Anyone else feel like they'd been kicked?

[Jurassiclover]

Hey guys

I'm 7 days post birth now, did have a bit of a traumatic time! Whole labour was only around 4 hours from start to finish and ended up with a 3b tear which needed stitches in theatre.

What I'm struggling with is this aching/bruised kind of sensation, it almost feels like someone's kicked me down there! Did anyone else have this? How long did it last and what sort of things help with the pain? I don't have a bath where i live only a shower so can't have a bath to soothe it :(

Thanks guys!

Oh yeah. Very similar. 3rd degree tear after a short labour.

Felt like I'd been hit by a truck and had muscles aching that I didn't even know I had.

It does feel better soon. You're only a week on and as the weeks go by you'll feel better each day.

Walking helps, start small and gradually work up.

Hi @Jurassiclover congratulations on your baby. Sorry to hear you had a bit of a hard time. Fast births can often be more difficult. I've had 3 births - 7.5 hours, 8 hours, and finallly, 30 minutes. The half an hour birth was so much more painful and took longer to feel normal afterwards, than my longer births. If you can, pop an ice pack in your undies when you're sore. I found it worked wonders for me. Do move and walk regularly but in small amounts. Don't overdo it, make sure you also rest plenty and build up over time. Also if possible, speak to a women's health physio before starting any exercise
program. Even pelvic floor exercises done a the wrong time or in the wrong way can do more harm than good.

I mean I don't know what you were expecting but yeah, it'll be pretty achy and sore for some time especially with a bad tear and stitches!

I haven't even given birth to this baby yet but at 37 weeks, I am feeling pretty achy down there already 🤣🤣

Yes! It's such a horrible feeling. If you can't bath, could you get one of those soothing rings to sit on - I think they are actually marketed as hemorrhoid relief products - I had one after my 3rd degree tear and it really helped. Keep on top of pain killers and rest. I found the pain from tearing worse than my c-section, yet after the c-section I was given proper pain relief and advice on resting while after the tear I was basically left to get on with it! It took a good few weeks to feel pain free and looking back I really over-did it, thinking I should "bounce back" after a vaginal birth like everyone says, but really I should have been much more careful with myself. Take good care.

You can buy cheap sitz baths that you put on the toilet op - not glamorous but does the job. They're just big enough for your bits.

If you think what happens at birth, everything isstretched and squashed and swollen and it takes time to settle. They do spritz for bitz spray that is supposed to help, I think it has witch hazel in to help things heal?

I think there's also a trick of putting sanitary towels in the freezer...