How long did it take you to recover from childbirth?

[ALS17081982]

How long did it take you to complete recover from childbirth? And what kind of birth did you have - natural no interventions/instrumental delivery/c section.

Natural birth, very fast labour, no time for pain relief of any sort and got a second degree tear and extensive bruising (I think because if the speed DD arrived!). Had stitches, ended up with an infection, which had cleared up by 4 weeks post-partum with the help of antibiotics.

I had baby blues for 4-5 weeks which fortunately didn't develop into PND, but I did develop post-natal insomnia which I stupidly ignored until I nearly had a breakdown from sheer exhaustion, eventually saw the doctor and had to take sleeping tablets for several months to get me back into some sort of normal sleep pattern again.

Whilst the immediate physical damage had resolved by six weeks, even now 15 months on I have flashbacks to the birth of my daughter. Whilst I know I was 'lucky' to have a very quick labour and both my DD and I were ok, and I didn't develop PND, psychologically I'm still scarred. I'm not sure I could do it again.

1 year down the line here.

Induced, nearly lost baby, week long process, assisted birth, no pain meds (stubborn and some control..) stitches. I suspect a prolapse too but none found.

I was 9/10 months before I considered myself mostly recovered physically. I still have trouble with my pelvic bone, I also had SPD in pregnancy, and get pain in my hips/butt which is due to be investigated. Also much more prone to thrush and genuinely more sensative down there now.

I've recently been diagnosed with PTSD / birth trauma which has been causing sleepless nights and anxiety - I should have seeked help earlier but I put my troubles down to my slow physical recovery at the time.

I was up and back doing normal day to day things in under a week, would have been before if I didn't catch a UTI after birth, but obviously was having to take things easy.

Emergency section at 34 weeks for PE. Section on day 1, left hospital in day 5 pain free having straightened my hair and wearing make up. Out in shopping centre 7 days post birth. Driving 10 day post birth. Felt absolutely fine by time I left hospital really. People were some what taken aback and how quickly I bounced back.

I had two:
DD was born naturally after 10h. They had the forceps ready and I was bleeding a bit too much, apparently. I ripped my labia back to front and needed stitches from an actual doctor, as nurse didn't want to tackle it. Those stitches were probably my worst pain post partum. It took ages to feel half ok because I ended up with an infection at week 6-7. I was very sedentary post birth (couldn't walk with those stitches) and they said that contributed as the discharge wasn't going down because I was laying down. If it's bollocks or not, I don't know.
DD was water birth after 3h. Super easy, he just kind of popped out. I ripped this time towards the back, a clean cut that hurt like burning coals. As I was in water, it helped. Sticthes back, once more, those were my worst pain post partum. We are out next day, albeit I probably overdid it. I was slightly more active, walked a bit and recovered within the month.

DS for the second..*we ate out next day (went to a nearby restaurant)

I think I avoided cars with both. Seat belt was uncomfortable, I was always feeling like I was going to bleed on the seat (I was a heavy bleeder) and it hurt to get out of the car. I took public transport mostly.

I had a section after failed 3 day induction, was up and about (slowly) about 8 hours after, pottering around the house the next day and to the supermarket and walk around town on day 3, was a bit tender of course but pretty much back to normal on day 5 and was driving on day 9

only started to feel better about a year after the pregnancy. I had HELLP syndrome, pregnancy diabeties and high blood pressure during the pregnancy and I have an underactive thyroid normally, all of which take a long time to recover from. I had an emergency c-section, by lower back is very sensitive now and cannot be touched and makes exercise very difficult when I try to start doing anything I get massive backache and have to stop.

Dc1 was a long latent stage (waters broke 3 days before she was eventually born by section) failed induction (drip - strong but erratic contractions up to 60 seconds apart, then completely stopping for an hour, then restarting 10 minutes apart etc) eventually an emergency middle of the night section, massive blood loss, transfusions, taken back into surgery...

I was literally fastened to the bed with drains, drips and catheter for 3 days in hospital, on a very busy, noisy, overheated ward. Then everything was removed and I was allowed to go home but I couldn't walk - I had to lean on a corridor wall to shuffle out of the hospital while DH carried the baby.

I was walking, slowly, after a week and went out and about because I was getting cabin fever. I was desperate to prove I was fine and do everything but I most certainly wasn't - I was bleeding like a stuck pig, and could only walk at a snails pace, still injecting myself with heperin and everything hurt.

By 4 weeks I was functional. GP was a weird smarmy misogynistic type who told me not to drive until 6 weeks because if I did it would be my fault if I had an accident, and used Google to prove his point about abdominal muscles and emergency braking. I do wonder though whether people who drive a week post section should be doing so!

My womb hadn't contracted back properly at my 6 weeks check so had to go back again at 10 and then 12 weeks - finally signed off as having "passed" my 6 week check at 12 weeks, when my womb was back to normal proportions.

So 12 weeks probably.

Dc2 and 3 were elective sections, recovery was a bit quicker but womb didn't contract back til about 10 weeks either. I tried to do too much too soon with dc3 and pulled out internal stitches.

Being able to walk isn't being recovered! Being recovered is being able to do everything you could pre pregnancy without pain or worrying about doing damage or having an accident.

TL;DR: 12 weeks roughly

First birth was natural- took me around five years even to have sex again as I was totally damaged. Probably took around 3 months for me to heal down below. Second birth was a planned section and it was amazing. I had no where near the pain I had with my first and the discomfort I had only lasted a week or so. I was doing the shop at Asda the following day. Third birth (if I'm lucky enough to have another) will definitely be by section

A long bloody time
3 years and counting 😭😭

I was really scared and had expected much much worse so when DS was born after 11 hours with me spending about 8 of those at home, then going into the hospital, only had G and A, paracetemol and an injection of some painkiller, no episiotomy, tiny tear, no stitches, it seemed much better than I had expected. We went out for a walk the next day with him when we got back from the hospital. It was New Year's Eve and very quiet in our village. Bleeding stopped in about 2 weeks- was like a period.
DD was similar- went to the hospital about 2pm, born about 4.30, home by 9pm. I had worse after pains with DD but nothing pain killers didn't ease.
With both I was out and walking every day within 24 hours.
After effects - slightly loose skin on belly, slight stress incontinence, exhaustion, frazzled brain, feel ancient at times and in no way capable of doing the high-performing stressful job I once did ever again.

36 hour labour, 2 hours of failed attempt at pushing (cord wrapped around her arm, big head and hand on her face)

Failed epidural, lead to an episiotomy and ventouse (Kiwi) delivery.

Tailbone was very bruised, nasty case of piles (I didn't realise how painful they would be!) and some of my stitches came undone.

I say it was a good 2 months before I was in no pain at all. I missed out on the newborn stage as I was just in so much pain. Luckily my DH got an extra week off of work and he's a teacher, so has the school holidays off.

I think it also really affected the early bonding with DD. I didn't feel that 'bond' for a good few months.

Happy to say that now, nearly 6 months on, I am 100% and apart from a bit of mum tum and half a stone to lose, I am completely fine. I do count myself lucky!

I'm just sitting here remembering pouring a jug of water over my bits when I needed a wee

3 induced labour's but normal vaginal deliveries. Few stitches with each. My last I had a 2.5l PPH and retained placenta so had surgery. I was still fully recovered each time by 6 weeks post partum.

However, your body does change (for most people) and some of those changes are permanent. I'm pre-pregnancy weight but my tummy has loose skin and stretch marks, nipples are darker and boobs slightly less perky.

Induced with drip... failed ventouse, forceps, episiotomy and 2nd degree tearing.

Baby is 5 months old. Sex still painful, otherwise all else is fine - although obviously will never go back to how it was. Probably took over a month before I could talk about the birth without crying though.

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy but no complications during birth.

6 hours active labour

2nd degree tears

Tears took a 2-3 weeks to heal.
Bleeding stopped after 6-7 weeks.
Hormones took alot longer (thanks to contraception too).

15 hour labour, then rush at the end with episiotomy and ventouse. Was up straight away. But only about 10 months later did I feel my body was properly coming back to me - all my muscles, weight settling, pelvic floor recovered.

Normal birth with epidural after a long labour, but a very short pushing stage.

Felt fine by the next day, just a bit stiff and achy. I was very tired for a week due to blood loss during labour, and the iron tablets left me with awful constipation and nausea for a week or two following birth.

I had minor stitches and a graze, so had a few stingy pees but they healed quickly.

Now 7 weeks post partum I feel absolutley fine and just fed up with being fat. I’ve been back to the gym a few times (just yoga and Pilates so far).

DD1 posterior presentation and episiotomy 24 hour labour physically ok by 6 week check up, mentally battered and traumatised. Took years to recover.
DD2 10 years later very quick delivery after induction-2 hours- no pain relief,no stitches. 2 hours later post oart haemorrhage followed by emergency surgery, 5 days in intensive care, took 3 months for bloods to get back to normal levels. Again, took months to recover psychologically.
Even now, 33 years after first birth, I’m still reduced to tears at the thought of what happened.

About 9 months to feel somewhat normal 'down there'

Still living with some of the other after effects 4 years on though - back and pelvis are both fucked.

I had a back to back delivery and a big tear. No more kids as a result, my body just wouldn't cope.

Same as above really. Good 6/7 months to feel back to normal down below after a severe perineal 3rd degree tear, forceps and episiotomy. I felt battered and was in pain and discomfort for months.

But by about 6/7 months I was as recovered as I was going to get. Not 100%. But much much better and no longer in pain so I’ve accepted that as it’s as good as it gets. It will never be the same for me. And I won’t birth vaginally again after that.

It affected my bonding with my DD which I did not anticipate. It was so traumatic and I didn’t expect for the recovery to be that awful. I think I suffered from PTSD. I just fell in an unlucky bracket though I think.

Around 4 months to feel totally ok after section. Still hurts a bit when i press on it 9 months down the line. No damage to other areas if you know what i mean. Im glad i had a section. Had twins

I have had sections, one an emc, the second an elective.

The first was a horrible time for many reasons and am hazy on the details. Probably about 2 weeks.

Elcs - shit for 5 days, then rapidly better. Doing 3.5 mile school run after 2 weeks, pretty decent exercise levels by 6 weeks.

It really does vary, doesn't it?

I had a rather rough forceps delivery and episiotomy. I don't think I had the most straightforward healing process because it took me at least 2 months to not feel painful and swollen. I also kept developing cysts on my vulva during that time and on a bad day it made walking quite painful. Thankfully no permanent damage!

I am impressed by how quickly some of you seem to have recovered after a c-section, I didn't realise you could be up and about so quickly.

Straightforward vaginal birth, no pain relief, 1 stitch - felt like I'd been beaten up the next day, everything ached from my shoulders to my ribs to my calves. Also had that horrid dehydrated feeling like when you've been really sick despite not vomiting once! I felt totally better on Day 2. Bled for 5-6 weeks but this was manageable after the first 4 days.

BUT the shock was how painful walking was, for the first week I walked at a snail's pace. Within 2 weeks though I was fine. No issues with recovery.

Emotionally I felt as though I was living in someone else's body for 12 months until one day all my old clothes just "fit" again and I felt like ME.

"Down there" has definitely changed, just feels "different" but not in a good way or a bad way...just...different???