Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

Original poster

Talk to me about ..afterpains!

14 replies

Tomatefarcie · 08/12/2009 09:00

Am dreading them more than labour!

35 weeks pregnant with Number 3.

Afterpains with DD2 were agony, but "only" lasted for a day or so. Mw said to take paracetamol, as I was breastfeeding, but tbh, it didn't touch the pain.

Mw yesterday said that afterpains get worse with each pregnancy, but didn't mention any pain relief for them. The usual bloody paracetamol.

Any tips (apart from heavy sedation or binge drinking? ).

OP posts:

Reallytired · 08/12/2009 10:42

I believe you can use TENS for afterpains. Unfortunately I did not have a spare set of pads after my second. The tens electrodes got really sweaty and revolting during labour so I binned them with the placenta.

You have my sympathy. I think the afterpains are worst than the bl**dy contractions.

TheBrandyButterflyEffect · 08/12/2009 10:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fatsatsuma · 08/12/2009 10:58

As soon as I had dc3, I started on paracetomol and ibuprofen at regular intervals, up to the max dose per 24 hours. You can take both. Think I kept on with them for several days. I was really worried about the afterpains (having had 3 drug free labours, I found the afterpains really bad!) but after the first 24 hours on that regime of painkillers, they weren't too bad.

alana39 · 08/12/2009 11:37

Like fatsatsuma I didn't find them as bad with DS3 (had them with DS1, which I wasn't expecting and was doubled up in pain for one afternoon; then they were terrible for a few days with DS2 so was expecting the worst this time).

Hospital sent me home with cocodamol but I didn't use them. I also did the regular ibuprofen and paracetamol thing, and had a heated wheatbag on my pelvis when feeding (baby was on top a pillow on top of the wheatbag) and although I had the afterpains, they were pretty mild except for one 5 minute episode.

Original poster

Tomatefarcie · 08/12/2009 14:43

Oh I didn't know I could take Ibuprofen while breastfeeding. Good one!

I can't understand why the uterus has to go down so quickly after birth. It took 40 weeks to get that big FFS! MW said, a couple of days after I had DD2 "oooh that's gone down beautifully!", but you know, I wouldn't mind if it took a month to go back down if it was pain-free!!!

Getting stronger painkillers prescribed before going home is also a good idea, thanks!

(Could I get away with stealing the Gas and Air canister?)

OP posts:

RnB · 08/12/2009 14:46

Am absolutely dreading this too - I couldn't believe how bad they were with ds2, especially while bf .

dontrunwithscissors · 08/12/2009 16:24

Oh no, now I'm worried - I'm 35 weeks with #2. I didn't feel a thing with DD. It's good to know to keep stocked up with paracetemol and ibuprofen.

StayFrostyTheSnowMam · 08/12/2009 16:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Tomatefarcie · 08/12/2009 18:15

RnB, I didn't even know about afterpains when I had DD2! I kept thinking "OMG I'm still in labour, WTF is going on???". I wish someone had told me about them..

Thanks StayFrosty, will ask for it before leaving the hospital.

I'm no wuss when it comes to pain, but good grief the afterpains did have me in tears.

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 08/12/2009 18:21

no tips i'm afraid but i have to say that yes, my afterpains got worse each time

with ds3 they were awful, like a full on contraction each time, esp when feeding him.
paracetamol did help a bit though, and it lasted maybe 3-4 dayws at its worst then got gradually better.

beautifulgirls · 08/12/2009 18:45

Mine were hell with DD#2 but not as bad with DD#3 - midwife gave me co-codamol to take and I was breastfeeding.

Hopefully things will not be as bad for you either. Good luck.

alana39 · 10/12/2009 12:09

And make sure you ask for co-codamol before you leave the hospital. Mine were going to let me go with nothing until I laid it on really thick about how much I was dreading the afterpains (although haven't actually had to use them the fact they were there probably helped me get by with paracetamol and ibuprofen as I knew there was something extra just in case). If you don't say anything I think they often forget. Ask in hospital as well if you stay in for more than a few hours otherwise (IME) they try to fob you off with nothing more than paracetamol.

madmissy · 10/12/2009 12:20

not looking forward to these next week

with dd1 i had none!
dd2 agony it was awful

i hope after ds1 they are easier and i will keep topped up on drugs before they hit!

Mybox · 10/12/2009 13:59

For me the strength of the afterpains has been dependant on the weight of the baby. This time only for the first day & they were fine to manage.
My ds4 was over 4.5kgs & the afterapains were horrendous. This time at 3.8kgs it was ok.

Flip