Fearing the AfterBirth pains - pain relief suggestions!?!?!

[nmm2112]

The other post on afterbirth pains has started getting me really worried - my afterbirth pains with #2 were AWFUL - I almost passed out! And of course, they act up when you're nursing grrrrr :
Besides the over the counter meds, what have you tried to deal with the pain? Hmmm, deep breathing? Anybody know of some acupuncture points or herbals that are good for this?
I'm taking red raspberry leaf tea - I'm wondering if the pains are worse because of this (ie Stronger uterus?)

[lizabird]

My after birth pains were really acute for a couple of days post-partum, but only when DS was nursing. I took some tylenol and I think that helped. I mainly tried to focus on other things.

I'm sure there's some sort of homeopathic remedy that should help too, anyone else know what that might be?

[WC_hapamama]

I used a heating pad while I was nursing to help with the afterpains. It really does help.

[Maggi315]

My afterpains are just awful, worse than birth. I used two products which really helped: Afterease and Wombease. Not sure off the top of my head who makes them, I give them to all the women I deliver. Mix them in some peppermint tea with milk and sugar or honey. Can take lots of it, like up to each hour if needed. I also load up on ibuprofen, 600mg every 3-4 hours. I think this works better than tylenol, but some like tylenol.

[georgia]

homeopathic arnica is what i've used.

[spruce]

I've thrown this question at every midwife I can find lately...I'm expecting my 5th any day. I got a few good suggestions...one was using a few large spoonsful of Cal/Mag just at or around transition. One family our MW knows has this as part of their labor ritual...The laboring woman's Dh is sworn to make sure she takes her Cal/Mag or *else*. (The "or else" is for him when the afterpains hit her, lol). Apparently, on their 6th kid, this has worked for them at least 3 times.

I know I'm going to try it.

The other suggestions were: heating pads or cherrystone pillows (warmed); OTC meds or even Tylenol III (which I honestly have been tempted to ask for...but haven't...I'm really not looking forward to the afterpains, can you tell?). Someone else suggested ibuprofen and I went with that after my last birth. I don't know that it helped too much, but on baby #4, I don't think there was much hope for something as simple as Ibuprofen to do much. This time around, I may end up doing old-fashioned Lamaze breathing for *days* after birth.

I hope you find something that works. I know the anxiety about it is worse than the actual experience...because at least those pains come with your baby in your arms.

Love, penelope

[Artisan]

Tylenol 3 and Aleve. You could ask your family doctor to write you a prescription if your MW can't. Plus a heating pad. Distraction helps to an extent. Watching TV while latching on, focusing on something other than the pain.

[sunnihoneyluv]

nmmn2112 - I used those pad ice packs, those really helped with the pain tremendously, also you can use those cleansing cloths called tucks, they are usually used to hemmroids but they do just the same for after birth pains down there only you dont wipe with them you just stick them on the pad and it also cools the area down there. The ice pack pads you can find at a pharmacy and the tucks you can find at Walmart or a pharmacy. Some people say that tylenol 3 helps to but you dont really want to take those when you are taking care of your baby. When they offer tylenol 3 to you in the hospital I would take them but not at home. Those tylenol 3's can really kick your butt. Good luck! Hope I was of some help to you.

[Panserbjorne]

I was going to suggest magnesium and arnica. NaturalCalm is the formulation I use for mag. and I swear by it. Arnica really helps too....

[Skrimpy]

mine were really rough. I ordered a bottle of contract-ease tincture w/ my birth kit and that helped. My mw says red raspberry leaf tea helps, so I drank that. I found that holding my baby over the crampy area helped a lot, his warmth and weight were nice. At night I'd moan gently sometimes, like I did in labor. My midwife promised they'd go after about three days, and they did! I didn't feel comfortable taking a medication, so I just went with the tincture and the red raspberry.

[FitMama]

As the PP said, I'd just moan through it. So I'm no help LOL! But I wanted to say that I would have the cramps not only when nursing, but when just LOOKING at DS. It was trippy. That didn't happen with DS #1.

[Mama Coltrane]

I did Arnica and tylenol, but between the afterpains and pain from the tear, I took some Percocet. It really helped. I still have most of the bottle left, but it got me through that first night or two.

[nurturinglovely]

GET TWO THINGS!!!!
homeopathic "traumeel"
and motherwort tincture......

helps so well!

also, pick up a copy of wise woman herbal - by susan weed

she has things from pre-conception to birth to infant care - A MUST HAVE!
hope that helped

~brandy
: for your birth

[ZeldasMom]

I used:

CalMag supplements
ibuprofen
heat (heating pad, flaxseed beanbag heated in microwave, warm bath)

Also, when theibuprofen was working best (about a half hour after I took it) I massaged my uterus to speed the process of it shrinking back down).

[Karry]

With ds2 I only took motrin and it didn't touch the pain much. I was hurting quite a bit. I was really nervous about the pains after having my third. I ended up taking the motrin and tylenol #3 around the clock and it was so much better. I hardly felt the pains.

[`guest`]

After the third baby, the pain was worse than birth, I was so tired of being in pain is I took lots of ibuprofen, because I don't usually use pain killers, it worked really well. Afterpains are harder in some ways because youre just so tired!

[Loris]

Ibuprophen Worked For Me

[candipooh]

APS 2 from natures sunshine (APS meaning after pains!). A herb combo that saved my life.

I agree that after pains are worse than labor. Because you get no reward in the end!!

[spruce]

i hope you are finding good suggestions, and that something will work for you.

i had to check this thread ... i meant to get a heating pad or heatable pillow and some CalMag, but i was in early labor when i wrote my original reply to this thread...and had my girl the next morning.

FWIW, the afterpains were *cake* for some reason!!

love, penelope

[nmm2112]

Penelope! Congrats!!! That's so wonderful that you have your new little girl! Glad to hear your afterpains haven't been too bad! Enjoy your babymoon!

Thanks for all these great suggestions!