[yogamommy]

Okay, so I'm browsing the other forums and see a thread about postnatal pains. Some people declaring they are worse than labor pains!? Apparently they get worse with subsequent births so I'm happy to hear that since this is my first, but what the heck?! Nobody ever told me about this! Why am I just finding out about it 4 weeks before my due date? Some people have to take Rx pain meds to handle them! I don't even put tylenol in my body! Any advice/discussion we can have about this? I am obviously in shock...

 

[babycatcher01]

They can be bad, sorry. Iam one of the lucky one I havent had any with the two children I had, we will see what this one holds. Wise woman herbal suggest that catnip tea, or tincture works well and motherwort, it helps to tone the uterus and ease the nervous system. There is also an after pain brew that has cramp bark, blue Cohosh and hops, I have a recipe if you would like it.

 

[4lilfarmers]

my mw said that she had them very bad with her 2nd and 3rd babes... we'll see. she is also an herbalist and will load me up with good herbs.

i have had several friends who didn't have them at all...

 

[UltimateSerj]

oh yes they SUCK! and do get worse after each ( at lesat for me) its your uterus going back to size, and it last about 3 days i take just motrin with my son i was taking 4 tho lol i am stocked up for this time lol ( i can birth med free but not med free for those.. and i don't want to scare you cause breastfeeding is TOTALLY worth it but nursing brings them on....i have had to scream for DH to come take the baby so i could get thru the pain....

 

[crunchy_mama]

mine weren't too bad last time, although honestly I did think they were worse than most of my labor. My friend had them very bad after her second.

 

[Muggins&Doody]

If it makes you feel any better, I didn't have ANY pain after my first baby. The nurse kept asking me if I wanted a tylenol with codine or anything, but I truely didn't need anything. The OB even gave me a prescription for vicodin, which I never filled. I felt great after the birth and wondered what the big deal with the pain medication was.

I did have afterpains with the 2nd baby that were especially bad during nursing. I think I took some tylenol after her birth, but I still didn't need anything hardcore like vicodin!
Since this is my 3rd, I'm expecting pretty bad ones this time.

:

 

[CarolynnMarilynn]

I find they don't plague most women too badly. I didn't really have them with my last. It wasn't any worse than a period for a few days. You can take tylenol and ibuprofen together, and that works really well. Taking medication on a schedule, and not waiting for the pain to be bad and try to chase it away, works well too.

They do come with breastfeeding as the nursing causes oxytocin release which causes contractions, but that is a good thing as those contractions help involute your uterus and control bleeding, as has been stated.

Saying all that, afterpains can really suck for some women.

 

[grapejuicemama]

Mine with my first were pretty bad, but not worse than labor. NOBODY told me anything about them. It was a total shock to me.

With my second, I'd say they were worse than labor pain, because I didn't have that endorphin rush to help me with it and I couldn't retreat to Laborland. It was awful. Even my husband said he could hardly stand it. It made him not want to have any more children.

This time, I'm stocking up on RRL and some other things to try to help me cope. I'm thinking I'll use my hypnobabies learning more for after the birth than during!

 

[gardenmommy]

I've had three babies so far, pregnant with #4. I've had afterpains with all three, but not so badly I needed anything for them. I've found that a tincture called Afterease works wonders at controlling the pain. I've only needed to take it the first day or two after birth, and usually only at the onset of each nursing session.

I think it's different for each woman. If you are concerned, buy a bottle of tylenol or motrin, keep a hot pack ready, and buy some afterease. In my experience, it really isn't as bad as labor, more just annoying, as who wants to deal with contractions after labor and birth?!!

 

[habibekindheart]

Afterpains can be awful, and they get worse with every kid, supposedly. At this point, I'm not sure if they can get worse for me. I end up in tears, biting my lip and trying not to cry out when nursing if I don't make sure to stay on top of the tylenol and motrin I have to take. I think they're worse in part because it doesn't feel like a 'productive' pain like labor is...it just hurts.

My midwife has some herbal concoction that does a good job stopping the pain as well.

I didn't feel a thing after my first and I wondered what they were talking about.

 

[doudat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grapejuicemama Mine with my first were pretty bad, but not worse than labor. NOBODY told me anything about them. It was a total shock to me.

Same here!!! I had heard I could get some cramping during nursing, but I wasn't expecting them to take my breath away!!! The worst was the day after giving birth, then they got progressively weaker as time went on. But definitely not fun especially since you have to nurse all the time

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