some questions

Synyster Shadow

My baby boy was born on Thursday mornin and I was just lookin for some stories from others who gave birth vaginaly mainly.

I had a quick labour and birth. In total from when I started active labour to giving birth it took two hours thankfully I didn't need stitches but no one told me what to expect afterwards. I couldn't deliver placenta so I got knocked out to have it done manually. I am really swollen down bellow but they said I'm overly swollen makes walking and sitting awkward and painful. My question how long until it starts to go down a little? And how long until bleeding will start to ease? I know there silly questions but there's a lot I didn't think about. Also is there anything to put on down bellow to help with the friction from the pads?

Sorry if this is wrong place just don't know where else to post

How Strange

Hey SS are you having baths? I found two baths a day really great for healing. Perhaps some Epsom salts in the water and some witch hazel on the pads afterwards. I can only comment in the bleeding and I had a few but not a lot of stitches and it was quite uncomfortable for a week or so. The bleeding should ease off in around 7-10 days.

MintyDoris

Synyster Shadow wrote: »

My baby boy was born on Thursday mornin and I was just lookin for some stories from others who gave birth vaginaly mainly.

I had a quick labour and birth. In total from when I started active labour to giving birth it took two hours thankfully I didn't need stitches but no one told me what to expect afterwards. I couldn't deliver placenta so I got knocked out to have it done manually. I am really swollen down bellow but they said I'm overly swollen makes walking and sitting awkward and painful. My question how long until it starts to go down a little? And how long until bleeding will start to ease? I know there silly questions but there's a lot I didn't think about. Also is there anything to put on down bellow to help with the friction from the pads?

Sorry if this is wrong place just don't know where else to post

Congrats on your little boy!

What pads are you using? The green maternity ones from the chemists were the best for the first 2 weeks or so. They were the softest and while they were bulky, they were the best option.

The bleeding eases a little after that but I think I was fairly lucky in that respect. Hopefully you will be too

I've no advice regarding the swelling but your PHN visit should be soon so you could maybe ask her. Or your doctor could advise you

Best of luck

cyning

Congratulations!I felt totally unprepared after giving birth too. I bled for 3 days short of 6 weeks. Heavily for a good week and a half but very heavy for the first 5 days. If you are breastfeeding (just in case) you can bleed more during feeds. Which no one warned me.

I did have stitches so its probably different but I was sore for 4/5 weeks: not continually but on and off. I hated baths no way on earth was I getting into one so I got great relief out of just running water over the whole area. Keeping on top of pain relief will help alot and I got fantastic relief from sitting on a ring cushion. I used mainly mothercare pads with wings and I found them best: but everyone is different.

Most of all though this all passes. And it really isn't bad at all after the first two weeks. To be honest the first 5 days were the hardest for me and after that it just got easier. If your worried at all ask your phn I found mine so so helpful

LilMrsDahamsta

Apologies for TMI ...

I was puffy like that down below for a few days either side of both births, particularly the more recent one. It really is very uncomfortable initially, but I found it went down to tolerable levels after about 5 days. I didn't really find painkillers useful as it was only intermittently uncomfortable, but maybe paracetamol might help you. And forget good posture for a few days; I ended up sitting semi-reclined with my legs all over the place! Also, I found the Tesco pads great as they have a totally smooth surface; no texture like sanitary towels. The bleeding lasted about 4-5 weeks, but it was much less after a fortnight.

ceadaoin.

Congratulations! I bled heavily for about 7-10 days then it eased off but continued for about 6 weeks. I think i used the boots maternity pads for the first few days and then switched to always night time pads, they were a lot softer and more comfortable.

One of the books I read recommended a sitz bath which is where you just fill the bath with warm water up to your hips and sit for a while. You can add some herbal mixtures which supposedly help healing. I don't know if these work though as for some reason I just didnt fancy sitting in a bath but used the detachable shower head to gently run warm water over the area which helped. Don't worry, the swelling will ease in a week or so and you won't even remember the discomfort after a while!

Synyster Shadow

Thanks for all the posts feeling better known its all normal. I don't mind it too much until I'm tryin to sit up in bed for night time feeds and nappy changes! I feel I don't given 100% to the lil man if I'm struggling with discomfort. Other days I can't walk and I think the spd didn't help there pelvis is still sore when turning in bed and walking the stairs. Am defo gonna try a few different things. Iv been having two baths a day with savalon it's somewhat soothing but thought I'd get a little more from it I guess it needs time

movingsucks

My story is a bit different because I had a few stitches but it was still fecking sore (I had to drive to the chemist the day I came home from the hospital and Jesus the pain the first time I sat into the driver seat and had to adjust it!) so what I found good was two of the big pads on they were more comfortable for sitting up for breastfeeding and also you know those neck cushions you get for when you're on an aeroplane? Sitting on one of those was great.
I bought witch hazel but the doctors said I wasn't to use it so I didn't.
I bled for ages then I'd stop for a day or two and then it would start again I'd say 4 or 5 weeks as well.
One of the nurses said the best thing you can do is let air at the area for a few minutes a day, but I never tried that... As if that would happen haha
Did the hospital give you any prescription for pain killers when you were discharged?

Synyster Shadow

I got prescription for meds to stop me gettin an infection from having to have the placenta removed manually. Had to go to theatre and get knocked out. No painkillers though. Think I'll try the two pads I had two on for the first day as I had a catheter in too from theatre

MintyDoris

Synyster Shadow wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts feeling better known its all normal. I don't mind it too much until I'm tryin to sit up in bed for night time feeds and nappy changes! I feel I don't given 100% to the lil man if I'm struggling with discomfort. Other days I can't walk and I think the spd didn't help there pelvis is still sore when turning in bed and walking the stairs. Am defo gonna try a few different things. Iv been having two baths a day with savalon it's somewhat soothing but thought I'd get a little more from it I guess it needs time

I had forgotten about this until I read the above. I found my joints immensely sore, I mean really really painful, for a good couple of weeks. I was like an old woman. I couldn't get out of a chair or bed or climb steps or walk or stand for an extended period of time. It's the relaxin hormone still in your system and if you had SPD I personally think you will suffer post partum too

Again sorry for the TMI but the positive gush when feeding was something I was unprepared for too and I thought I had read up on everything

Synyster Shadow

I think until you actually give birth no amount of reading will ready you! You cant think of everything there's no way. There's so much I really wasn't ready for. But I'd do it again if Jack is the result every time

movingsucks

I think I was lucky in that my mum told me every single horror story from each of her pregnancies so it wasn't as terrible as I was expecting.
Everyone has their own experience though... The way I see it I went in with every horror story (not just from my ma but friends and other relatives too!) And I still came out with five new ones meself

When I was discharged I got a prescription for a big bag of Solphadine , I didn't take them all but they helped for the first day or two.

MintyDoris

Synyster Shadow wrote: »

I think until you actually give birth no amount of reading will ready you! You cant think of everything there's no way. There's so much I really wasn't ready for. But I'd do it again if Jack is the result every time

I would disagree. The only thing I wasn't completely prepared for was induction but everyone is different. Knowledge is power and all that. I felt quite prepared and things didn't go as planned for me

Rose35

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Yes totally am now been brought back to the aftermath of giving birth!!!
I bled for about 3 weeks, and it can be quite heavy for the first 10 days, used witch hazel on the pads, used the green maternity pads you can get in a chemist and the tesco purple coloured package ones, i had alot of stitches, and 8 months later I still am reminded of those stitches from time to time as have still a slight discomfort there, 8 months later, i used to stand in shower and spray the water directly onto the area, important to keep area clean and dry to avoid infection, the discomfort will ease in about a week or so, enjoy motherhood!!!!

Mink

I had a bowl of cold water beside me at the loo and I'd pour it over my bits when going number 1 (sorry if tmi). I'd also wet a sheet of gauze with cold water (you can get them in chemist) and put that between me and the pad and that gave good relief.

I bled up until 6 weeks.

Everything in the first week is seriously messy and painful. I really felt like my insides had come out a bit, but everything calmed down after the first week or two.

Synyster Shadow

Mink wrote: »

I had a bowl of cold water beside me at the loo and I'd pour it over my bits when going number 1 (sorry if tmi). I'd also wet a sheet of gauze with cold water (you can get them in chemist) and put that between me and the pad and that gave good relief.

I bled up until 6 weeks.

Everything in the first week is seriously messy and painful. I really felt like my insides had come out a bit, but everything calmed down after the first week or two.

When you say 6 weeks and the first week to two were messy did you have many clots?
I don't all day but when I get up in the mornin I do just wondering if it's normal.

I'm feeling a fair bit better now thankfully swelling is gone after just 4 days and discomfort is minimal enough I can handle but that said tomorrow it could be bad again

Mink

Synyster Shadow wrote: »

When you say 6 weeks and the first week to two were messy did you have many clots?
I don't all day but when I get up in the mornin I do just wondering if it's normal.

I'm feeling a fair bit better now thankfully swelling is gone after just 4 days and discomfort is minimal enough I can handle but that said tomorrow it could be bad again

You're probably over the hump of it if you're feeling less pain. Word of advice, don't start going around cleaning or walking loads like a mad thing just because you feel a bit better. I found whenever I overdid it physically, my pain down there would get worse and bleeding would be heavier and I just felt AWFUL. Chill on the couch or in bed with the baby and feck everything else, I don't care how house proud you are!

I should also mention that my PHN freaked out when I told her I was still bleeding at 4 weeks and she said I needed to go to GP asap. Went to GP who laughed and said don't come back unless it's 6 weeks, I think it stopped more or less just before 6 weeks.

Re the clots yes I had a good few first week. Check with your GP/PHN but as far as I know the rule of thumb is that if you're soaking your pads within an hour consistently then you may need to get checked. I was doubling up on my pads the first week and the second week the clots eased off and I was down to one pad (still the massive green maternity ones) changing every few hours or so. Then I downgraded again to regular pads but the heavier duty ones.

Also as Cyning said, when you breastfeed it makes your uterus contract making your flow extra heavy temporarily. Also after getting out of bed in the morning, there can be extra that may have pooled from you lying down (lovely :P)

Synyster Shadow

Mink wrote: »

You're probably over the hump of it if you're feeling less pain. Word of advice, don't start going around cleaning or walking loads like a mad thing just because you feel a bit better. I found whenever I overdid it physically, my pain down there would get worse and bleeding would be heavier and I just felt AWFUL. Chill on the couch or in bed with the baby and feck everything else, I don't care how house proud you are!

I should also mention that my PHN freaked out when I told her I was still bleeding at 4 weeks and she said I needed to go to GP asap. Went to GP who laughed and said don't come back unless it's 6 weeks, I think it stopped more or less just before 6 weeks.

Re the clots yes I had a good few first week. Check with your GP/PHN but as far as I know the rule of thumb is that if you're soaking your pads within an hour consistently then you may need to get checked. I was doubling up on my pads the first week and the second week the clots eased off and I was down to one pad (still the massive green maternity ones) changing every few hours or so. Then I downgraded again to regular pads but the heavier duty ones.

Also as Cyning said, when you breastfeed it makes your uterus contract making your flow extra heavy temporarily. Also after getting out of bed in the morning, there can be extra that may have pooled from you lying down (lovely :P)

Ah ok sounds bout right iv only done minor cleaning like counter tops and make the bed (throwing the duvet and whatever way it lands it stays) everything else hubby is doin I only used maternity pads the big green ones for 4 days now am using the always night time ones which irritate me less and I could get away with one pad a day. But I change anyway for the sake of feeling clean. Have doctors next week wouldn be surprised the bleeding was gone time will tell though. Feel better knowing I'm normal enough so

pwurple

Evèryone is different, i had a lot of bleeding, i remember I was at a wedding when the baby was ten weeks old and I was still using the pads. When it was very heavy at the start I had two or even three maternity pads on at the same time, stakced in an overlap way. I used to wet some and put them in the fridge/freezer in a sandwich bag to get cold. One fridge pad, one regular pad... Awesome.

Synyster Shadow

Women really gotta get creative to get through certain things such as life after labour. Men would fall apart I can safely say!