What pain relief were you given post birth?

[allisgood1]

Just wondering what pain relief (if any) you were given AFTER the birth. I've been told by my midwife that women are given only paracetamol and nurofen now. Two years ago when I had my second I was given co-dydramol and dicofenlac. I had an episiotomy and required (including midwife and doctor orders to take religiously) for about 2-3 weeks. This is apparently because "it can make the baby sleepy". I am obviously now really worried about recovery now (midwife said I should purchase over the counter). Is this true?

[CrispyFB]

Last week after EMCS (although a pretty laid back one albeit at 2am!) I had the NSAID-based suppository, oramorph for at least 18 hours (they still offered it at that point but I said no), then diclofenac and co-drydamol and enough to last for weeks to go home with. They knew I was breastfeeding.

I knew enough to get off the co-drydamol as soon as I could and fortunately the incision has healed well enough to be on just ibuprofen twice a day and the odd paracetamol within five days. But those early days especially the first 24 hours - how on EARTH is somebody supposed to cope with OTC painkillers after a c-section? I am truly shocked.

[Standinginline]

Exactly the same here cariad ,I was about 3 minutes apart but was advised to take some paracetamol and have a hot bath. An hour later I gave birth (did go to hospital ). The midwives reasoning was that I didn't sound in enough pain for it to be real labour. I bloody was and I needed more than a poxy paracetamol !!

[atthestrokeoftwelve]

Nothing. It didn't cross my mind. I did take arnica to help with the bruising and local trauma, but no-one offered. I just had gas and air with my births though and didn't tear.

[VikingLady]

Voltarol/diclofenac suppository at the end of my emcs, then orally for a couple of weeks, and shedloads of codeine (30mg x 2 with 2 paracetamol, 4 sets per day). I didn't think the codeine was affecting me at the time, but I remember very little of the first few weeks now....

To put it in perspective, I take 2 x 30mg codeine for extremely bad period pains with 2 paracetamol on the first night of a bad period and it makes me pass out. Actually pass out. If I try and function on even one I slur and act drunk. No wonder they've stopped giving it!

[monniemae]

Volterol? Something like that anyway - a pessary for the swelling they said. Then codeine and paracetemol until next morning when a very alarmed nurse told me I couldn't possibly have codeine as I was breastfeeding. Gave me ibuprofen instead. Googled it, decided she was way too cautious, got boyfriend to get me co codamol for home.

[Rainbow13]

I didn't have any painkillers after my 2 vaginal births.
after my section strong painkillers, was offered morphine and even though I was in a lot of pain didn't want it. didn't fancy feeling spaced out and I have a bad reaction to it.

[pinkr]

oops posted to soon.
Also got paracetamol.
Was home with about twenty tramadol... Never took them. I felt it was overkill in the pain reducing stakes

[pinkr]

emcs...suppository followed by alternating diclofenic and tramadol

[Hopelass]

I also had a suppository, don't know what it was but it was bloody marvellous! I was on a high for 24 hours! Mind you I had an episiotomy, one labial tear and one clitoral tear wasn't much fun when it wore off

[jennyl131]

obviously had local for the stitches though

wasn't offered any, for stitches to episiotomy and tear after forceps delivery, despite epidural having been deliberately allowed to wear off so I could feel when to push. Each stitch was awful, but dd had been whisked off by the paeds team, so it never occurred to me to ask. Only 11 years ago. (Dd is fine!)

Offered painkillers on the ward, but not sure what they were!

ds1&2 I didn't stay in the ward long enough to be offered drugs of any sort. Used paracetamol and ibuprofen at home.

[onedogatoddlerandababy]

DD1 episiotomy & forceps, had paracetamol and diclofenac.

DD2 normal vb 2nd degree tear & stitches. No pain relief, but didn't need anything.

[NovemberAli]

3rd degree tear with DD and DS (bad luck there!) spinal blocks for repair (suppository post theatre) and diclofenac/ paracetamol for 4weeks after. Was offered oramorph if needed but fortunately could manage on the tabs.

[HappyGoLuckyGirl]

I had an EMCS so was given codiene, paracetamol and oramorph for the two days on pn ward.

At home I took paracetamol and ibuprofen for about 1-2 weeks.

[CountDooku]

DS1 - EMCS and I was given a top of my epidural for the actual OP, then a suppository followed by paracetamol and ibuprofen. And one dose of oromorph which was the day after the C- section. Nothing else was offered and I was just glad to get out of there as it was quite painful and the care in general wasn't great. Even getting paracetamol for a headache the day before I was induced took 8 hours and many requests as the key for the cabinet had been taken off ward.

DS2 - ELCS with a spinal for the op and a Voltarol suppository which was great for a few hours. Then I had paracetamol and ibuprofen to tide me over. Codeine makes me violently ill, and that was what they usually gave, so seemed stumped as to what to give me. The morning after the OP I woke up in agony and they gave me, in their words, a reduced dose of oromorph as it might make me drowsy and it was morning, and they were a bit busy so wouldn't be able to help out with my baby if I felt woozy. I went home the next day as they said I wouldn't be getting anything other than paracetamol and I may as well be at home resting than on a noisy ward. Again, even getting paracetamol and ibuprofen was a nightmare as it was in a locked cabinet so I had to ring the bell, and it took a bloody age for anyone to come.

[Wuxiapian]

LSCS.

Morphine, Ibuprofen and paracetamol.

[HerGraciousMajTheBeardedPotato]

After my first I had diclofenac suppositories for the repair work on my perineum, which were brilliant.

After all my births they were pushing co-codamol on me, but I didn't need it.

[HerGraciousMajTheBeardedPotato]

After my first I had diclofenac suppositories for the repair work on my perineum, which were brilliant.

After all my births they were pushing co-codamol on me, but I didn't need it.

[HaroldLloyd]

I only got the good stuff when my episiotomy site ruptured before that paracetamol and difolfenec.

2nd birth only got paracetamol but honestly didn't need anything else despite stitches. I was tempted to take something else in just in case after the first time.

[LegoCaltrops]

That was nearly 2 years ago, btw.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Morphine.
Bloody marvellous stuff.

[LegoCaltrops]

Paracetamol, diclofenac & tramadol. Epidural hadn't worked particularly well & I had a large episiotomy, large baby, forceps birth, I'm quite small. I bfed DD & she wasn't abnormally sleepy (apparently).

[Lj8893]

Yes cariad similar thing happened to me.

Contractions started about 1pm, I went into hospital at 3.30pm with contractions about 3 minutes apart but because I was only 2cm dilated they would only give me paracetamol which I threw up. I was screaming for some pain relief, and it wasent until I demanded them to examine me to see if I was ready for an epidural (which I had always said I didn't want) that they realised I was in fact 10cm and ready to push. Dd was born at 5.35pm.

[Cariad007]

Standinginline, my contractions were 4 minutes apart and when DP rang maternity triage (I was in too much pain to talk) they said to take a couple of paracetamol and have a hot bath. I didn't have the energy for a bath and the paracetamol did sweet FA. After another hour I couldn't take it any more so went to hospital and was examined by a midwife who was extremely surprised that she could already feel the baby's head and said she couldn't believe I'd stayed at home that long! DS was then born within the hour.

[Pregnantagain7]

Ponstan (sp) for after pains was bloody brilliant! I am going to see if the gp will give me a prescription for it in advance as the midwife on post natal ward said she was only allowed to give me one!