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Childbirth

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

Original poster

How long did it take you to recover?

60 replies

Amjk · 26/03/2021 15:22

Hi, just wanted to know peoples experiences with childbirth and how long they took to recover.
I had my baby 10 days ago, I didn’t have any tears or stitches, so just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience :)

OP posts:
Chimeraforce · 26/03/2021 20:34

About 3 months.
I bled for 3 months
Couldn't sit for about 2 weeks
I could go for long walks fine though

Mother2princess · 26/03/2021 23:21

Dd1 about 5 days
Dd2 about 2 weeks
Dd3 about 2 weeks
Dd4 about 3 weeks

Screwcorona · 26/03/2021 23:27

My first turned 3 this week and I'm pregnant with second....I'm yet to recover from the first. It depends on what happened and how it affected you

DragonPoop · 26/03/2021 23:37

I’d say 4 weeks after DS until I was 100% recovered but I was pretty close to normal after a week. For the first 3 days I couldn’t sit down on my sofa (had a lot of stitches) but after day 3 I was just tender and feeling vulnerable.

Piccalily19 · 27/03/2021 13:20

Soreness in the lady area mostly gone by 2-3 weeks, now 7 weeks on I feel pretty much normal but I’m still working on my pelvic floor 🙈
I think had I just given birth and not actually had to look after the baby afterwards then I reckon it would have been a lot quicker, tiredness REALLLY makes you feel worse so probably slowed down recovery

Useruseruserusee · 27/03/2021 13:22

I didn’t have a good experience (internal tearing all the way up to my bladder) and it took six months.

Second was an elective c-section and much quicker!

moochingtothepub · 27/03/2021 13:35

Went shopping on the way home from hospital, I think I'm pretty unusual though. No stitches, short labour, natural birth with no pain relief which makes a difference I suspect - if you have had an assisted delivery after a prolonged labour follow induction it might be very different!

BabyElephant2 · 27/03/2021 16:26

Ten hour labour, EMCS, 1800ml PPH, sepsis, 1 week in hospital... couldnt even get in/out of bed alone at 2 weeks, could go for 30/40 minute walks at 3 weeks. back to work next week at 5 weeks PP.

Still feel not completely healed if I do too much but can do all day to day activities as normal now Smile

KylieKangaroo · 27/03/2021 17:06

@babyelephant2 how are you feeling about going back to work? I am taking 6 weeks off with this one, my second, but last time I remember being fine by 6 weeks, and I work from home too which helps.

cracracatlady · 27/03/2021 17:08

15 years and counting Wine

EntreMummy · 27/03/2021 17:17

Been 10 and 6 years respectively. Any day now! 😬

In seriousness though - I think this question is very difficult to answer, as there are so many things you have to “recover” from after having a baby.

Your vagina might be intact again fairly quickly (with my first it was about 3 weeks as I had stitches) but pelvic floors can take a long time and then with sleep deprivation and breastfeeding you’re looking at potentially years to feel physically / mentally “normal” again!

I felt like myself again (I.e. having slept enough to remember my own name and not be breastfeeding around the clock) - after 21 months with baby 1, when he finally started sleeping for more than 4-5 hours at a stretch.

roarfeckingroarr · 27/03/2021 17:19

I was in the pub the next day!

Baby born 8.52am; no epidural but pethidine. Minor tear, couple of stitches, had to then have a spinal block to get placenta out. Because of the theatre element I had to stay overnight but I had a shower alone on the day and yeah, fine from next day.

UnsureOfNC · 27/03/2021 17:26

First took about 2 weeks
Second i was fine after! No stitches or anything, i felt amazing which shocked me🤣

shhsecretsquirrel · 27/03/2021 17:34

May be rose tinted glasses but I was definitely out walking the dog for gentle strolls the next day, and out for a day shopping within the week. I seem to recall being uncomfortable for a week or 2, but not even close to what I thought it would be like. Everything did feel a bit strange down there for a while, just a bit different, things not where they should be almost 😅

WaitingForNormality · 27/03/2021 17:39

I also had no stitches - a "graze" and quite shocking piles though! Home within a few hours of having DC. But honestly, I wasn't walking far or feeling strong and ok until a few weeks later. Downstairs felt weird for quite a while and caused some discomfort for a few months actually. Given my quick and uneventful labour I was shocked to find recovery so tough actually.

CloudFormations · 27/03/2021 17:41

@Littlepaws18

My baby is due a week before my wedding. Just got everything crossed I will be ok!
This is... mental. We’d better all cross our fingers for you, you’ll need the extra luck!

I had a c-section and post-partum haemorrhage. I was up and about in a gentle way after about 5 days but took 6 weeks before I felt somewhat healed. Still not fully recovered now 4 months on.

BabyElephant2 · 27/03/2021 18:33

[quote KylieKangaroo]@babyelephant2 how are you feeling about going back to work? I am taking 6 weeks off with this one, my second, but last time I remember being fine by 6 weeks, and I work from home too which helps.[/quote]
I feel okay about it, would rather have given it till more like 7/8 weeks to be sure I’m not doing any damage but financially don’t really have much choice! I’m frontline Ambulance so a pretty physical job at times but I’m going to go back on 2 days a week for a month or so before going back full time

FrasierCraneDay · 27/03/2021 18:38

Both emcs, first dd born at 3.30 am, up and about that evening, home the next morning and could shuffle around happily with little pain. Second born at 9am, had a walk before I went to sleep that night, home the next morning and felt fine

ChocOrange1 · 27/03/2021 18:44

I had a vaginal birth and a few stitches both times. I was walking round ikea a week after DD1 was born and about the same with DD2. I did have constipation and piles for quite a few months afterwards with DD2 but i think that cleared up after about 6 months.

Hollyhead · 27/03/2021 18:46

6-8 weeks DC1, not an awful Labour but not brilliant, took 4 weeks to establish bf.

1 week - DC2, very easy labour bf established instantly.

elQuintoConyo · 27/03/2021 18:48

9 years and counting.

Conditionconditioncondition · 27/03/2021 18:49

@Littlepaws18

My baby is due a week before my wedding. Just got everything crossed I will be ok!
Is this your 1st?

I would wish you good luck but I think you need more than that

SylviaPlath1984 · 27/03/2021 18:50

Daughter was born at 11am, I was home midday the next day and felt 100% by the time I was home. That's after needing a spinal block and theatre for a large haemorrhage after delivery. I count myself very very lucky, I know that isn't the norm.

But in the words of the tiger king, I will never financially recover 😂

ChocOrange1 · 27/03/2021 18:50

@Littlepaws18

My baby is due a week before my wedding. Just got everything crossed I will be ok!
Hope you don't have a long aisle to walk down!
noscoobydoodle · 27/03/2021 18:58

A few weeks with DD1- a quick labour, no drugs, a few stitches. I tried to do too much too soon (visitors, visiting etc) and was surprised how weak I felt- it floored me more than I expected. DD2 similar birth- I went to my brother's wedding when she was 6 days old and felt ok but too tired for the evening do. But She had allergies and was a difficult baby and non-sleeper (in fact I had to wear her in a sling or all hell broke loose!)-ive probably never quite felt myself again since she was born lol!. DC3 similar birth again but no stitches. He was a lockdown baby so we had nowhere to go and noone to see except on zoom! My recovery was super quick and felt fine in a couple of days. With all 3 I was back in my full time job when they were under 5 months (with a couple of holidays abroad to visit family whilst on maternity leave with the older two-obvs not with dc3). I consider myself very lucky to have had 3 quick recoveries.