After pains remedies?

[CageFreeFamily]

I don't take things like Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.
BUT, when I had DD a couple of years ago (2nd baby) the after pains were worse than labor. I would have agreed to have another baby to avoid the after pains.

I wound up taking a 4 hour staggered dose of Ibuprofen and an after pains herbal tincture. If I missed a dose of one I was in for it.

I REALLY don't want to do this again and REALLY don't want to take the Ibup. this time.

Can anyone recommend a really stellar after pains tonic, tincture or other remedy or prevention?

TIA

[MommyMad]

I haven't given birth yet, but I plan on having arnica pellets on hand, as suggested by my midwife. I will also be taking Motrin, if need be.

Another thing I already have handy is Afterease.

[mpickens]

My midwife also suggested arnica as part of our birth kit for pain, bruising, etc. I have never used it before so it will be interesting. She also had me buy a 1/2 lb of comfrey root where she makes a sitz bath and bottle mixture to soothe my perineum after birth. This is all new to me since this will be an HBAC for me and I have never known anything but drugs and western medicine..looking forward to this new approach!

[greenthumb3]

When my third child was born, I took a tincture called Afterease, too, it's by Wish Garden. I took it often and in a good amount and it took some of the edge off the afterpains, but not enough for me to deal with them effectively.
So, I ended up taking Ibuprofen again.

I don't stress abut it personally as it is safe while breastfeeding and it helped me relax more during those already hormonally challenging few days after birth. After the initial couple days post partum, I didn't need it anymore.

This time, I will try an herbal tincture blend with Motherwort in it and see how it goes, but will have the pain meds on hand, too.

I saw pp mentioned homeopathic Arnica montana for post partum, which helps heal bruising and trauma to skin/muscle. I am giving that a go this time around, hope it helps with healing the soreness in the perineum and other bruising.

I did find a combination of warm herbal sitz baths, followed by a rinse of cool water/herbal tea in a peri bottle on my perineum/bottom helped to soothe and heal those tissues very well after my third ds's birth, FYI. Can't say enougn about ice packs there right after birth, either

[Juniperberry]

A very hot pad on your lower back is bliss

next time I will have herbs ready for some pp baths. I was wrongly told that i cound't take a bath for 6 weeks, untill I came on here and enough lovely ladies conviced me that it's OK to take a bath! I did and I'm totally fine and it was such a help with those pesky pains! not to mention healing!

[valsblondies]

Afterease worked beautifully for me- if you hold it in your mouth prior to swallowing, the effect worked so quickly

[Belle]

I used a heating pad and crampbark tincture. I agree about afterbirth contractions being worse than labor.

[violet]

I too had the worst afterbirth pains after dc2 and when dc3 came along I was ready with the ibuprofen and motrin, the Afterease and arnica and somewhere I read laying on your stomach. I also only massaged my stomach/uterus in a way that felt better, not worse. I've read stories about mamas following dr/mw advice and massaging in a way that hurt more. Doesn't make sense to me.

I did it all so I'm not sure what exactly worked but I must say it was the easiest yet. I was also very very mellow and forgiving of myself --I did not get out of bed much that first 24 hours, just lay on stomach, sat up to eat and nurse, and slept. (Not like dc2 where I did the postpartum load of laundry so dh wouldn't have to deal with it, etc.) I'm anti-med in general but I won't let myself suffer again through such a beautiful and important time -- it's brief, won't affect the babe, and for me, worth it. I'd rather be focused on getting BF off to a good start and bonding with babe rather than cringing at the thought of nursing/contractions/and pain.

[cheenya]

For each of my DC the afterpains have gotten worse, and for the last one there was no contest that they were worse than labor.
Catnip tea was the one most helpful herb. I also used crampbark and motherwort tinctures. drinking pots of catnip tea was the standby though. If I slept too long at night without drinking some the pains would wake me up.
Heat also helped, baths as well, and counter pressure, many of the same things that helped with labor. One difference I had between the first and third, afterpains didn't get worse with nursing this time - but they were pretty constantly awful.
Oh- I have also heard that the better shape your abdominal muscles are in going into the birth, the less severe your afterpains will be. I plan to take up belly dancing in case I decide to have another child

[melamama]

I also was helped by the WishGarden tincure. With my #3 my afterpains were incredibly intense, so I was preparing for this one (since I kept hearing that they get worse with every birth).
I also used homeopathic arnica---the pellets by mouth, and I used the arnica ointment to massage my belly.
I also kept up with my RRL tea, my mw said that the 1/2 gal/day would help with replenishing and would diminish the pains and speed healing.
And for this one my afterpains were definitely less intense and not bad.

[JamieCatheryn]

Staying in bed rather than going places or helping with chores made all the difference for me, no other remedies needed.

[Veritaserum]

My 4th and 5th were my easiest, most comfortable postpartum periods. I had mild cramping (not even as bad as menstrual cramps) for about 24 hours with both. What I did differently to prepare for those births:

• Hypnobabies
• Coral calcium
• Floradix and chlorophyl
• Better nutrition throughout my pregnancy

[Mama of 4 for God]

My sister-in-law just had her 6th baby. Her midwife this time around told her to go to the bathroom (pee) before nursing (which typically is what brings on after pains) and to lean over slightly and shake stomach area gently. She said it worked wonders with getting the uterus back to where it was supposed to be and limiting after pains which had been worse after each delivery.

I am due in 2 weeks and plan to give this strategy a try. We shall see.

[Shell_Ell]

Ugh, I've been thinking about this, too. They were so bad with my last son. I don't want to take ibuprofen but do have some on hand. I'm actually thinking about eating a little placenta- we'll see if that helps. I wonder if I can find Afterease locally...

[CageFreeFamily]

Thanks for all the suggestions!
I've ordered the After-Ease tincture again (this is what I took last time) and have been drinking RRL, Comfrey and Nettle infusion throughout pg this time. I've also been getting probiotics, cod liver oil and more calcium than I did last time.

I'm remembering too, that for some reason my midwife forcefully (and very painfully) removed the placenta last time (something about closing cervix) so that may have had something to do with the severity of afterpains as well.

Feeling confident and ready!

Thanks Mamas!

[Awaken]

This is great. I am glad to see so many new (to me) ideas, since I've been dreading the afterpains, it was the worst part of birth last time.

I did get up and do way too much since I felt guilty about DH taking care of ds 24/7 and helping me and the baby, too. This time I won't, can't, feel guilty about that or make holiday meals days postpartum! I am staying in and around the bed for my full amount of time, and hopefully that will help.

I am also getting better nutrition this time and more calcium/magnesium from the start. I hope that, in addition to the herbal suggestions, makes a difference!

[kathan12904]

You might think of requesting that your birth attendant not massage your uterus. Although occassional palpation of the belly to make sure the uterus is clamped and shrinking is important, most care providers to a very painful belly massage that is not necessary for a woman who is contracting well on her own. The massage can actually hyperstimulate a uterus that is already contracting well and cause more painful contractions.