Mum's who can remember/ have recently had a vaginal birth without pain relief

[EntropyReversed]

I'm due my third in the next few weeks, but my other two are 13 and 11 now so it's been a while.

Any suggestions on what I can do about the pain immediately after birth?
I didn't have any pain relief with my last baby and don't plan to this time either.
But I remember from last time that the vaginal pain was pretty extreme immediately after and I couldn't enjoy new baby at all because it hurt so much.
Not sure if there's anything I can do about this?

I took arnica tablets to try and ease the bruising but aside from that it was just paracetamol and time. You can get these natural sprays too they are supposed to be soothing, this was top in google but I'd think there are lots of options. Might be worth a try?

www.earthmamaangelbaby.co.uk/shop/new-mama-bottom-spray-120-ml-4-oz.html

Best of luck OP.

Sorry if I misunderstood and you meant afterpains. They're horrendous too!

Thanks for your reply.
No, I just meant the pain immediately after birth.. nobody ever mentions it, seems like most just have immediate relief once baby out. But for me there was some pretty extreme vaginal pain, which makes sense since a babies head came out of there

I think I just gritted my teeth.

Don’t remember it the first time at all. It was worse second time around. Like bad period pains / contractions if I recall correctly.

I didn't have pain relief for mine (not out of choice 😂😂 just far too speedy)

But afterwards I just kept dosed up on paracetamol and ibuprofen and set alarms to take the next dose so I never got to the point of pain. Probably did that for at least a week with my second. Probably 2 weeks with my first but there was much more damage after that one 😬

In terms of topical treatment I really recommend tucks pads and spritz for bits. As well as a laxative for the first post birth poos!

I know what you mean. If I'd have been able to (I had a haemorrhage so it was all a bit odd) I'd have just taken painkillers. Sorry if I've misunderstood but what makes you want to avoid painkillers?

Take painkillers. That's what they're there for, and it's daft to miss out on those first moments because you're in pain. You can always start with a low dose and up it as needed.

No pain at all with last baby. Had an incredible midwife who guided her out and knew when I needed to stop/start pushing so I just had a very slight graze. I hardly needed the water squirting contraption I got for going for a wee afterwards. The haemorrhoid that followed a week later was a different matter though!

Weirdly I don’t remember any pain immediately after, which is odd since I tore pretty badly. Maybe it was just such a relief it was over.. I had a water birth, no idea if that’s in any way relevant.
I know that after my stitches they gave me an ibuprofen suppository, and obviously I was numbed for the actual stitching, but that wasn’t until several hours after the birth and I don’t remember pain in the interim.
After that I was just constantly taking painkillers, alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen doses.

Do you mean afterwards when it's healing and your uterus is shrinking back to it's pre-baby size or there abouts?

From what I've read the more births you have the more painful it feels when your uterus shrinks. I was in absolute agony with mine by the time I had my 4th 😬

I didn't notice any myself, bit of mild pain when the placenta delivered but I didn't have stitches either.

I didn't have pain after giving birth. A small episiotomy and a few stitches which 'pulled' and felt sore of course and not for long but no actual pain. Therefore not much help to you as I didn't need pain relief; to be honest, I don't know anyone who did following a vaginal birth. It must be horrible to experience pain after birth.

I didn't have any pain relief except a bit of gas and air.

I don't remember there being any pain after the birth, but I did have to have stitches so they may have given me pain relief to stitch me up

I took regular pain relief from the get go, used a hug of warm water every time I went to the loo, used a special ice pack called a femme pad that really helped and had lots of baths with essential oils and sea salt. Made sure I 'aired' my stitches every day too. It definitely helps to rest lying down for a good chunk of time each day rather than always standing and sitting.

Didn’t notice any pain after - other than discomfort around stitches etc. I second others’ recommendations of Tucks Pads and Spritz for Bits though!

From memory I had a voltarol suppository both times (second time at my request), and I don’t remember much pain immediately after. First baby I had an epidural so don’t remember a thing.

Third for me was a super fast birth. Like less than hour from first contraction with a random ten min break in between. So no drugs for birth. I had a tramadol after which was fabulous. I have an odd reaction to it where it makes me hyperactive though I was pacing the room wanting to go home within an hour of birth lol

When the midwife was finished with my stitches she offered me a suppository painkiller.

That thing was the BEST!

I almost asked for another once it was wearing off but didn't want someone at my parts again.

But I'm sure she said it was 8 hours relief down there!

I felt like I’d been punched for weeks... as a couple of PPs have said, keeping topped up with painkillers really helped.
I was given hydrocodone, paracetamol and ibuprofen and took these on rotation for about a fortnight. I could really tell if I missed a dose.

I had two diclofenac suppositories. One immediately after stitching my episiotomy up and the other in the evening on the ward once it had worn off and I'd taken paracetamol and it still hurt. Then they prescribed me diclofenac tablets and I took them for a couple of weeks + paracetamol, gradually reducing in frequency. I had awful awful pain from my episiotomy for weeks.

I'm not sure if you're saying you DON'T want pain relief but want to relieve the pain?

I had an episiotomy with forceps (and an epidural that only numbed the left hand side). They gave me diclofenec (sp?) as soon as they'd stitched me up. It was totally magic for a day or two. They also gave me a condom full of ice to put under the maternity pad (not directly on vagina). Not sure if this helped it melted super fast and was pretty numbed/raw at that point.

I will defo be asking for a diclofenec again!!!

I had no pain relief during labour but took paracetamol afterwards it did help with the soreness.

No pain relief during labour but doubled up on paracetamol and ibuprofen. I didn't have any vaginal pain but the after pains were quite something! Probably as I was on baby number 3

For afterwards, I mean.

I was in a lot of pain right after, I remember because my friend said the relief was immense as soon as she gave birth but I was wincing with it & physically shaking.
I was given a local injection, stitched up, then I was fine afterwards.