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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

OK who wants to talk to me about after pains?

30 replies

CrawlingInMySkin · 30/01/2011 10:16

DS they were not too bad only when I fed him. DD they were just as bad as the cc I had just before giving birth and lasted all day and then started to get better the next day.

I also noticed they seemed to get worse if I was near her or agony if I was holding her so much so that I was unable to hold her unless feeding. Has anyone else noticed them getting worse if they pick up thier babies?

Also how much worse are they on a third?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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deemented · 30/01/2011 10:19

In all honesty?

With my fourth baby (3rd pregnancy) they were bloody agony. Lasted about ten days all in. Hurts more when feeding because hormones helps uterus to contract back smaller, iirc.

But... it does stop eventually and will get better

Original poster

CrawlingInMySkin · 30/01/2011 10:23

I was expecting that. yes I kept having them but day 1 ws constant day 2 comng and going and then a few days of only when I fed were they constant for 10 days? or constant for a few and then only when you fed?

OP posts:

deemented · 30/01/2011 10:24

Yes, constant for maybe three of four days, then only when i fed - but what was pretty much constantly as he was a guzzler!

Sorry!

Original poster

CrawlingInMySkin · 30/01/2011 10:31

Thanks I wanted to know so I could be prepared I am more scared of them than labor

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ThatllDoPig · 30/01/2011 10:36

I found them VERY painful. Sorry. I would advise talking your own paracetamol into hospital with you, as I was counting down the mins until I could have the next dose, then could never find a nurse, drove me mad.
Just know that it passes eventually, and it is a good sign of everything compacting down again.

But they aren't as scary as labour. At least it is only you to worry about. And they don't last forever.

Original poster

CrawlingInMySkin · 30/01/2011 10:43

I had no pain relief last time, and what got to me most was I had been up two days with labor and then spent the next night up with afterpains and I was already so tired I just couldn't handle them.

I am not scared of them in a something might go wrong way but they were agony. But then I did leave the hospital 12 hours after birth back in my noemal trousers so at least they do some good I shall try to focus on that.

OP posts:

warthog · 30/01/2011 10:45

my afterpains weren't so bad. had 2 births so far.

but i had a lot of stitches and took painkillers - cocodramol or some such. they don't like giving those out anymore. so i think i just didn't feel them so much.

i'd def take painkillers for them.

JentlyDoesIt · 30/01/2011 10:58

With DS, they weren't too bad compared to the cx. Plain old paracetamol helped a lot.

With DD, I had a planned section so no cx. The afterpains were horrendous as I had nothing to compare them to IYSWIM? I think if you can relate them to something else, it helps, but yes, they got worse whilst feeding DD. Can't remember what the hospital gave me for them but DP sneaked me some Co-dydramol from my stash for back pain at home :)

bigcar · 30/01/2011 11:03

afterpains usually get worse with each baby, I'd got to the doctors and get something on prescription like cocodamol before hand so you have something stronger there if necessary. Safe if breast feeding too.

Original poster

CrawlingInMySkin · 30/01/2011 11:10

The problem in my hospital was I delivered DD at 2.00 back on ward at 3.00. As I got back I feinted and started vomiting and shaking, Mw said it was shock because although I had a long 1st stage my pushing stage was only 2 minutes.

So because it was the middle of the night I was left alone in my bed having afterpains shaking and vomiting till 8 oclock and unable to get up. When mw came n she said because if I wanted paracetamol I would have to wait for doctor and then pharmacist which would delay discharge and I wouldn't get them for hours anyway so I had to wait till I was discharged and home before I could take anything.

I am hoping for a homebirth this time so that should make things better.

OP posts:

SecretSlattern · 30/01/2011 11:20

Number 3 hurt like hell and I FF. Dread to think what they would have been like if I'd BF. Sorry

Readytoburst · 30/01/2011 11:53

Oh no! I have no recollection of afterpains with my dd! Maybe it was drowned out by the pain of 3rd degree tear!! Guess I'll find out about them this time round then!

IngridFletcher · 30/01/2011 11:56

Only suffered them with number 3 and they were quite bad. Definitely needed painkillers!

hastingsmum · 30/01/2011 13:44

With DS1 they were ok but with DS2 I cried in pain every time I BF him, lasted for ages, more than a week but probably not quite two. I'm dreading what they'll be like after baby no 3.

SarahScot · 30/01/2011 14:28

I had no after pains at all with DC1, but have been told they come with DC2 and get worse with each subsequent one. Think I will tell my GP a wee white lie and say they were bad after DC1 so she'll give me some co-codamol to take to hospital with me.

hackneyzoo · 30/01/2011 15:41

i didn't ave after pains with dc1 or 2. Just had dc 3 and had them for about a week afterwards, they weren't that painful and cocodamol helped.

marjean · 30/01/2011 20:32

Awful after dc2. I was in tears.

When pg with no3, I convinced my doctor to prescribe me cocodamol in advance of the after pains, as I had heard they get worse with each pregnancy... the agony never came. Nothing. The cocodamol are still in the cupboard.

Phlebas · 30/01/2011 21:18

they were very, very bad with my third (worse than labour pains) - I had a shot of morphine in the end, nothing else touched them (dreading #4)

JustOneMorePlease · 30/01/2011 21:42

Oh god I'd forgotten that bit, dc4 due in 3 weeks. The after pains have got more awful with each dc. I remember biting on a wooden spoon when BFing ds2 in the first few day.

Note to self- get some painkillers stocked up tomorrow!

fannybaws · 30/01/2011 22:05

Yep they do get worse the more babies you have. Just had Ds5 what I found helped was keeping topped up with paracetamol and Diclofenac (voltarol)regularly.
Also heat helped, I did end up in a very hot bath on night 4 after birth.
Of course you could ask the mw to just leave the entonox in your home for a few day.....walks off whistling..............

Original poster

CrawlingInMySkin · 31/01/2011 08:47

Fannybaws I like that idea

OP posts:

sarahbuff · 31/01/2011 09:52

Bit of advice given to me after my fourth baby (she's 10 weeks old now), take paracetemol before the pains start, as if you wait until they are bad the painkillers won't help much. I had a drug free homebirth and not a fan of taking things whilst pregnant/bfing, but figured a bit of paraceteol wasn't too big a deal. I took paracetemol every 4-6 hours for the first couple days and although I had pains, they were quite bearable. I had a really easy labour and birth with my third baby but the afterpains left me in agony, in tears and sending my husband off to the shop during dinner to get me paracetemol!

skidd · 31/01/2011 09:55

yes I took really strong codeine to the hospital with me and gulped them down a few minutes after he was born (DC3) - pains were less bad than with DC2 so must have worked. Kept taking them for a few days and by then pains weren;t too bad

OmicronPersei8 · 31/01/2011 10:05

I wonder if a tens machine would help with after pains? It's something I only thought about after mine had finished. I remember crying with the pain while bfing DC2 - my labour was pretty good, I found the after pains worse.

bunnyfrance · 31/01/2011 14:58

Oh dear, they were really bad with DS1, I was crawling around on the floor, it was worse than labour and I had DS to look after as well! The big shock was that I had no idea about them beforehand, nobody had warned me.

Actually I found BFing helped, as the weight of the baby on my stomach deadened the pain somewhat.

Now I'm expecting DC2 and dreading the afterpains...

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