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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

HONESTLY - how terrible did you feel post-birth and for how long?

69 replies

elportodelgato · 29/02/2008 17:19

I am 28 weeks with my 1st LO and am almost as worried about how crap I will feel afterwards as I am about the actual labour! I know everyone has a different experience but at what stage did you start to feel as though your body was recovering from the ordeal? And just how awful is it in those first few weeks?

OP posts:

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Dropdeadfred · 29/02/2008 17:20

I felt fantastic about 3 secs after the birth...really!!!

OneHandedTypist · 29/02/2008 17:22

Hate to burst a bubble, but honestly didn't feel too bad after the birth. Not in the way you mean, I think, anyway. Some back ache, some leg ache, had 2nd degree tear with one of the four so that was a bit tender for a week or so with that. Not too dreadful physically... except the sleep deprivation. NOTHING prepares you for that.

TotalChaos · 29/02/2008 17:27

I felt rather duff and sore for 6 weeks. I didn't have a particularly nice labour though, so hopefully you will have a quicker recovery.

RubySlippers · 29/02/2008 17:29

i felt sore for a week (had some stiches)

but as a PP said it was the sleep deprivation that was the killer

Lulumama · 29/02/2008 17:33

after my c.s , i felt like crapola for, ooooh, roughly 4 years! but i had severe PND

after my DD i was great within a week.. had a slight infection, but nothing too bad.. was walking on air for 48 hours and did not sleep as was too wired, had a weepy day, and then was absolutely fine , tbh !

sfxmum · 29/02/2008 17:34

physically I felt fine despite a long labour tearing and stitches, getting used to caring for a new born well those first 6wka are a bit of a blur

seasidemama · 29/02/2008 17:35

Sore for a week or so, but nothing that iced maternity pads (keep them in your freezer), and a microwave wheat pack didn't sort out.

Even if you do feel shitty (average shitty, not anything properly medical) you'll find what helps and get through it. Don't let all the nightmare stories frighten you - you will cope.

CoteDAzur · 29/02/2008 17:40

Two weeks of excruciating and debilitating pain. Started feeling human in the third week. Managed to wear real clothes and sit down properly after three weeks.

Sorry if that sounds scary, but you asked for honesty.

NomDePlume · 29/02/2008 17:41

Not bad at all, I was a bit tender where weeing was concerned for about a week as I had a small graze.

Physically I looked awful but felt pretty good.

Pruners · 29/02/2008 17:42

Message withdrawn

Roobie · 29/02/2008 17:44

No stitches for ds - bog standard quick and 'easy' delivery and I felt tender and sore for about a week.

cluckyagain · 29/02/2008 17:44

Really sore for a week plus really weepy, very much 'not myself/fed up' for another 2, by 5 weeks started to feel vaguely human again (didn't want to leave my innards at bottom of stairs when going up them!!) and then really cr*p when baby decided to wake every hour from 9 weeks. Once I got that little lot sorted I felt great.....but my mother swears I've only just 'come back' now that my 3rd is 3yrs old. You can't win!

mom2latinoboys · 29/02/2008 18:16

I had really great recoveries with both babies. Up and around really fast, driving right away. Of course with both babies I was alone with them all day from the time they were 2 days old, so it was sink or swim for me.

Fillyjonk · 29/02/2008 18:19

felt ok all 3 times

one thing I find though-first 2 days are always great

everything hits me around day 3 and I need to sit on the sofa for a few days

plan to take it easy for several weeks. theres no rush, esp not for baby #1. don't be an eegit like me and go to bilingual p&t groups with a 4 week old

Spink · 29/02/2008 19:01

I'm same as CoteDAzur, once I could sit down and walk properly it all seemed lots better, and that was after about 3 weeks. dh had to go away when ds was 3 days old though, and came back just before he was a month, so those 3 weeks felt harder because he wasn't there to give hugs and support...

might be worth saying that I pushed for 4 hours, then had episiotomy & ventouse, so I had enormous piles (the mw called over a colleague to "look at these doozies")+ stitches and bruising, so I don't think my experience was all that typical. I hope not. Pg with no.2 and not looking forward to after-labour..

Also. had moments of complete ecstatic crazy joy in the middle of it all, when pain made no indent on my baby happiness at all

WestCountryLass · 29/02/2008 21:25

I felt pretty bad for a week after DS1 but definitely my normal self by 6 weeks for sure. Had a long labour, lots of stitches and baby in NICU for 3 weeks so don't think any of that helped.

With DD and DS2 I was feeling pretty good after 2 days I reckon the sooner you get back to normal and get on with things the quicker you recover tbh (though obviously if difficult labour, difficult baby/breastfeeding then that has to be taken into account).

BigBadMouse · 29/02/2008 21:37

Only read OP but

I was fine - honestly! Just waited for the epidurals to just about wear off and I was home and getting on as if nothing had happened - labours were 32 and 16 hours (established). That said, I look very pale in all the photos of me for about 2 weeks post birth but I felt fine.

It was only later, after many sleepless nights, that I felt crap - didn't feel better until I got some uninteruppted sleep.

chiefcookandbottlewasher · 29/02/2008 21:44

all our friends said that i looked great compared to dh, who seemed to suffer more post birth than i did! The one thing i would have done differently would be to have a hot bath with salt in (to help stitches heal) as soon as possible. The first chance i got was about 3 days after we got home, and i can't begin to tell you how much more human i felt instantly!

Hopeysgirlwasntbig · 29/02/2008 21:47

Honestly I felt physically FINE within an hour or so of birth! HTH

scottishmum007 · 29/02/2008 21:47

i would say it took me til my son started sleeping thru before I felt 'normal' again (around 5.5 months).
but everyone is so different and it all depends on how your birth goes. i got lucky with a 3rd degree tear (v sore!!) so took about 6 weeks before I felt back to normal in that respect.

pagwatch · 29/02/2008 21:49

DS1 very fast birth and bad tear so sore for a week.
DS2 felt fine the next day. Mostly tired. Walked the boys down to meet their dad from work 2 days after. Went to the circus the next night
Afer DD I left hosp 3 hours after the birth. had a bath and a shower and felt great. We took the kids out for lunch the next day. er ...thats it.

notnowbernard · 29/02/2008 21:50

HONESTLY..

I didn't at any point feel awful/terrible.

Tired, yes. A bit sore. Wired, definitely (after dd1). But not terrible.

Actually I really enjoyed the post-birth/newborn phase (I know not everyone does)

carmenelectra · 29/02/2008 21:53

I too, honestly felt fine straightaway pretty much, both times. Pretty normal. Bit squidgy, but not uncomfy.

maxbear · 29/02/2008 21:54

First baby - felt great never really felt sore,quite tired, but so excited about my baby I didn't mind.
Second baby much heavier, more blood loss. Felt quite tender for about a week and completely drained for two weeks. Then fine. Did not help pushing a heavy double buggy to the park on day 5 thinking that the tiredness and discomfort must be psychosomatic. Definately wasn't had to stay in bed for a while to recover from that.

lilyloo · 29/02/2008 21:55

ds1 had long labour and stitches took couple of weeks to feel ok
dd2 felt pretty fine couple days after birth had 1 stitch
dd3 felt fine straight after birth went home couple hours after and cleaned round house and back to normal day after
However tiredness hits every time and some days are better than others but took until they slept through to get over this , ds aged 3 dd2 aged 5 months dd3 (6 weeks) now going down at 7 but up 2/3 times for feeds
Good luck !

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