Ouch my sore body

[Halfasianmomma]

General one-handed rant about being sore ALL OVER after the miracle of birth:

Muscle soreness everywhere, even in my jaw, my teeth, my forehead, and my toes!
Major soreness down there, especially sitting down, standing up, or going to the washroom
Super sore nipples from breastfeeding on demand (and maybe not having a good latch...not sure about this one but still working on it).

holy soreness batman, i feel like i was beaten up after running a 20 mile marathon

[kltroy]

Yeah that sounds about right... They don't call it labor for nothing - as you know it's HARD WORK!! Even my NECK muscles were sore from tucking my chin down while pushing. And I felt like I'd been kicked in the crotch repeatedly for the first 2 weeks. After that it got much better. The after-pains (which I'm assuming you're also getting some of, esp. when you breastfeed) get better within a week.

As for the BFing and nipples, make sure you're putting lanolin or olive oil on after EVERY feeding. Don't wait for them to crack and bleed first - then it's too late! If it hurts a lot for the first few sucks and then sort of numbs, your baby's latch is ok. If it hurts the whole time you need to work on the latch. I find that a football hold works really well if you're having trouble with latching. Use a Boppy pillow or even just a regular pillow or couch cushion tucked next to you to lay your baby on when you do it. Again, this will all be MUCH better after 2 weeks. Hang in there - and congrats again on a great birth and a beautiful baby!! Like I said at the end of my birth story - this was the hardest thing I've ever done - and worth every minute. I suspect you feel the same way

[Kylahroo]

Omigosh, I'm STILL so sore!! And my baby's nearly 6 weeks old! For me, there was the soreness from pushing for 8 hours and then the soreness from the c-section. My neck, my shoulders, my arms. My lower back where I got the spinal aches all of the time. My lower abdomen where my scar is is still achy.

Now, it's all-body soreness from holding/wearing a baby 12+ hours every day. She still won't let anyone else hold her. I have got to learn how to comfortably use a sling on my right shoulder as my left shoulder/neck needs a break! I love my wraps, but I can't nurse in them easily.

Dh is pretty anti-chiropractor, but even he said yesterday that he thinks I need to go! Now just to find one who will let me hold my baby the entire time because she won't go to anyone else.

Sorry, HAM, didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm just so right there with you! Thankfully, my nipple soreness has gone away. Kltroy's exactly right - if the pain goes away after a few sucks, you're probably doing okay. Just try to change position every time you nurse (from cradle to football to laying down, back to cradle, etc). This will help a lot!

[Halfasianmomma]

Originally Posted by Kylahroo

For me, there was the soreness from pushing for 8 hours

8 hours?!! Holy geez, I dunno how you managed that. I pushed for 2 and I don't even know how I did it for that long! You're a queen!

Originally Posted by Kylahroo

Just try to change position every time you nurse (from cradle to football to laying down, back to cradle, etc). This will help a lot!

aaaah good suggestion...I've been trying all sorts of things in the past 2 days, like using cold compresses and the Lansinoh all the time after every feed, and having 2 home care nurses examine my latch...they said I was doing ok, so I'm assuming I'm just sore from the constant nursing, but I'll definitely try to switch up my positions. I'm just not as good at side-lying!

[kltroy]

Originally Posted by Halfasianmomma

I'll definitely try to switch up my positions. I'm just not as good at side-lying!

Yeah it took me a while to figure this one out with James. I actually had to find a pictorial diagram on the net before I really got it. Can't find the link now but seeing a picture of it really helped me...

[BaMo]

Take those sitz (sp?) bathes! They really do help. I need to go and take one right now.