What can I do to avoid such exhausting labors?

[antlife]

I'm pregnant with my third, and a little concerned about facing the same type of post-partum recovery as my last two. I feel so utterly broken for at least 2 weeks after labor. I have fainted about an hour after both of my home-births and my midwives say it just takes everything out of me. Its not from loss of blood. I have torn badly with both and that is partly why I feel so broken. My midwife this time around is focused to prevent tearing....slowing down, not pushing like my last births. I also have great difficulty with breastfeeding pain even though I work on latch from the first feeding and always end up talking to a lactation consultant days later. But I've logged each postpartum week and have noticed that nursing pain does not subside until week 4.

I talk to so many other moms including my mother who had 6 hospital births and they seem to be able to "bounce" back like it was nothing. Am I a weakling?  I've climbed dozens of 14ners...I stay in shape and eat healthy, why can't I handle labor. Is there something I can do for my body to be stronger in giving birth? I've never used any pain reducers besides water birthing. I don't even think my midwife can administer pain reducers unless I'm at the hospital. Do women who have epidurals come out of delivery with more energy?

Thank you for any thoughts

[insidevoice]

I think it just comes down to what your body does and what it is capable of .  I am MUCH less exhausted following non-medicated births than those when I have had epidurals.  My DD was born at 5 am, and I was showered, dressed, and happily wandering around by the 6am-7am rounds when the pediatrician checked on her. 

With other labors, I have had to have more interventions and I took longer to bounce back.  

You aren't weak, or anything like that- we are all just so different. 

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

You are totally normal! Recovery is going to be linked to lots of things - not the least of which is the length and substance of your labor.  Obviously a very very long labor will be exhausting.  A quick labor will be less so, unless it is traumatic.  Try to go easy on yourself. As far as the lactation thing, I'm sorry to hear that you have difficulty with pain for the first few weeks, but aside from having a LC, I don't have any advice for you. Good luck!