How about after the birth stories?Say,the first 36 hours?

[KindRedSpirit]

I think I've read every birth story out there,and I'm starting to get a bit anxious about the first 36-72 hours postpartum.I'd love to hear some of the different experiences we've all had.
Here are mine.
Birth oneas a very fast birth-2 hr.20 min. from time labor was detectable,so I had stitches,which put me into a bit of shock.Especially since I had had to deliver the placenta-which I totally forgot about!I ended up having an ugly hemmorage and had to stay in bed for 24 hours.The up side to this was I learned to nurse laying down right off the bat!Oh yeah,this was a home birth.I can't remember if I got pitocin or what-this was right before a mw in our state was put in jail for using pit.at a home birth.Once I was up and about,I had worse than labor gas pains -I thought I would die!(Do not eat beef and broccolli as your first postpartum meal!!!)Finally that passed and then I had seering pain due to dehydration and drying out my stitches!Thankfully, a call to the mw and a few glasses of water cleared that up nicely.I learned a lot!And thankfully never had to journey the 6 blocks to the hospital.

Birth two:This was a mini birth,as it was a miscarriage.I had been very sick all 10 weeks,and just felt SO much better.I mc'd in the tub at home,and bonded with the baby as I watched it pass.I still feel a bond with this little one.I got the flu a day later,and thought there may be an infection,went to a clinic,got checked,and all was good.So it was just the local bug.That was the most intervention I've ever had for any birth yet.Thank goodness!

Birth three:This birth was 6 hours and I got to experience every bit of labor,even trying not to push as a lip of cervix moved out of the way.I was on a total high for 2 weeks after this birth.It was amazing!

Birth four:This birth was way different.It lasted forever!After 16 hours of labor including moving an acynclitic head by doing yoga warrior pose during contractions,and birthing in the water,nursing through labor,and being so exhausted I was sleeping between contractions!I was exhausted,and more exhausted.I nursed both the new baby and the toddler within an hour of giving birth, and tried to keep the placenta on under the nurslings til it stopped pulsing,it was a bit much,and stayed that way as I tandem nursed with an older sibling not nursing.I don't think I ever really recovered or "got back" until weaning a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old during this pregnancy.

Now:now I am waiting to go into real labor,and wondering how this postpartum will be.Will I be nursing one little baby,or will the girls want to start again?Will I let them?Will I have ppd?Will I have the support to find my new way with four kids?We'll see.Maybe I should draft some after the birth plans for friends and family,so I can get the support I may not be able to articulate at the times I'll most need it.I'm not too worried about the birth,I've done it enough to know where it's at.And if something cataclysmic(sp?)happens,we'll just have to take it a moment at a time anyway-there's no real preparing for that.

So, there's my experiences,I look forward to reading yours.

[Rowenta]

It wasn't the few days after birth that hit me this time, it was about 5 days later that it really HIT me. I couldn't walk, or lift my muscles. I didn't have any stitches, so that area is fine, but I just can't lift my legs or walk.
I was on a total HIGH the first 4 days after birth though!
So, don't discount the weeks following!

[cuttiebearmom]

Had to respond MAY mamas, even though I'm not due, one of my best friends is and we were talking about this EXACT thing the other day!

I had totally amazing recoveries with both of my girls. Pretty crazy I know. With dd1 I had to have a small area stitched but it didn't bother me at all, second not even a skid mark. The funny part is that I had to get a little bit of pitocin after birth of dd2 and the area where I got the IV was actually THE WORST pain after for both of them. I stopped bleeding within a week of both births (I thought my neighbor was going to hurt me, but she asked!).

I guess I'm pretty lucky, I have fond fond memories of the week or two postpartum with both girls, sleeping, nursing, bonding. It definatley helps that my hubby took at least 2 weeks off both times to help out. I'm saying this now and if I have #3 watch me be completely miserable

Everyone mother is completely different, and as pp mentioned, every POST-BIRTH experience is completely different.

GOOD LUCK MAMAS !!!! Happy birth-vibes for sure

[Peppamint]

Let's see...

with first baby: hospital induction birth with plenty of interventions. Remarkably, I was up and around pretty well considering my pelvic floor muscles were wiped from pushing in lithotomy position and I had stitches for an episiotomy (I do sometimes wonder if I would've healed better from the epis. if I had laid down more, but I think that's just part of having your crotch cut open : ). She was a sleepy nurser, so most of my pp issues were related to getting a baby who was forced out of the womb too soon to nurse well.

with second baby: other than lying on the couch for most nursing sessions and taking an afternoon nap on the couch with both kids (newborn nursed to sleep, dd watched a video) we went back to our normal routine pretty quickly. I never had any issues with heavy bleeding and actually was done bleeding completely by 3 weeks pp and felt pretty good so I knew I wasn't overdoing it.

Still waiting to see what post-partum is like with this babe.

[waterbaby9503]

I had my baby boy May 3. It was in the water. My baby came out but did not cry and was not breathing(the choice not have the cord cut until it stopped pulsing put me at ease since he was still getting o2 from me for another minute, and I had a feeling he was fine). He started breathing after a bit of o2. He still didn't cry. Mw checked him out thoroughly and it seems he can cry but doesn't do it very often. Still. (don't hurt me, ladies! he's just a quiet babe)
After that drama, I got out of the pool and shakily laid on the bed. When I sat up to go pee, the lights got dim and sound went off. I was still conscious but not in control as I had a 5 sec seizure. Guess the blood loss and blood pressure drop was hard on me. I rested much more and got my head straight after about half an hr, and delivering the placenta.
After that, I was fine. Skid marks and sore bottom, no stitches, but up and walking around, doing dishes.

[brown eyed girls]

You want all 6 of them? LOL I'll skip the M/Cs to keep it down to 6.

#1- I was 23 and still in college, my senior year. He was due Oct 4, but I had a lot of "morning sickness" that last month, and he'd dropped like a basketball between my legs at 33 weeks. I was my best friend's matron of honor at 34 weeks, the *sight* of me waddling down the aisle was just hilarious. Anyhow, I was sick as a dog Weds and Thurs, started wondering "are these Ctx" Thurs night, got to hospital about midnight Friday and he was born at 7:13 a.m. as the sun rose. Was home Sat night. On Monday I was NIP at the mall, with my mom and dad looking for bedding, blankets, clothes, the whole 9 yards because I hadn't had a baby shower and didn't have ANYthing. The nurses had sent me home from the hospital with baby hospital gowns and diapers and blankets because we had *nothing* ready for the baby. By Weds I was wearing him in a soft carrier and attending my study groups on Campus, I had my Senior Project due on Sept 28. He'd been born Sept 17.

#2-- due Aug 19. We had no A/C and it was HOT. Boy howdy. He was born Sept 2, breech, after about 5 hours of active labor, naturally. He went to NICU after acquiring a hospital based staph infection and I walked out of the hospital AMA to go with him to the Children's hosp. I spent the next 2 weeks standing next to his warmer or rocking in a chair next to his isolette. Finally we went home on the Sat. two weeks later, and had a b'day party for #1. He never really did breastfeed.

#3-- due Feb 10, induced 1/16 for prodromal labor. Birth was fine, but my body crashed after the birth. I bled and bled. Couldn't lift my head off the pillow yet at 36 hours, and wasn't discharged until the 5th day. In the end they made me get 3 units of blood before they'd let me leave the hospital. The baby was really tired all the time and didn't nurse well, was very irritable and didn't really "wake up" or get it together until after his original due date. He's a gem now though. Was just talking to my mom about this one going to spend 6 weeks this summer with her... he's so excited about it and I was just telling her what a good boy he was, and so easy to live with. I'll miss him while he's gone!

#4-- induced at about 38 weeks for prodromal labor, but after 14 hours of fruitless induction was suddenly born-- unassisted into daddy's hands-- after only 9 contractions! I was in great shape at first-- walked to the nursery to find her 2 hours after the birth because they'd taken her and hadn't brought her back; she did OK except for bad jaundice. I got home from hospital only 18 hours after her birth and was cooking the frozen pizza for the family. I did crash at a week with mastitis, and then at 4 weeks postpartum I crashed hard again, my pp bleeding lasted 9 weeks with this one-- we had the least help after birth with this one.

#5-- natural homebirth, unassisted. 41 weeks, 10 lb baby, nuchal hand. No tears (I've only had stiches after #1 and #2)... and I felt really good after birth... baby was good too. I had plenty of help, plenty of food, felt well cared for and physically it was my fastest healing since #1. But it was better than #1, because I knew better how to care for baby, had everything I needed, and had many hands to pass the baby around so I could shower! LOL

#6-- natural homebirth, unassisted, 39 weeks, 7 lb 12 oz baby, waterbirth. I bled a little more after the birth, and rested a bit extra that first day or two. She didn't latch real well at first, but overall I recovered well. At 3 weeks postpartum I was doing my Yoga and Pilates again and she was nursing well and we were back to homeschooling.

See? Postpartum doesn't have to be scary!

[KindRedSpirit]

I can't belive I forgot this,but the after birth cramping is worse with each baby,and it was really bad while nursing 2!_Nobody warned me about this!I've got arnica and backup motrin for this time.

[boingo82]

#1 - was born in a hospital, naturally except I had AROM at 9 cm.
Postpartum - despite having no drugs during delivery, I demanded post-birth drugs. I think I got codeine, and it helped!
I had a 2nd degree tear with stitches and several small labial tears that made peeing HELL for the first few days. And the first time I had to poop? OMG. Sitting was very, very uncomfortable for a few days to weeks also.

#2 - homebirth. Small tear, MW said it would be a 2-stitch deal IF we stitched it, which we did not. A few labial tears. The first time I tried to pee I could not even finish, it hurt so badly. But by the next morning, 12 hours after the birth, my labial tears had sealed enough that it barely twinged with pain. Within a few days, no pain at all.
What really got me this time was the cramping. Now, I hemorraged somewhat after birth, lost about 650-800 ccs (I think?) of blood, they said, where 500 is considered the max that is normal. So the uterine cramping is positive in a medical sense, where it's doing something constructive, but the pain was HORRIBLE. Motrin barely took the edge off. Fortunately, it lessened day by day, and by a week, was gone.
Also, I am having some weird tendon or ligament pain in my abdomen, near my right hip. I feel it if I try to stand up and walk after being prone for a long time. I am trying to lay down a lot as I have somewhat of a prolapse and want to encourage it to heal back where it's supposed to be.

[Peppamint]

I have a bottle of AfterEase in my birth kit because last time the birth itself was almost painless until pushing (well, I didn't really push- he just roared out) but the afterbirth pains will KILLER. I used up a small bottle of Advil with the pains because I couldn't get anything herbal here in town. I had some not so pleasant afterpains the first time, but they were downright awful the 2nd time and I hear it usually gets worse.

I'm prepared this time, I just hope the AfterEase works. :

[brown eyed girls]

OH yeah... the afterbirth pains. They do get worse each time.... Last time I piggybacked Tylenol and Advil....

this time....

to be honest.....

I have a partial bottle of Tylenol #3 leftover from when my dd broke her arm and I plan to use it.

(Yes, I do natural childbirth, and then use drugs for afterbirth contractions.)

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by brown eyed girls

(Yes, I do natural childbirth, and then use drugs for afterbirth contractions.)

LOL.. it felt sorta ironic to have a drug-free birth and then be popping Advil like no tomorrow.

[brown eyed girls]

Well ladies on the MOMYS digest do swear by liquid calcium-magnesium supplement to lessen afterbirth pains, and I plan to try that first... but when I cleaned out the Med closet and found the Tylenol with codeine and it's not expired, I did set it aside and showed it to DH so he'd know where it was. If I end up needing it, I'll take it with a thankful heart.

Afterbirth pains DO hurt more than labor, at least to me they do, for the first 36 hours or so every time you latch on... I know they are *good* because they are clamping down the uterus and shrinking it... but by golly do they hurt.

[Smithie]

With ds, I was one of those fools who had a great, quick, natural birth and then went right home from the birth center and did housework

I crashed really hard and took MONTHS to really get better emotionally. I had minor labial tears (nuchal arm) and bad nipple pain for about 8 weeks.

This time around, I've got a postpartum doula lined up for the first week, I've outright forbidden dh to spend his vacation time doing home improvement projects, my mom is coming out for PP weeks 2&3, and then I'm going back home with her for 3 more weeks with my extended family. I'm hoping the change of scenery and having so much help from my clan will help stave off PPD.

Oh, and I'm not getting out of bed for three days after the birth. Not unless the house catches fire

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by brown eyed girls

...
Afterbirth pains DO hurt more than labor, at least to me they do, for the first 36 hours or so every time you latch on... I know they are *good* because they are clamping down the uterus and shrinking it... but by golly do they hurt.

Me too... I think I actually prefer labor to the afterbirth pains. They were just AWFUL this time - and of course, this time I got a newborn who wanted to nurse constantly.

Somehow, I justify drug-free birth that ends in "gimme-some-#($*@%-drugs" postpartum, because birth is "natural", but afterwards, I'm "injured".