How are you healing?

[beachcomber]

For those of us who have given birth already - either vaginally or by c-section - how are you healing up? I'm wondering how we're all recovering from the experience.

I'm doing pretty okay for the most part. My perenium was rather swollen for the first 2-3 days but I used arnica cream and it went down rather quickly after that. I also soaked pads with witch hazel and that was VERY soothing. So, for the most part I'm healing up pretty well. Still experiencing a fair bit of soreness if I stand up for too long or walk around too much. Relic tells me to be patient since it's only been a week and a half and I did use that part of me to push out a baby.

Strangely enough, what's bugging me most is having to wear these damned pads day in and day out. They rub and bunch up when I sit and it's just really uncomfortable. I hate pads.

[coloradoalice]

Originally Posted by beachcomber

Strangely enough, what's bugging me most is having to wear these damned pads day in and day out. They rub and bunch up when I sit and it's just really uncomfortable. I hate pads.

:

Me too, I hate these pads!! I was going to buy some cloth ones, but then I realized that I had a ton left over from my first birth (I really overestimated how many to buy ). Then I figured if I run out I can use cloth diapers to get myself through. It's a race to see if I run out before my need does!!

I am healing up pretty well aside from the rib pain I am having. My incision from the surgery is in really good shape, infact I think the surgeon did a better job than the first time and made the scar look cleaner!! It's kind of weird but nice. The best part is I am feeling like myself again. My face has lost it's puffiness and my belly is shrinking. I can't wait to get back to some regular excerise and stuff, I am so ready for my body to be back in shape. We aren't planning to expand our family any further, so I am really motivated to become one hot momma!!!

[ajsgirl]

Ditto on the pads. But hey, if all goes well, I won't be bleeding again for over a year... yay for nursing!!!!

8 days since pushing her out and I'm feeling great, 90% I'd say. My only complaint is my tailbone aches in the night after laying in one position for so long. On a positive note, the swelling is gone, the bleeding is almost done (I think) and I'm no longer sore down there.

[Wugmama]

I can't believe how good I feel physically, especially compared to my first birth. I had a 2nd degree tear the same as the first time. I've noticed no pain nor swelling. And I'm not bleeding nearly as much as I did the last time.

~Tracy

[because]

Physically, I have felt much better this time than with DD's birth. Very little swelling, no tears, much fewer sore muscles, etc. Energy-wise, I'm gaining every day so I think that my iron supplements (and the transfusion and all...) must be working.

My only complaint is that I'm still bleeding quite a bit at 12 days PP. I assume that it's from the birth plus the trauma of the D&C but I'm going to ask about it at my 2 week check up.

[Sweeney]

Doing well here too My bottom is beautiful!!! I've been trying to decide if waterbirth or herbal sitz bath is to thank for it. I've been sleeping on chux pads instead of actually wearing a pad at night and I think that's helped prevent chafing this time as well. Bleeding has been very minimal but those afterpains sucked the big one. They've just about disappeared though.

My poor back though! I lost the nine pound baby between my hips and gained breasts the size of Gibralter! I'm thinking of attaching helium balloons to them since no bra is up to the task.

Tired but good!

[ozzyemm]

I am recovering nicely. My Dr. was pleasantly suprised at how fast my c-sec incision is healing. She asked if I was putting a blow dryer to it to keep it dry. Ummm--- I didn't know I was supposed to keep it dry????
I had some pain right after the surgery, while I was still in the hospital, but as long as I took my pain meds every four hours, I was able to deal with the pain. One week PP, I was able to go off meds completely.

Emotionally, I am dealing with not being there for Michael's birth. Because I had gen. anes., I am unable to remember his birth. Having the c-section was not as traumatic as I thought it would be, but not knowing how Michael looked when he came out, was he crying, etc. really bothers me. Because I had gen. anest., neither my husband nor my doula could be with me, so they can't tell me anything about the birth, either. I have asked tons of questions of my doula and DH, and have pieced together enough that I know how he looked, etc., shortly after birth. Someone asked me his APGARs, and I didn't even know that, since they took those immediately after birth, and while I was still out.

I am glad to have Michael home, though. he is feeding well, and often

[LoveMyLil'B]

I'm healing much faster this time. I just feel so much better. I must have felt really crappy at the end of my pregnancy. I had 2 stiches to repair a tear, but I don't even notice it. The uterine contractions afterwards this time were so much worse, but they went away after a couple of days.

[SMR]

I've been very shocked at how fast my healing has been.. after a c-section I imagined it would be horribly painful for weeks! She's 11 days old, I think the last pain meds I took was when she was 4 days old.. I think after 9 days of pretty intense contractions.. pain doesn't phase me anymore! haha


Everything is just going wonderfully.. she is nursing well, sleeping well, and seems to be a pretty content baby. The only time she cries is when daddy is changing her diaper! OR.. if she's REALLY STARVING!! Like today after her doc appt.. we thought maybe we'd make the 35 minute drive home without feeding her, since I had just given her LB (left boob) in the waiting room of the doc office.. she had other plans though, so we stopped in a parking lot and let her go to town on RB!

Welp, sounds like she's ready to eat some more! MAN she eats a lot!! haha