experiences recovering from vaginal birth?

[ommom]

hi all

i birthed 12/31 and am mostly taking it easy, though apparently not as easy as many other women take it. i'm in pretty good shape so have been walking easily up & down stairs, etc. and didn't spend any days "in bed". had maybe 1 or 2 stitches for very mild tearing and have done a bit of ibuprofin for inflammation. intuitively i want to take it easy, not carry heavy things, etc. even yogaother then very passive poses feels a bit much right now.

i am curious to hear from others re: their previous experiences recovering well from vaginal birth. how long did recovery take? when did you 1st feel OK cumming or having sex or doing more vigorous exercise - even yoga - afterwards?

thanks!

[Hallielynn01]

I had a small tear, no stitches, healed fast, but what took awhile were the "skid marks" as they called the, up top, near my clitoris. I couldn't stand, sneeze, or anything with out that are a hurting where the skin stretched a lot! I confess we had sex 3 wks PP, and just took it slow, it was a little sore but not big deal, just take it slow, use lube, really, it helps PP when hormones are wacky. I never needed it till after having a child. I returned to work at 6 wks PP which is a very physical job, had no problems. Listen to your body though, if you experience any bleeding again after an activity, that's your body's way of saying slow down, I'm not ready for this!

[mamajody]

I had a first degree tear with stitches and massive 'rhoids. Both took more than 8 weeks to heal. In fact I had to go back a 12 weeks for a second check. My stitches healed badly and the 'rhoids have never completely gone, but they only bother me pp now. I was up and around 2 days pp, and returned to work at 5 weeks. A job I was always on my feet for. I recovered faster from my c/s because I was forced to take it easy.

As far as DTD goes, that was more than 6 months each time. The first time because I was a wimp. The second time because I had infant twins and a 3 year old to cope with and I never slept.

[Bloomingstar]

nothing to add here to answer your question but Congrats! :

[mamasthree]

My recovery was most difficult with my first...I couldn't sit comfortably for 2 weeks. I've had mild 2nd degree tears with 3 of my 4. But the other 3 were relatively easy, quick recoveries. I would say 2 weeks and I really felt like myself again. Didn't DTD until the 6 week mark with any of them--though I felt up to it around 3-4 weeks after my last. My bleeding has lasted 4 weeks with all of them, so we always just waited until after the 6 wk check.

My problems pp are more feeling "empty" (physically, not emotionally ) and perhaps a little weak. But all that has never lasted more than a week or 2. But as far as feeling "sexual" again...the barriers have been less about the physical stuff and more the stresses of sleep deprivation, breastfeeding, added responsibilities, etc.

[NaturalMindedMomma]

Not from your DDC, but I had my DD in April 07. I had sex 8 days PP. I had stopped bleeding and had no tears or stitches.

I was hiking and working out in the gym 2 weeks pp.

[quietserena]

Listening to what your body tells you is important. You'll know when you're overdoing it.

I'm 2 weeks PP and I can go up and down the stairs and carry my toddler and all that. However, if I do too much of it my bleeding comes back. I figure that's a pretty clear signal...

My sex plan is simple, if i"m still bleeding, no sex. Sometimes my innards know better than I do.

[_betsy_]

Yeah, you have to listen to yourself.

I know when I've overdone it. Yesterday, 5 days PP, we went out to lunch, went to the Golfsmith store (), hit Buy Buy Baby and went to MIL's. It was too much with my 33 pound 27-month old who didn't want to cooperate and the baby in the bucket, even with DH.

I had some tearing and dissolvable stitches, I won't be interested or thinking about or willing to try sex for a few more weeks.

[ommom]

thanks for all your feedback.

i'm feeling a bit nervous rite now 'cuz the feelings "down there" are not familiar.

what does post-catheter (my 1st) feel like? it feels like there are weird twangs or pains when i get in and out of certain positions.

i hope they will just slowly heal and go away.

have others felt these?

thanks

[Kimmiepie]

WIth:

#1- induced (IUGR and other issues...36 weeks), 24 hour labor, episiotomy, stitches, epidural, catheter, vaccum extraction
Recovery wasn't too bad. I was very young at the time and bounced back really quickly. I believe I was walking around fine the next day, with just some soreness where the stitches were. Don't remember about the sex.

#2- induced ("overdue"), 9.5 hour labor, episiotomy, stitches, epidural, catheter, vaccum extraction
Recovery went pretty well IIRC. Just the general soreness, a couple of days of taking it easy. Don't remember about the sex.

#3- induced ("overdue"), 9 hour labor, minor tear, no stitches, vaccum and forcep extraction, epidural, catheter
It took me 4 hours to push his head out! It was a huge head! After I had him I was SO swollen the nurses said they'd never seen anyone that swollen before. It took me a week or so before I was able to really even walk properly. Then I got an infection (retained placenta) that lasted for weeks and I was so ill I couldn't care of the kids. Don't remember about the sex.

#4- induced ("overdue"), 7 hour labor, NO pain meds, no tearing or stitches, no extraction devices. 100% natural (except the pitocin of course).
I recovered very quickly. I remember only being a tiny bit sore. The pain was from the afterpains I was having. That was intense that time around. But vaginally I felt great and was going up stairs a couple of days later etc. Dh and I dtd within 2 weeks I believe. But I had very light bleeding that quickly tapered off. This birth is what made me realize I could do it naturally and didn't need hospitals or OBs this time around.


Anyway, they are all different and a lot of it depends on what procedures were used during the birth. I don't believe I started exercising or anything like that until closer to 6 weeks though. I didn't want to overdo it.