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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

breastfeeding and afterpains

18 replies

fernie3 · 15/01/2009 22:13

hi
I am expecting my third and have decided to try breastfeeding, my first two were bottlefed.

I know it probably sounds like a silly concern but when I was in hospital after having my son I was in a bed next to a woman having her third who was breastfeeding and she was actually crying with the pain of the afterpains. The midwife told her "its because you are breastfeeding" since then I have this total fear of breastfeeding afterpains.

I know its only a few days but it really is something that worries me, with my second I didnt have afterpains too badly just took paracetamol and it was fine but he was bottlefed

is it really that bad if you breastfeed? will paracetamol and hot water bottles help etc?

sorry for such a wierd question but it is just playing on my mind I keep hearing the wmoan crying in my head!

sophie

OP posts:

forkhandles · 15/01/2009 22:26

poor you, that's the last thing you need to be worrying about isn't it. With my first I hardly noticed them, with my second they were stronger but certainly nothing that would make me cry or need to take pain relief. I do remember wanting to be sitting on my bed with my legs up, but you probably would be anyway. I don't remember any of my friends saying they were as bad as your neighbour in hospital either...

I'm sure everybody is different and experiences it differently but please try not worry about this. You could also call thd NCT Breastfeedling line for more info.

Good luck

bzzbee · 15/01/2009 22:41

Are afterpains the cramps you get when your uterus contracts when you breastfeed? If so then I didn't think they were too bad - a bit like period pain and nothing at all compared to childbirth! I was probably also distracted by the sharper more piercing pain in my nipples during the first week or so. (And the afterpains didn't last much longer than that either). Plus it's comforting to know that the uterus cramps mean that your waistline is (slowly) returning :D

littlelamb · 15/01/2009 22:43

With dd I didn't have any at all but I did get them with ds- again, I have been told that they get worse with each child. I didn't think they were horrendous though, and you can ask for painkillers before you leave hospital if it's a worry. Good luck

warthog · 15/01/2009 22:44

no afterpains with first, i can't even remember if i did with no. 2 (! it's only been 4 months!) and i breastfed both. it's not a dead cert that you will.

DebInAustria · 15/01/2009 22:48

Mine did get worse each time but not enough to cry out loud like your hospital neighbour. with ds3 I was bfeeding and got painkillers at the hospital, then you can always take ibuprofen which helps.They don't last long, try not to worry.

CantSleepWontSleep · 15/01/2009 22:51

I thought I had terrible afterpains with dd, but it turned out to be gallstones.

Can't really remember any with ds, and as it was only 3 months ago they can't have been that bad! If I wrack my brains I can poss remember feeling it a bit, but more when I was feeding dd than ds (am tandem feeding, and her suck is obv much stronger!).

chegirl · 15/01/2009 22:53

Sorry but mine were pretty horrible with DC3. Not nice to deal with after going through labour but IMO worth it.

But as the other posts seem to suggest, everyone is different and you may suffer neary a twinge .

You could take paracetamol regularly for the first few days to take the edge off. Dont wait for the pain to get bad, take em just in case IYKWIM. Even when they are horrid they only go on for 2-3 days.

Good luck.

rosieposey · 15/01/2009 23:13

Im expecting DC4 three weeks tomorrow via c section and although i had VB's for my other three i am also concerned that the afterpains will be too much to bear. I gave up BF'ing as amongst other things (like hideous mastitus) the afterpains were such that i was also crying out in terrible pain, this was 11 years ago and i can remember it vividly. Just to echo the OP's first post really and ask if there is anything i can do to take the edge off apart from paracetamol as i seem to remember it doing not alot last time. Not sure if its an old wives tale but have heard that it gets worse with each birth - not sure that there will be any difference between my VB's and this one in terms of afterpains either? Really would love to go the whole hog and BF this one long term but definately worried about those inital afterpains too

Tigger13 · 15/01/2009 23:15

With ds3 they were quite serve if I'm honest but only last a day or so and only when feeding, took pain killers which helped loads, I also tried to remember that at least by bf the pains would be over quicker as uterus cramps(is that right!) down quicker. Just kept distracted and were certainly gone by time my milk came in at day 2!!

Good luck having 3 is lovely xx

jocie · 16/01/2009 15:43

hi,i was crying in pain with ds2 afterpains as for me they were really bad but they did only last for 2-3 days
Rosieposey - i dont know whether it was cos it was my 1st but i didn't really feel any aftertpains after ny c-section with ds1, i was on lots of strong painkillers for the 1st 2-3 days cos of the section. ( bf both btw )

nicewarmslippers · 16/01/2009 17:08

for me (breasfeeding) they were like a bad period pain (I did think some gas and air would be nice as had got quite hoocked during the birth but quite managable). However i got them over with faster than non bf friends I think as my uteus went back really fast and I lost the 6 month pregannt look (but still retain the 'eaten too many cakes' look!)

TheProvincialLady · 16/01/2009 19:59

My afterpains with ds2 were quite unpleasant but not just during breast feeding. I took paracetamol and ibuprofen and that almost completely took the pain away. Like nicewarmslippers my uterus sprang back very quickly and they were gone within 36 hours. Don't let it put you off trying BF if that is all that is worrying you

LackaDAISYcal · 16/01/2009 20:09

I barely noticed them with my first baby, but thought they were horrible with my second. As such I was dreading it when I had DC3 recently, but again, never felt a thing, other than a tightening when I felt my letdown.

Try not to let it out you off breastfeeding, ibuprofen and paracetomol will take the pain away, as will a nice glass of red

And, as others have said, it's all relative. ompared to childbirth they are nothing, and like all these pains; once they have gone you forget instantly how sore they were.

Good Luck with the rest of your pregnancy and I hope the breastfeeding goes well for you

OMaLittle · 16/01/2009 20:17

Hi, sorry, another sufferer here, they were worse than (very easy) labour (DC2, but also very painful for DC1). Don't want to put you off but also don't want you to stop BF because of them when you'll have suffered the worst anyway. Used TENS for them and took paracetamol and they only lasted a couple of days, maybe even 36 hours. Oh, and mine weren't only when I bf so my story should be no reason not to! Good luck.

LeonietakingtheLEAbytheballs · 17/01/2009 08:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ChairmumMiaow · 17/01/2009 08:34

Mine were very noticeable when I BF - but were only like period pains (which I have badly, but I guess am used to). I was just happy as I knew it meant my uterus was going back to normal pretty quickly - and as we'd been told at our antenatal that BF stimulates it, I was glad everything was working as it was supposed to (which was a relief after taking 3 days to get BF sorted!)

rosieposey · 17/01/2009 11:38

Just to concour with Lenonie. Thats exactly what mine were like. My DD was in SCBU for a few days and she went home on day 5 i was still in agony on that day i remember to the extent that they thought i had retained some placenta and needed a D and C. They did go after a week though. Im really hoping that as im having a CS this time that the medication that they give to you after the op will help with the afterpains - fingers crossed. Like i said it is my intention to try and BF all the way with number 4 but the pain i was in with my third definately wasnt alleivated by paracetamol - and they were not like period pains it was like being in labour again.

VictorianSqualor · 17/01/2009 11:52

I had really horrible afterpains with DS3, never a one with DD or DS1.
In all seriousness though, the good that breastfeeding will do for both you and your baby totally outweighed the pain.

Just make sure if they are quite bad that you buzz for a nurse/midwife and get some pain relief, also I found taking baby off during the worst ones and walking around helped.

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