After-pains worse for 2nd+ babies? - Page 2

[pumpkinhead]

I doubt it. Afterpains have to do with your body releasing oxytocin to help the uterus contract back to size. The more downsizing that needs to be done, the more hormone that is produced IIRC.

Mine were worse with #2. Not horrific, but I had barely any with ds1.

[JamieCatheryn]

Mine were bad after my first because I wasn't allowed to take it easy and rest, I was sitting up and going all over town for tests the first week, made me cramp and bleed badly. After my homebirth I didn't hardly leave my bed and was almost perfectly fine.

[lachingona1]

None after number 1, mild cramping with number 2, felt like labor all over again with number 3, and really bad when nursing, we'll see what number 4 is like. I took tylenol and used a heating pad.

[kitkat5505]

I never even felt the after-pains with #1 and #3, probably because of the c/s pain meds, but they were awful with #2, as bad as labor pains.

[forumyonly1]

1st- not bad.. light cramping
2nd- a little more noticable but nothing too painful
3rd- painful
4th- excruciating... hard a hard time holding baby durring them and definitely needed pain meds!

[2goingon2]

1st - none that I remember
2nd - yikes
3rd - whoa
4th - holy crap. Pain pills needed twice.
5th - still waiting to find out!

[caned & able]

To the OP:

Yes, that is the rumor.

[butterflies]

i didn't have any with my 1st but needed tylenol with the 2nd. Just for the first day or 2.

[Kelly1101]

Originally Posted by mojobot2000

I'm expecting my second in about a month, and I'm suddenly remembering that I've heard that after-pains are a lot worse for births 2 and after. With my first, I had moderately painful period-like cramps for several days when I nursed, but it was a very minor part of my recovery.

Experienced mamas: Is it true? How much worse? Any advice for dealing with it?

Thanks!

Mojo

My first were just light minor cramps. The second, the cramps were menstrual like, very uncomfortable, for about 2-3 days. Motrin helped, as did a heating pad.

[camprunner]

With the first I felt NOTHING as far as afterpains.

With my second, I was ready to go to the hospital for an Epidural. Ofcourse that didn't happen but it was terrible. I had huge jerky contractions. I'm going to order some cramp bark and other stuff this time along with drinking some uterine tonics in the form of tea before giving birth.

[Veritaserum]

It wasn't true for me. My 4th and 5th babies were my easiest recoveries. I had minor cramping for about 24 hours. No meds (after drug-free home water births). I used Hypnobabies and I'm sure that helped with postpartum (in addition to the birth). I also took calcium and iron during my last trimester.

[gravida]

#1 nothing
#2 was pretty bad enough to make me say I didn't want #3. That decision lasted about a week.

[sweeetpea]

Didn't notice any with #1, but she was in the NICU and I was pumping.

They were tolerable with #2, but a couple of Tylenol or Motrin were needed occasionally for nursing the first couple of days

They were worse than labor with #3. Absolutely, positively.
Granted, I have pretty easy labors, but still.

I go with Tylenol/Motrin and relaxation breathing (like in labor), but a few friends have had good success with AfterEase.

[rad]

#1- Nothing at all.

#2-#4- they were horrible for a few days while nursing. I would have preferred being in labor again.

#5- Surprisingly I had very few.