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

[elportodelgato]

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?

Ist time was a bit of a shock to the system. Had forceps so had to have an episotomy and the stitches were a killer for a week - couldn't sit down or walk far. However the MW took them out after a week and I was much better within 2 or 3 days.

Starting bf was quite hard though and my boobs didn't feel like my own and felt huge, uncomfortable and sore for several weeks.

Tiredness wasn't too bad. Felt a bit spaced out but not ill like I would have felt before DC, on only 3 or 4 hours sleep.

Second time around, easy as anything. No stitches, bf easier, DS2 slept better so I wasn't as tired. Plus I was on a high because I had him at home and didn't have to cope with hospital.

Lilyloo,

Just saw the ages of your last 2 and is that a mistake(?!)5mths and 6wks?

Felt totally wierd after DS1 for weeks, I had put on a lot of weight (my own gluttonous fault!) so without a baby bump just looked very fat. Also had had a long labour and ventouse so was bit sore due to the stitches, but that only lasted a few days (was much worse after the huge DS2).

After DS2 I found (stitches aside) I felt better pretty much straight away. I was much fitter physically.

For stitches and soreness post birth I had those gel pads that you put in the fridge and they were wonderful.

isn't lilyloo talking about when her babies slept through...?

I felt physically immensely knackered - like I had been forced on a paratroop iron man trialathon while wearing 60 pounds of equipment. I was weak as a kitten and was also hobbling around while the stitches below healed up (sorry if tmi). That lasted about a week.

But at the same time I also felt immensely and weirdly elated. Seriously bizarrely elated - like I was on drugs. I think it was some strange hormonal rush. That lasted about 3 weeks and was great! I remember saying to DP about 3 hours after the birth "I want to get pregnant again now!" Poor man managed not to blench too visibly.

With dd I felt quite stiff and achey - like I'd climbed a mountain for a few days after. Must have been something to do with the squat I adopted at delivery I think!

Other than that, I actually feel better once the baby's out than I do pregnant. The heavy bleeding is pretty revolting, but it certainly doesn't make me feel 'terrible'.

I think you should have been pretty reassured by all the opinions here so far.

Exhausted after DS as hadn't slept in 3 days. A bit bruised but no stitches so felt up to being out and about within a day or so. Though probably did too much! Sleep deprivation was awful for some months.

DD I was fine for the first 24 hours, again no stitches, but the next again day I felt like I had worked out for hours. Well, I had bounced on a gym ball for about 6 hours so maybe that had something to do with it! I was out and about a lot again, but had lost more blood so felt a bit woosey at times. Sleep deprivation didn't hit in so quick as I took every moments rest I could. Though I've now had a year of being awake every couple of hours and I'm really feeling it!

You cope though.

God yeah, she is talking about sleeping through isnt she!!Dope.

whoops sorry not very clear yes talking of when they slept through , bit garbelled blame it on lack of sleep

No , it was me not reading properly!

I was not great after my first baby (forceps delivery and episiotomy). I couldn't sit down with a rubber ring for about a week. I guess it took about 6 weeks to want to look at my nether regions. Of course, the effort of labour is made worse by the sleepless nights that follow, but the best thing is that the pain of labour goes instantly.

Second, third and fourth babies, I felt fine much more quickly although I made the mistake of walking to the chemist to get some more pads 2 days after having my second child, and the exercise really brought discomfort between the legs. So you have to be careful not to overdo things.

But anyway, when you have a newborn, you are best off, staying in bed, cuddling the baby and getting someone else to do everything for you!

I had 24 hour labour with DD1 and then epidural and forceps delivery - turned out she was face up and had her hand up by her head.

I didn't feel very well for a couple of weeks.

With DD2, I had a drug-free delivery and a graze. Although it hurt badly whilst having her, I felt terrific right after having her.

Really and truly. I went ahead and stayed in bed for a few hours, then got up with help.

Was sitting a chair by the bed later on breastfeeding DD2.

I was on such a hormone high for the first couple of weeks the feeding when great.

That should be couldn't sit down without a rubber ring, obviously.

I felt fine after all four, though as I got older, I felt more tired, bit still up and about the day after.

Concentrate on working to have the best birth possible, and yuou will have the best recovery possible.

Good luck, and congratulations!

With dd1, had such a horrid pregnancy, and was so depressed during pregnancy, that felt pure elation when she was finally out!! Had easy 4h labour, no stitches, little bit sore, but just remember the joy of not being pregnant any more! Breastfeeding was sore for first couple of weeks, but then well worth the effort, in the lazi-ness stakes! Sleep deprivation was a bummer, though. Body felt like a beanbag which had lost most of its beans! Not very nice! (I was huge!!)

With dd2, 3h labour, no stitches, felt fab, home that night for Chineses takeaway, although felt a bit surreal! Bf'ing sore again (to my surprise- thought my boobs would have toughened up!)Was less fat, and fitter than previous, so felt better. She slept better and feeding was easier (brought her into bed), so less sleep deprivation.

ds, longer labour (well 4h 40min!), he was back to back, so sorer, small tear, no stitches. Did feel a bit sorer than previous (he WAS 8lb15!), but home that afternoon, everyone commented on how well I looked. Bf'ing far easier, he sleeps really well (thank God!), but more tired (down to other kids!)

I felt crapola with my first. I had an episiotomy (sp?) and couldn't sit for a few days. I think I was in a state of shock, but wouldn't admit it.
Had a great birth with dd and felt absolutely fine and energetic right after the birth

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thanks to op - this is a question i've been meaning to ask. out of curiousity - does the feeling ok again afterwards equate with feeling better than being pg? i cant imagine ever feeling normal again and things like picking things up or getting off sofa etc would be most welcome.

About 3 seconds afterwards when I start thinking "now that wasn't so bad..."

Overdid it after my second, so am trying to take it easy this time round, although that is a challenge in itself. Did the nursery run for the 1st time today with three...

I have been very luck with minimal tearing/ tiny grazes with all 3, and no real problems with feeding, although the after pains this time are toe curling at times.

I had a sore fanjo because of the stitches and was knackered but the relief of being able to bend over and move about freely more than made up for it. I felt 20 stone lighter and 100 years younger. Of course now that dd is 7 weeks I feel like a pensioner again!

Whatever else you do though, make sure you go to the loo when you need to and don't hold anything in because it might hurt. I made that mistake and oh my God it was 100x worse than childbirth!!

Almost as soon as I gave birth I seemed to forget what it felt like to be pregnant but I didn't find it that bad anyway. So feeling better for me was about feeling back to normal, as I felt before I got pregnant, having recovered from a medical procedure that just happened to be labour.

Probably that is why I felt great after DS2 because having him at home with no problems and not interventions, it wasn't like a medical procedure at all.

Thanks so much for the great experiences and advice - I am feeling MUCH more reassured about the whole thing, esp to hear that so many people feel pretty good almost immediately! Hope it goes that well for me - sounds like I should make sure I spend the first few weeks getting DH to do everything for me as far as possible

Had an emergency caesarian, my liver went kaput (pre-eclampsia) and I was still feeling wonderful. It's something to do with having created this real little person who, albeit a tad screamy, is utterly adorable.

Honestly, the worst bit for me was the plaster rash from the dressing.

Mind you I do wish someone would have warned me that baby crying reaches a pitch at six weeks and then gets more controlled, I was convinced I was doing something wrong by that point or had given birth to a harridan child!

It depends a LOT on your labour experience, I think. With DS1, I felt like shit for so long that it's kind of hard to tell what was post-labour and what was new-baby-trauma - but labour was long, complicated, with the finest interventions known to humanity (short of the emergency CS).

By contrast, DD1 (my third) was a 3.5 hour labour, prostin-gel-induced but otherwise nothing complicated. Small head and very well-managed second stage so no stitches. I felt almost normal within a couple of hours. It took me several weeks though to get over the sheer amazement of feeling that good after giving birth .

Pretty sure horrible labours don't help at all but I felt fine immediately after two pretty bad labours - pretty much as flossies first experience both times.

Keeping fingers crossed for the same experience this time round - although with two to look after already and very little help to hand, I don't think how I feel will be taken into account when it comes to the DDs demands

Sore for about a week. And still tired a year later.