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Childbirth

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

Original poster

afterbirth pains / contractions

28 replies

Haddock73 · 25/08/2013 23:07

Mine are awful, on par with contractions. Is there anything I can do to lessen the pain? In tears over them.

OP posts:
ExactlyWhat · 25/08/2013 23:23

I sympathise, mine were awful after my 2nd. When I was in hospital, they gave me some prescription pain killers, cocodamol or something, which I took home with me, but pains had completely gone within a day (may be less).
Are you still in hospital? Speak to the midwife I would suggest.
And congratulations, assuming this means you have just given birth Flowers

Original poster
Haddock73 · 25/08/2013 23:42

Still in hospital and just given birth to ds2. They are so bad I am finding myself screaming in pain but they will only give me paracemotol.

OP posts:
ExactlyWhat · 26/08/2013 00:00

Ah, congratulations Smile
Paracetamol only? Poor you, I would ask for more; they were very happy to give out stronger painkillers when I had DS.
Hope they give you something to relieve it and you can fully enjoy your beautiful new boy.
Fingers crossed for you

PinkFondantFancy · 26/08/2013 08:09

Huge sympathies, they are brutal. I found a hot water bottle helped and ask MW for more drugs - paracetamol didn't touch mine.

OrganixAddict · 26/08/2013 08:32

I was only given paracetomol in hospital after dc1 as you don't get afterpains with your first apparently (no one told my womb that!).
Had dc2 at home and managed with paracetomol & ibuprofen in combination, plus hot water bottle. Agree they are on a par with contractions but they did fade within a day and, on the plus side I assume they are why my baby bump was gone in a day. Hope you get some relief soon & Congrats on your new baby.

mayhew · 26/08/2013 10:46

Good news, after 48 hours they get a lot better. But?.why only paracetomol? As a mw i offer paracetomol and ibuprofen in combination. If that's not working, then hospital strength co-codamol (30mg not 8mg of codeine). But over-the-counter strength might be enough. Send OH to Boots?..

SweepTheHalls · 26/08/2013 22:06

So much sympathy coming your way, they ended up hitting me with some pethidine in the end after a drug free labour and birth they were so awful. Make a fuss and ask for more pain relief. Congratulations on your babySmile

hashtagwhatever · 26/08/2013 22:09

sympathies. they are awful actually felt worse than labour pains. I too was only given paracetamol I found if I took it four hourly on the dot worked better. could you maybe ask for a hot water bottle?

Original poster
Haddock73 · 26/08/2013 22:10

Thank you all...they are still very painful, and I've passed a legs clot (slightly bigger than a 50p) is this normal?

MW said if they were to give me co-codamol they would need the doctor to sign it off and it would make me constipated which frightened me as I haven opened my bowels yet.

At home now, will send OH to boots in the mornin to get something stronger. Breastfeeding makes the pain unbarable.

OP posts:
madamecake · 26/08/2013 22:11

Definitely ask for more pain relief. I was given diclofenac after the births of both my dc.

Congratulations on your new baby, and hope the pains stop very soon.

2blessed · 26/08/2013 22:13

Congratulations on the arrival of your dc!
I had awful afterbirth pains too. I was still in hospital so was prescribed cocodamol there and then. Agree about breatfeeding.They will pass though. I was also constipated but just wanted the pain to go and dealt with the bowels after.

mayhew · 26/08/2013 22:14

The occasional small clot (up to apricot size) in the first 5 days is common. They often hurt when they pass through the cervix. Get medical attention if they are frequent or you are soaking a maternity pad every 2-3 hours.

Sometimes something alcoholic can soothe the muscle?. Wink

surroundedbyblondes · 26/08/2013 22:19

Had much worse pains after DD2 than after DD1 and indeed breastfeeding really made them
worse. I was not in the UK but I was given some super strong painkillers which helped. Naproxen. I don't know if they're available in the UK without prescription. Worth a try?

Norem · 26/08/2013 22:28

Hi op send your dp out for some diclofenac also called voltarol you can take 50 mg three times a day, keep taking paracetamol too.
Fine with breast feeding so don't worry about that, good luck.

Original poster
Haddock73 · 27/08/2013 03:56

Passed another clot, about 2-3inches, seemed very big to me. Should I call the midwives, is this cause for concern? Pains are still awful.

OP posts:
MissSmiley · 27/08/2013 04:38

Hi Haddock, not sure how many babies you have had but those after pains lasted over a week for me until my GP prescribed something to make them stop. This was after my fifth baby so might be different if it's your first. Sorry I can't remember the name of it. Please don't suffer in silence they can give you something for it. Maybe you still have placenta left if you are cramping and passing clots? Tell someone and they can reassure you.

Panzee · 27/08/2013 05:00

Don't let them put you off about the cocodamol if that's what you want. You are a grown up and can make these decisions for yourself. Some (only some!) midwives seem hard wired to discourage painkillers no matter what (bitter post caesarean emoticon)

Congratulations. :)

Original poster
Haddock73 · 27/08/2013 06:51

miss this is my second baby...I'm worried about the placenta being left in as well. Will call the MWs this morning as the pains are so bad, they literally stop me in my tracks and I'm unable to talk or sleep etc while it happens.

OP posts:
PinkFondantFancy · 27/08/2013 06:57

Definitely call about clots and pain if only to put your mind at rest. My afterpains took my breath away and really were as bad as contractions at transition. Try and use labour breathing exercises to get through. I think I had diclofenac.

Isitme1 · 27/08/2013 06:58

How are you doing? ? Im nearly 6weeks delivered and at 2 weeks I passed a clot the size of my palm! !
Very scary ring hospital and speak to mw.
Most likely call you back and check.
I lost a clot on Sunday and im going back to gp as I want a scan to confirm everything is out.
I stopped bleeding at 10 days so seems unusual to me that I still have clots
X

Isitme1 · 27/08/2013 06:59

I would ring postnatal unit now rather than later before they become really busy x

rundontwalk · 27/08/2013 07:06

I was in agony with afterpains with dc2,esp when breastfeeding. They totally took me by surprise! They went within a day or 2 though. I would ring r.e the clots. & congratulations on your new baby!

pumpkinsweetie · 27/08/2013 07:07

I remember this all to well with dd4, the afterpains were very painful and have got worse with each birth.
Breastfeeding made mine much worse, i would breastfeed and i would wince whilst my uterus contracted. It was like being in labour all over agaib and all i got was paracetmol whilst those with c-sections, (4 of them on my ward) were getting gas and airConfused

If you are getting large clots i would definetly seek some medical attention just incase it's something worse underlying.

LovesBeingOnHoliday · 27/08/2013 07:12

Tgey are meant to be worse after each baby. I wasnt aware of them when I had dd and it was a relief to find out normal. Id forgotten about them when I had ds and oh my god I really thought something was wrong in tge end horrible pain.

Woodifer · 27/08/2013 13:11

The only bright side is you know it's your uterus getting down to old size.

I actually put my tens back on for these. Did you use tens in labour? Diclofenac or ibuprofen (prostaglandin inhibitors) are good for this sort of pain, as is heat (hot water bottle/ bath).

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