Recovery???

neludelu · March 2015

The aftermath of birthing is what scares me. For those of you who have been there and done it. What was the worst/best part of recovering (aside from the best part being the baby!).

walterjena · March 2015

I've had 2 and I can honestly say that I don't remember much about the healing process with either. At the hospital I was sore right after but going home was fine. The medicated pads are pure LOVE if you have an episiotomy. But there was so much focus on baby that what I went through was nothing.

The one thing that stands out was the fear of pooping (but it was fine once I let myself go) and itchiness.

jesicabrennan · March 2015

Recovery for me was easy. I had a LONG (29 hours) labor but delivered vaginally with no tearing. It was uncomfortable to sit up straight for a few days (everything is swollen) but at a week I felt fine and was in no pain. You bleed for a few weeks but after the first few days of heavy bleeding it's just like a period. Try not to worry about this because you could have an extremely easy birth and recovery and worry for nothing OR you could have some awful tears or a C-section with a harder recovery but since there's absolutely no way to know there's no reason to worry about it!

sschwege · March 2015

Uggg, recovery. It's funny that you know to fear the recovery part, I feel like a lot of FTMs including myself didn't think past delivery.

Worst part: uterine massage, being stitched back up, bleeding and more bleeding, after pains particularly when nursing, burning when you pee if you tore higher (spray the peri bottle while you pee!), crying for seemingly no reason. In summery feeling nothing like yourself!

Best part: Just the knowledge that you did it, I remember looking down at my little bundles and thinking I can't believe you fit inside of me and I grew you! And now you know each day will get better. Towards the ends of my pregnancy I felt like a ticking time bomb, like any moment I could go into labor and sometimes it's the suspense that gets you crazy. Now you are done and every day will feel better and better!

MissusTexas · March 2015

Recovery was definitely the worst part about having a baby for me. I was induced at 39w4d because my dr was going to be gone the next week for Christmas break (which I now know is a foolish reason to induce), was given pitocin and had a terrible epidural experience- both drugs made me feel awful for the next two days. The pitocin combined with not being able to feel while I pushed led me to an episiotomy AND 2nd degree tear.

I couldn't sit right for months, couldn't have sex for 9 months (had to have two silver nitrate procedures because my tear wasn't healing correctly), had hemmorhoids (normal for anyone but the anal fissure it caused combined with my episiotomy issues was a real bitch). Oh and caring for a newborn while all that was trying to heal.

Our marriage was at it's worst during that first year and I think a lot of it was because of the loss of intimacy.

Anyway, because of all that I am going all natural, doing squats and perineum massage to try and avoid another hard recovery, although my midwife says there's a good chance I will tear since the perineum is already weakened. Yay.

I don't want to scare you, just make sure you research your options and I would highly recommend avoiding induction except for medical reasons. Episiotomies are not common so I don't know why my OB did it, but tearing supposedly heals better.

Also, make sure you have freezer meals prepared- it will make recovery easier. And lower you cleaning standards.

sschwege · March 2015

@BreezyMeema they seriously need to come up with another name than 'uterine massage'! "Uterine Torture' perhaps? It's like hasn't my uterus been through enough?!

Miz_Liz · March 2015

As @sschwege stated, spray the warm water with the peri bottle AS YOU PEE - they did not tell me this the first time I had to pee and it burned like a bitch, but once I learned that little trick, no issue! Witch Hazel pads (your hospital should provide them, if not, they are called Tucks I think) are your best friend - line every pad with them, they ease the itching and are just incredible. They should give you ice pads for the first few days, I think I used them for the first few hours then did not anymore after that. As others have stated, you do get contractions after (your body is still ridding any remnants), especially when you nurse or when the baby cries, but they are NOTHING like the labor contractions. I did not find the stitches that bad, but I had meds (although they were pretty worn off by this point), maybe just because I had a cute baby to distract me! The infamous "uterine massage" umm...yea...more like a nurse using my belly as a trampoline, but they are quick and again, not as painful as labor contractions and such. I bounced back way sooner than I thought I would, but as others stated, you bleed for a few weeks. I had clotting for the first few days (first time I peed I was like HOLY CRAP BLOOD, but they said it was normal). The other thing that sucks is constipation...pregnancy seems to begin and end with it! They should give you stool softeners at the hospital to help ease that, but I was terrified of taking a poop for the first time after giving birth (I don't remember actually doing it, so it must not have been that bad!). I am sure you are imagining much worse than it actually is, try not to be scared. You will have a cute baby to look at throughout anyway, and that just makes it all worth while and so much better!!

Joie80 · March 2015

I remember being incredibly sore the day after delivery, but overall recovery wasn't so bad. I was feeling mostly like myself pretty quickly. The first poop was bad though. I definitely 2nd the stool softener tip.

jesicabrennan · March 2015

Wow! After reading some of these I realize I may have gotten off even easier than I thought in the recovery department! I did not have uterine massage, pain while peeing, trouble pooping, etc etc. The contractions while nursing afterward are your uterus shrinking back down to size, so I welcomed those but I've heard those are a bitch for 2nd and subsequent pregnancies, not looking forward to that part as I'd completely forgotten about it! OP, recovery doesn't have to be terrible but it's good you'll be prepared for it.

buckleyk · March 2015

The worst part was the hemmeroids! I know they're common during pregnancy and thought I lucked out because I never got them.. . WRONG!! The stiches were uncomfortable but I think the hemmeroids made it worst (if not physically just mentally knowing so much was going on down there). And don't be fooled when the nurse asks to message your uterus. It hurt like hell! But I bleed very little afterwards (maybe less than a week) so maybe it helped with that(?)

buckleyk · March 2015

Also- TMI (sorry in advance)- be careful with the stool softers. I had such a tough time going, I took the reccomended dose and started leaking stools and ended up taking a trip to the ER. Not fun!

CaliforniaDream87 · March 2015

Seriously, I put way too much thought into it. My labor and recovery was easy breezy (I showered the very next day).

Best part: those damn tucks pads! Omg I'm telling you those things made life worth living

Worst part: the bleeding (I only bled for 3 weeks though which is awesome compared to some women).

TMI- even my first poop wasn't hard. My Dr. did give me a stool softener but it was a normal BM.

Gooblin · March 2015

I've had three kids. My first and second were a breeze for recovery and I felt amazing after. My first I did to much and ended up on bed rest for three weeks. Just take it easy for the first 4-6 weeks and you'll be fine. My third was a different story omg! I felt wrecked for 3 months my insides felt messed up and I had stomach aches all the time BUT she was 10.5 lbs and I'm a small person so I think that had something to do with it. Getting adjust at the chiropractor always helped me a lot.

azarianjess · March 2015

Oh lord, my first postpartum poop was awful. I seriously thought I was going to pass out. I also bled for 6 weeks. Other than that, my recovery was pretty smooth.

chavemann10 · March 2015

Since I didn't see anyone comment about the recovery from a c-section...I guess I'll be the one who breaks that down...

First, I swear to GOD, I still have parts of my scar that are either extremely sensitive to touch, and others that you could put a hot branding iron on and I'd never feel it. It sucks! No matter how hard you try...your muscles will never ever ever ever be the same. You are literally cut open and sewn back together, then stapled on top of that. Oh, did I forget to mention the staples? Yeah, they staple you back together on the outside which doesn't hurt when it happens, but when they come in to do the "uterine massage" you not only feel the pain from that, but those damned staples burn like hell! Oh, and in a week, you get to go have the not so fun experience of having them pulled out! You bleed about the same from what I'm told (have not been lucky enough to have a natural birth, so I don't have anything to compare to). Moving is horrible. Standing up from sitting, or sitting from laying, or sitting to laying or standing to sitting...pretty much anything that involves those damn core muscles, is excruciating. You will feel like your balance is off, which it is, don't try to rush it! On the plus side...no chance of ripping or an epesiotomy (sorry ladies...you have my sincerest heartfelt apologies that you had to endure that!). You have longer recovery time in the hospital, and for me, the epidural took FOREVER to wear off, my ass was numb for a week it seemed like. Pooping is still painful, and they won't let you leave until you do. NOTHING about a c-section is easy, or "nice". They suck...I've had 3 and will have a 4th.

Best part-Your little one. No matter how much pain you are in, when that little one looks at you, it all seems worth while. Oh, and I will be investing in a Miracle Tummy (I think that's the name), it helps hold everything in place after the c-section and helps relieve a lot of the pain.

Recovery???

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