Questions about afterwards...

[Munchkimo]

What, if anything, do you plan to do for afterpains? I took ibuprofen after my son was born, but I wonder if I will need to this time around since I most likely wont have pitocin for the delivery of the placenta.

Those of you who've already had your babies...Are you experiencing pain, and if so, what are you doing to deal with it?

[ex-stasis]

I would plan on something! I didn't... I didn't even know about afterpains! I didn't have them with my first and then BANG this time they almost killed me! I asked my midwife about it and she said that they get worse with each child that you have because apparently your uterus gets stronger at contracting back down to its regular size after birth.

I've heard of something called AfterEase.. you could look into that. I just took ibuprophen and tylenol and snuggled up with a hot water bottle. The heat really helped a lot, I thought.

[mamalex]

Massaging the lower uterine segment supposedly helps a lot...that's what I've seen my midwife do.

I have kind of harped on this topic because I've seen women miserable with afterpains, but I've sorta dropped the ball in gathering my herbs. I think I'll buy some "Afterease" herbal tincture.

[MommyTeesa]

Yes! Ouch!

I had a hospital birth, so went with the Motrin/ibuprofen. They are pretty much gone now, only super mild once a day. And wow, I was totally not prepared for how painful they were! No one told me they would be worse with a second - mine were very mild with DD.

[happyhippimama]

I just got home from my hospital birth of baby # 4. I didn't take anything. I didn't really need anything. They tried to make me use the numbing spray for my vagina, but I didn't need it either. Unfortunately they had already opened it and charged me. :

The cramping during breastfeeding may require ibuprofin for some people. But it goes away rather quickly.

[sparklemama]

I didn't have much as far as pain afterward with my dd (#2). With my ds (#1) I had a not-so-great birth experience and had a lot of pain for quite a while afterward and I believe I took Tylenol (?).

With my dd the cramps during breastfeeding were bad, but I never ended up taking anything for those since I guess I would have needed to be on some sort of pain killer all day long to cover every time I nursed.

[momto l&a]

Its does get worse with each birth. :

Second I had them but then came along #3 and WOW OUCH!!!!

Know of a gal who has had over 10 and towards the ends of the kids she took to biting a rag.

My new mw recommends Motrin. I am not so sure I am happy with that. But i gotta do something. I am running out of time to go to the health food store.

They tried to make me use the numbing spray for my vagina,

: Never heard of such stuff!

[richella]

w/ dd all I felt was a cool sensation of my uterus shrinking. Not painful in the least.

Or maybe it was the morphine followed by oxycodone. . . (c/s) will have to ask MW about this tomorrow.

[darsmama]

I have been taking a lot of arnica and umm..suffering. I did take 2 tylenol right after she was born.

[clavicula]

i did not take anything but wow! those afterpains were soo much worse now!

[Doula Gina]

I live on ibuprofen (motrin/advil/store brand) 600-800 every 5 hours for a few days, then don't seem to need much of anything. It's beneficial not only for the pain relief, but also because it's a prostaglandin inhibitor, so it helps your cervix to 'spring back' as it were.

[Munchkimo]

I am so glad I asked, otherwise I probably would have kicked myself for assuming their wouldn't be any afterpains if I never received any pitocin.

Here's another question for all you helpful Mamas...

If I'm trying to avoid post partum depression by having an unmedicated birth, would it be wise to skip the ibuprofen, too?

[MoonStarFalling]

The stories have me a little scared! lol I've never had afterpains but I'm not assuming anything about this birth. I've always drank a lot of rrlt after birth. I may take some wild yam if necessary since that's what I already have on hand. And I'll surely take some ibuprofen if needed.

[LoveBaby]

I agree they get much worse w/ each child. I didn't take anything at first, but then as she nursed more I was cringing in pain and quickly called for some motrin. I think I took it every 4 hours or so until last friday I think. I don't feel anything now.

[Slingin'Momto4]

I just delivered baby #6 and my afterpains are NOT that bad at all! They were HORRIBLE after #5 but not this time around! I am happy about that but I do have Tylenol on hand and have taken it only a couple times.

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

I too didn't have bad after pains this time. (this is #4) I had no pains with our first, and then quite strong pains with our second and third (both unmedicated births) and this time around my pains were very tolerable and only lasted 2 days.

[stacey0402]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

Its does get worse with each birth. :

my thoughts exactly! Now I'm nervous. I'll probably take Motrin and use a heating pad.

[stacey0402]

Originally Posted by Doula Gina

I live on ibuprofen (motrin/advil/store brand) 600-800 every 5 hours for a few days, then don't seem to need much of anything. It's beneficial not only for the pain relief, but also because it's a prostaglandin inhibitor, so it helps your cervix to 'spring back' as it were.

very interesting!

[Willzmama]

Yep, my MW offers motrin for after the birth. She said the pains are stronger after subsequent births. I'm also planning to bring my arnica!

[Ilana]

After all the pain of childbirth I wasn't suffering though afterpains too last time so I took Ibuprofen. This time I'll probably just take Tylenol because I'm weary of ibuprofen for some reason. But I'm NOT going to endure that on top of everything else! I can't stand menstrual pains. It's my one weak point. I'll suffer a headache for days but menstrual-type cramping is my achiles heel.

ILANA