Post Partum Recovery Stuff

[nighten]

How's everyone doing in terms of recovery?

I had a bit of a tear -- same spot as last time (labial) -- and it seems to be taking a while to totally heal. It looks healed but it still hurts, like twinges of pain, sometimes. It wasn't a bad tear I don't think, though it did require some stitches, and was kind of deep. The tissue itself looks healed. It just still hurts kind of deep down.

Is that normal? Anything I should be doing? Seems like sitz type things don't really affect it, since it's not a surface pain, if that makes sense. Any suggestions?

Anyone else having some issues with PP stuff?

[monkaha]

My guts still feel like they're falling out if I cough. I think that means I've not been doing enough Kegels (the whole stress incontinence is another tip-off ). I didn't have any tearing this time, but I remember from last time that it seemed to take forever to heal. Have you tried heat packs? Seems like the warmth would go deeper than a sitz bath. The extra blood flow that it brings would help healing too, right?

[Mal85]

This recovery stuff sucks. I mean, I haven't had it too bad as far as pain goes. The people in the hospital thought I was crazy for turning down the stronger meds, considering how badly I tore. I just couldn't imagine taking care of my new newborn while feeling hazy on vicodin. So, I took the strong Motrin for a few days and that did the trick. My afterbirth pains were nothing compared to my menstrual pains so I didn't think that was bad.

My stitches never bothered me, but I had a slight skidmark up top and that is actually what burned the most. It doesn't burn anymore, but it's itchy still. Guess it's still healing. I'm almost 4 weeks out and I still haven't stopped spotting. When in the world does that go away, I hate wearing panty liners! I don't spot everyday, but just when I think I could go without a liner I start spotting again.

[nighten]

Gosh, Mal, I'm nearly 6 weeks and still spotting some so I can't help you there. :/ It seems tied to physical activity for me though -- it gets pinkish when I've been really active, seems like. But it's lessened drastically for sure.

monkaha, I'll try the heat and see if that helps. Someone suggested to me a long time ago to connect Kegels with some external event -- like she always does them at red lights. I try to do them whenever I'm in the bathroom. But usually I forget unless I'm actually sitting on the potty.

[musiclady]

Originally Posted by Mal85

This recovery stuff sucks. I mean, I haven't had it too bad as far as pain goes. The people in the hospital thought I was crazy for turning down the stronger meds, considering how badly I tore. I just couldn't imagine taking care of my new newborn while feeling hazy on vicodin. So, I took the strong Motrin for a few days and that did the trick. My afterbirth pains were nothing compared to my menstrual pains so I didn't think that was bad.

My stitches never bothered me, but I had a slight skidmark up top and that is actually what burned the most. It doesn't burn anymore, but it's itchy still. Guess it's still healing. I'm almost 4 weeks out and I still haven't stopped spotting. When in the world does that go away, I hate wearing panty liners! I don't spot everyday, but just when I think I could go without a liner I start spotting again.

DDC crashing- I was always looking forward to being pregnant and "not having" a period. I had no idea that I would have so much discharge that I would need to wear a liner every day. What a joy to know I get to look forward to it even longer.

BOO.

Congratulations on becoming a mama.

[AKislandgirl]

In my pp exercise class the teacher was talking about the importance of kegals. Women should do them 50 times a day for life. She did caution doing them while using the bathroom. While stopping and starting the flow of urine is a good way to FIND the muscles it is bad for your bladder to do them that way regularly.

Another thing she stressed was abdominal muscles. We should pull our belly buttons to our spines 300 times a day! She described it as the muscles that would contract if Brad Pitt entered the room! LOL

I feel like I need a chart! 50 of these, 300 of thoughs...whats next!

[Vegan Princess]

I stopped wearing panty liners 2 days before my 6 week PP visit. Of course now that I got an iud put in I am spotting again and back to wearing them. Hrmph!

I didn't tear but I had an area on the top of everything that was very sore for sitting and standing. It took a while to heal and still aches sometimes when I've been standing a lot.

I think I had set this arbitrary timeline of 6 weeks and then I should be all done healing and all adjusted to motherhood. Didn't quite work out that way. 6 weeks is a guide and how long we get paid disability but it doesn't mean that just bc you hit that mark everything is magically better. Go easy on yourself.

Cindy

[monkaha]

Originally Posted by Vegan Princess

I think I had set this arbitrary timeline of 6 weeks and then I should be all done healing and all adjusted to motherhood. Didn't quite work out that way. 6 weeks is a guide and how long we get paid disability but it doesn't mean that just bc you hit that mark everything is magically better. Go easy on yourself.

Cindy

Good point! Our bodies went thru a lot, we should cut them a little slack,eh? it seems like the baby has been here forever, but 4 weeks is a really short time.

Will I ever get used to the lack of sllep? I'm so tired I can feel it in my bones. just exhausted. i know some of it is related to the above, recovery and whatnot. who decided that 'sleeping like a baby' was a good thing? i prefer my sleep in longer stretches than my baby does!