for that.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. At the hospital or at home. I thought I could do it myself and quickly realized i would take all the help I could get.
Definitely stay on top of colace. That first poop after delivery terrified me. But keeping up with the colace helped it not be so bad. In fact, that first poop was not bad enough to stay in my memory. Thanks, colace!!
And rest but don't stay inactive. I overdid it on activity and ended up in more pain from my stitches. However, just like they tell you after any surgery or anything similar, get the blood flowing in your body to promote healing.
Any questions, ANY, and don't hesitate to call your doctor. Nothing is a stupid question, only unasked questions.
ACCEPT ALL THE HELP ANYONE OFFERS!
I'm sure i will think of other things and add them later.
I also didn't realize how hungry I would be. I was STARVING! I would have eaten anything I could get my hands on but it was the middle of the night and nothing was open. My RN was amazing though and scrounged up some food for me. This time I plan to pack a few snacks in my hospital bag just in case.
Edit to add: Colace and tucks pads are your friends. Do not let your self get constipated. Pooping for the first time after labor was terrifying but those two things saved me.
Be prepared for your emotions to be all over the place. Your hormones go crazy after giving birth so you may feel overjoyed one moment and ready to sob the next. If you have persistent feelings of hopelessness or depression after delivery talk to your doctor, so many women experience postpartum depression!
Don't be afraid to say no to visitors or just go into a room with baby and yourself when they are over. Those first weeks are exhausting and you need time to recover.
F15 Siggy Challenge: What You're Looking Forward to Most After Baby Arrives: BELLY SLEEPING!
I did breastfed so I'm not much help when it comes to getting your milk to dry up. However, I've heard some friends that pumped off a little to make it less painful. DONT DO THAT. Your body will start producing more to make up for it.
I was also starving after, but luckily DD was born just after 6 pm and I had dinner a few hours later. Bring some snacks just in case.
I did use the cabbage leaves and they were a tremendous relief, but only if you freeze them first and you don't mind steaming cabbage leaves with your massive amount of body heat.
At the hospital I leave cleanup to the nurses. They have nice pads they put on the beds and will change stuff out as needed. By the time I go home (I usually stay the 48 hours), bleeding is completely under control and I have not had leaking issues.
ETA: as for personal hygiene, soap and water are best. With my first I had third degree lacerations and was still able to get clean. You will be gentle enough. Take a bath as often as you need to.
No advice, but solidarity sister.
I also had some stiches with my first and the thing that helped make getting clean easier was my handheld shower head. I could do a nice easy rinse, which kept touching to a minimum. Make sure you have it set on super gentle though if you use one.
Say yes to all the help offered, do not do too much the first couple weeks (aka stairs!), and take your meds.
By time I got home the bleeding was under control and like a heavy period for me. I didn't need anything to protect the bed or couches. The big overnight pads were fine.
As far as making sure I stayed clean the peri bottle was a lifesaver every time I went to the bathroom. When I showered I just dabbed.
I remember once I got home after a few days I was able to lay on my stomach. My hubby told me to take a nap and so I did and this was the first time I slept on my stomach. This was probably the best hour or 2 of sleep I had in 9 months.
Also, don't be afraid to call housekeeping for your bathroom. It may look like a murder scene because the blood keeps flowing even when you pull the lovely mesh panties down to pee.
Edited to add: I meant housekeeping at the hospital. I didn't have a problem with blood everywhere once I got home. It was just that first crazy day.