what did you .... look and feel like after giving birth

[hedwiggity]

No offense meant by this thread im a TTC and just wondering what is it like ? when i do get PG i dream of a water birth naturally

[MetalLaLa]

I had stitches, but I clearly remember in my drug addled post-birth haze going into the en suite to have my first shower in two days, and trying not to scream or cry at my massively swollen bits i felt fine in myself though, but I quite frankly would have happily given birth again and again in exchange for the experience of trying to wee with stitches, horrendous. I used to have to stand in our shower cubicle for a while to bear it! Soon forget about all that though

[redexpat]

Looked like shit. Felt like I'd be run over by a steam roller. Didnt feel love towards DS -just numbness. Not in a bad way, I knew I would bond with him, it just wasnt instant. It felt like we had been waiting for forever, and i couldnt believe that this baby was ever going to come!

About a week later I was using a mirror to try and get my haemarroid suppositry in, and I caught sight of something big and black. I thought, hey I didnt get hamburger fanny - whats that? It was my big gaping vagina. I screamed.

[FastWindow]

Your sister is right about the burning/stinging sensation. That is absolutely the best feeling, although it doesn't sound it... It means the baby is crowning and that's when you give another 500% because after that, the pain GOES AWAY. Wish I'd known that with my first!!!

[dramajustfollowsme]

Absolutely no idea what it looked like, felt quite bruised but my stitches didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought they would. Had an episiotomy which I was sure I didn't want but by the point at which they asked to do one, I couldn't have cared what was happening or how many people were standing round looking at me from that angle!
It was all completely worth it when the baby was put on my chest.

[robotnikchair]

I had a small tear but the main problem was the haemmorhoids that had popped out during the three hours of pushing (DD was direct OP). They subsequently thrombosed on day 3 which was agony and coincided with breastfeeding latch problems so nipples were agony too. I got all my problems sorted though and its all worth it to have a beautiful baby

[OhBabyLilyMunster]

Honestly it really depends how your birth goes. Personally i have had three babies but thank goodness never experienced any tearing or cuts. It still hurts to wee or poo after the birth if you dont have stitches, but it passes after the first few days. Its really important to remind yourself to go for a wee as your bladder can get overful without the weight of a fat baby to remind you to go all the time! Make sure you eat food which will be kind to you pooing-wise! It terms of looks, it looks same as ever, but you need to remember about your pelvic floor exercises to get the inside back in shape and prevent future issues.

I think you are very brave to face this less than glamourous side of birth at this stage of the game! Always bear in mind that people go back and do it afain multiple times so its really not that bad. Good luck!

[LegoCaltrops]

Yes, MotorLoo, I agree too. I had an unfortunate experience a few years ago which left me quite traumatised (nothing to do with childbirth), and whereas the labour was certainly more painful at the time, & lasted a lot longer, I pretty much think, meh, now. It's not put me off having another child!

[weebigmamma]

Yes, Motorloo is totally right- you're off your head during the birth, even without painrelief (I only had gas and air with my first)- so I'd agree with the idea that you're in a bit of a daze during and after the birth. Really nothing to worry about as everyone is there to help you. I remember being really worried about loads of things that just seemed to happen automatically at the time. It's a weird and wonderful thing!

[MotorLoo]

hedwiggity, I know it's good to be prepared but I hope you don't frighten yourself, reading about all these birth injuries! Maybe I'm just particularly squeamish but I actively avoided hearing about anything like this before I had my dc! I think hearing about it and thinking about it are completely different to experiencing it. Remember, you can have pain relief during and after birth . The birth flies by and your sort of in a daze (from tiredness/the drugs/elation at having your baby in your arms) that the pain doesn't really register - well, it does, but not in a horrific way. I hope that makes sense, sorry, I haven't explained it very eloquently. And those first few weeks are a blur of feeding and changing and gazing at your newborn that by the time you're out of the 'haze' it's all healed down below anyway.

[weebigmamma]

I also wanted a water birth btw. It was not to be, but all was well in the end. You can't predict how a birth will go, no matter what precautions you take, nature will do its own thing and might decide other plans for you, but it is all worth it in the end :-)

[MinesAPintOfTea]

Its mostly period-like blood loss not from any tearing. And everything recovered to be much like pre-pregnancy long before we for enough sleep or time for it to matter.

Generally I felt physically dreadful at first but mentally fantastic.

[weebigmamma]

I had a third degree tear and felt fine because I was on so many drugs. Seriously, had no pain at all. And I healed completely fine after it- no problems at all. Have just had an elective section- same scenario- plenty of drugs so felt really fine and 4 weeks on have healed fine. Hooray for drugs! :-)

[hedwiggity]

i had to do the same as you when i cut myself neverknowingly it was so relieving but so dirty feeling at the same time :( had to soap myself up after and that burned when it ran down below

[PenguinsHatchedAnEgg]

Well, when you take a first shower, there is a lot of blood. Remember though that you have a wound inside you the size of a plate where the placenta was attached, which is mostly where it is coming from. I could take a nice bath after a couple of days.

In terms of your vagina, it has pushed a person out, so even if you have no stitches or anything, it is going to be very swollen and bruised for a bit (for god's sake, don't put Vagisil on it at this point!). Yes, depending on the level of tear/cut, peeing can sting for a bit.

[SpawningSalmon]

Like a baboons bum. I had no idea that it could get swollen like that! Quite shocking really. It was also really bruised. At my 10 day post birth check up, DH was unfortunately sitting in a chair facing the business end while the midwife checked me over. He said it was quite black. However, by that point my stitches had already dissolved, although it still felt quite tight, as if they were still in there.

[Neverknowingly]

I had a massice lump after DC1 - swelling from the, what did they call it, oh yes "graze" Basically like a testicle. I could only have a wee by running a bath for about 3 weeks.

[hedwiggity]

My sister told me it burns giving birth and that when you take a bath or shower after the water turns bright red i think i'd go with an icepack and some vagisil lol i cut myself with a razor once and it got infected the pain peeing was unbelievable :( i take my hat off to you ladies though :) know im going to go google what all these terms mean God im such a newbie to all this

[PenguinsHatchedAnEgg]

Do you mean a few days after a vaginal delivery, or a few weeks/months after - i.e. are you preparing yourself for the aftermath of birth, or thinking more long term

[KittyandTeal]

I had a vaginal birth with a ventouse delivery and big episiotomy.

My MW gave me a mirror to look at my stitches on day 2. I looked horrendous, much worse than I felt. It looked like my innards were falling out my fanjo!

I got a hemotoma (sp?) on day 4 and stitches split on day 5. Reading that it sounds horrendous but I really didn't feel too bad. It's wasn't skipping in a flowery meadow but it also wasn't as bad as it sounds.

Now I'm totally back to how I was before pregnancy. I've got a tiny little extra flappy bit of skin where the stitches split and then healed naturally. I've lost almost all of my baby weight but my body shape has changed slightly (that might be the gym trips though)

[Mandy2003]

No tearing, no stitches, I guess I was very lucky.

Also, its the only time in my entire life that I've been able to fit into Size 10 jeans.

Emotionally I was really hyper for weeks.

[Smartiepants79]

Looked awful the first time round and felt exhilarated but utterly spaced out. Baby was in NICU but I don't remember being worried, I just knew she was going t be ok. And it wasn't just the gas! Down below was quite badly damaged and painful for some time. Months in fact. Needed repairing surgery!
Second time around was very different. Textbook, fairly quick labour/delivery and minor tearing. Felt much better and almost back to normal after a week. Looked loads better according to my mum!

[teenagetantrums]

I didn't look, I had stitches with both of mine and was a bit sore for a few days, going to the toilet for the first time was 'interesting'

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

I had 2 vaginal deliveries one forceps and one vontouse....... One with 3rd degree tears and one with 2nd degree tears No pain with either really, maybe mildly sore. Don't think I'm normal though all the other women looked like they were in agony taking the few steps to a bathroom but when there was a queue for the closest one and not wanting to leave my baby, I actually skipped down the corridor. Also midwives seemed confused when I kept refusing pain killers and that I was comfortably sitting cross legged in bed......

[ohforfoxsake]

Physically, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, looked like a bag o'shite.

Mentally, I felt incredibly proud of myself.

Emotionally, I felt like I was on a crazy unpredictable roller coaster.

[Cantremembermyid]

bruised and messy

had to have ice packs after dc1 birth and was terrified of the whole downstairs situation.

no ice packs for dc2 and 3, only tears and episiotomy wounds. I have a very nice cross stich tableau on the ground floor but prefer not to have a look.

husband has no complaints