# The bleeding after birth? and the stinging after labour? tips and info?



## youngwife20

Hey.. so I am not due for a long while! but I want to be as informed as possible, and get some personal opinions.

Number 1 : I hear you bleed alot after birth and I have no clue what to expect and how much to expect, because though I am not squeemish. I am the worst with period and period blood. so the more ready i am for it the better!

Any tips to help with managing it? Or making it a bit better? I hear hot baths help the blood come out quicker? stuff like that, was it really bad for you?

Number 2: Also i hear it really stings to pee and walk , I was wondering how long does that usualy last for? what helped with the stinging and pain? 

The only thing ive heard is patting your lady parts with a cold towel before peeing the first time etc. 

How long did your down there hurt for?

Anything to help heal down there faster?

I know its very early to be thinking about this. but i want to be well informed!! :)


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## lozzy21

You do bleed quite a lot at first and it can last for weeks. Expect some clots in the first few hours too. Having plenty of maternity mads to hand is the only tip really. Walm baths can make the bleeding heavier but it doesn't make it stop any sooner. 

I had an eposiotomy(sp?) so had to have a lot of stiches and it honestly dident sting too bad when walking or peeing. My advice is to drink lots, the more you drink the more diluted your pee is so the less it stings. Getting comfy when sitting can be a little tricky so i spent most of my time on the bed. The best thing for healing is rest. Dont try to do too much too fast and try and eat lots of fruit and veggies.


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## youngwife20

Thank you! ooh warm batths makes the bleeding heavier! i wont be having a warm bath then lol :)


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## Kess

I have barely bled at all tbh, compared to what I was expecting. First few days was like a slightly heavier period than normal, but eased off quickly. No clots. If you have a natural third stage (wait for your body to expell the placenta on its own rather than having the injection) there's some anecdotal evidence that you bleed a little heavier at the birth (though I only bled a little then too) but less afterwards. Breastfeeding also helps the uterus contract, so pushes the blood out and speeds everything returning to normal.

The stinging is to do with stitches or grazes down there, and pee getting on them. I found the best thing to do was lean right forwards (hands on the floor) to pee until things healed up, as then the pee runs forwards away from the stitches etc, so no stinging. There's also a sort of bruised feeling, and not much to be done about that, but that doesn't make you need to be scraped off the ceiling like pee on stitches does lol. It never stung me to walk, it was just a bit uncomfortable with the bruised feeling for a day or so.

I took at least once (twice to begin with) daily sit-baths with lavender oil in the water - add 6 drops of lavender oil mixed in three tablespoons of full fat milk (though semi-skimmed will do in a pinch) to allow the oil to mix properly with the water.

As for how long... I'm still not quite comfortable down there and it's been about three weeks, but I'm not in pain or anything. I was itchy as the stitches healed and it got a little irritated at wearing a pad all the time.

ETA: Definitely agree with Lozzy about drinking lots! Diluted pee stings less, and if it's just a strong little dribble of pee instead of a greater quantity of diluted pee, it's more likely to run backwards onto stitches even with you leaning forwards.


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## Glowstar

I had an episiotomoy the first time and would say Lozzy is right...diluting you wee will def help with any stinging sensation. I actually took my own toilet roll to the hospital :blush: as back then (mid 90's) toilet loo roll was like grease proof paper :wacko:

2nd time I tore and had stitches inside and out but it wasn't really any more painful. I was never in tears with either of them after to be honest so it can't have been that bad...just tender.

MY ONE TIP WOULD BE THIS!!! If they offer you a suppository to go for a number two after you've given birth, TAKE IT! I made the mistake of not taking it the first time, ended up on iron tablets which then made me constipated so you can imagine...it was like giving birth again going for a number 2!!!
I was much wiser the 2nd time and asked for one before being offered and I nver had a problem :winkwink:


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## youngwife20

Kess said:


> I have barely bled at all tbh, compared to what I was expecting. First few days was like a slightly heavier period than normal, but eased off quickly. No clots. If you have a natural third stage (wait for your body to expell the placenta on its own rather than having the injection) there's some anecdotal evidence that you bleed a little heavier at the birth (though I only bled a little then too) but less afterwards. Breastfeeding also helps the uterus contract, so pushes the blood out and speeds everything returning to normal.
> 
> The stinging is to do with stitches or grazes down there, and pee getting on them. I found the best thing to do was lean right forwards (hands on the floor) to pee until things healed up, as then the pee runs forwards away from the stitches etc, so no stinging. There's also a sort of bruised feeling, and not much to be done about that, but that doesn't make you need to be scraped off the ceiling like pee on stitches does lol. It never stung me to walk, it was just a bit uncomfortable with the bruised feeling for a day or so.
> 
> I took at least once (twice to begin with) daily sit-baths with lavender oil in the water - add 6 drops of lavender oil mixed in three tablespoons of full fat milk (though semi-skimmed will do in a pinch) to allow the oil to mix properly with the water.
> 
> As for how long... I'm still not quite comfortable down there and it's been about three weeks, but I'm not in pain or anything. I was itchy as the stitches healed and it got a little irritated at wearing a pad all the time.
> 
> ETA: Definitely agree with Lozzy about drinking lots! Diluted pee stings less, and if it's just a strong little dribble of pee instead of a greater quantity of diluted pee, it's more likely to run backwards onto stitches even with you leaning forwards.

Thank you so much for the advice! and wow what made you know about milk in the bath? and congrats on your new baby! i hope all your bleedings stopped now and its good it wasnt as much as you expected :)


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## youngwife20

Glowstar said:


> I had an episiotomoy the first time and would say Lozzy is right...diluting you wee will def help with any stinging sensation. I actually took my own toilet roll to the hospital :blush: as back then (mid 90's) toilet loo roll was like grease proof paper :wacko:
> 
> 2nd time I tore and had stitches inside and out but it wasn't really any more painful. I was never in tears with either of them after to be honest so it can't have been that bad...just tender.
> 
> MY ONE TIP WOULD BE THIS!!! If they offer you a suppository to go for a number two after you've given birth, TAKE IT! I made the mistake of not taking it the first time, ended up on iron tablets which then made me constipated so you can imagine...it was like giving birth again going for a number 2!!!
> I was much wiser the 2nd time and asked for one before being offered and I nver had a problem :winkwink:

Thanks! i think i will ask for a supository, why is it hard to poo after you give birth ?


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## feisty_filly

My midwife advised holding a warm wet cloth / flannel to.my tear when I.had to pee to protect it and it was a life saver! Unfortunatly there's nothing you can realy do for the bruseing or bleeding except give it time.


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## special_kala

Im still bleeding slightly but its nothing really. At ghe beginning it can be pretty heavy and with clots. Definitely use maternity pads, the thicker the better.

Ive only had grazes so wasnt too uncomfortabe but tilting forward to wee helps and when you do your first post pregnancy poop put pressure on your perinium.


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## youngwife20

Thank you for the advice karla! :)


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## FeistyMom

Not sure if the UK hospitals/centers have these, but in the US you get this little bottle that you can fill with warm water and squirt up there while peeing and that dilutes it to avoid stinging too. Plus I found that I would use that to clean up afterwards, and then just pat very very very gently with toilet paper.

I was also advised to put witch hazel pads (Tucks is the most common brand I think) on top of the sanitary pad to help sooth the lady bits as well as to avoid sticking to the pad. Those helped.

But the neatest thing of all was that immediately after delivery, the nurses set me up with what can only be called a diaper with ice in it. It was heavenly.

First poos after birth can be very painful because you use mainly the same muscles to push out the baby as to push out poo, and they are very tired, plus the entire perineum is stretched and exhausted, and if you have any stitches, straining to have a bowel movement can put pressure on them. However, you can get stool softeners that help make it easier, and staying hydrated is very important.

A word about the bleeding - it can last for quite a while, but having it end VERY quickly is often a sign of problems. A friend of mine only bled for 6 days after her first, and was up and active right away - only to hemmorage badly 2 weeks later, as a clot had formed that was blocking the normal bleeding from happening. So too little blood can be a warning sign that the uterus may have some clots.


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## hattiehippo

Definately be aware that the bleeding can be very heavy - mine was very heavy for at least the 1st 2 days and I had a lot of leaking through doubled up maternity towels if I'd been lying down and then stood up. 
I also had a couple of really big clots...like satsuma sized...luckily I was still in hospital at this point so a midwife could check straight away that everything felt ok with my womb contracting. After about a week the bleeding tailed off a lot and then just carried on for about 4 or 5 weeks more with stops and starts. I didn't realise till afterwards that when the placenta comes away, it leaves an open wound in your womb that has to heal up and that is what is bleeding....kind of makes sense that if you do too much then its going to take longer to heal.

I had stitches for a tear but didn't have any problems with them stinging. I was freaked out though by how swollen everything down below was a day or 2 afterwards and the 1st poo was definately a scary experience!


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## youngwife20

wow thank you! all that advice made so much sence! i will get a flannel and put ice in to help right after birth! great idea!! :)


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## youngwife20

hattiehippo said:


> Definately be aware that the bleeding can be very heavy - mine was very heavy for at least the 1st 2 days and I had a lot of leaking through doubled up maternity towels if I'd been lying down and then stood up.
> I also had a couple of really big clots...like satsuma sized...luckily I was still in hospital at this point so a midwife could check straight away that everything felt ok with my womb contracting. After about a week the bleeding tailed off a lot and then just carried on for about 4 or 5 weeks more with stops and starts. I didn't realise till afterwards that when the placenta comes away, it leaves an open wound in your womb that has to heal up and that is what is bleeding....kind of makes sense that if you do too much then its going to take longer to heal.
> 
> I had stitches for a tear but didn't have any problems with them stinging. I was freaked out though by how swollen everything down below was a day or 2 afterwards and the 1st poo was definately a scary experience!

THAT is my biggest nightmare :( leaking!!!! serously i cant even handle the thought of it.. how can i prevent that though? other than changing my pad every 20 mins!!

and i will for sure drink lots of orange juice eat lots of fruit and have softener! :)


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## cherryglitter

my bleeding wasn't too bad after the labour. wasn't really like blood. just red fluid. 

my first period however was awful!! really really bad, had to use a hand towel instead of pads as i was just soaking them when i moved. told that is normal as well though!

it did sting when i wee'd. i used to lean forward on the toilet to help though. pooing was a nightmare but i would def advise taking some sort of laxative! once you've been once it's fine. :) 

good luck hun. x


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## lozzy21

My first poo was fine despite being stiched. The trick is to not hold it in and just sit on the loo, dont strain. Do what the blokes do and take a magazine in with you, it will probably take a while so dont try to make it come out any faster.


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## youngwife20

Cherry glitter - thanks very much for the advice :) I didn't even think about what the first periofs goonna be like lol I forgot about that, but I'm glad I'm aware it may be heavy! It makes me feel a lot better about the whole process knowing tips on how to make it not be as bad or as painful as it cud be! Thanks! :)

Lozzy- thanks! That's a great idea! I'll just take a magazine in and some music keep me ocupied till it comes! Lol thanks :)


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## goddess25

There is lots you can try.

With my first birth, I tore badly so I dont remember the bleeding so much, but it was painful to pee, I had lots of stitches and used sitz baths twice a day which really helped, cold compresses from the freezer directly onto lady parts helped, warm cloths was nice.

With second birth, no pain with peeing etc but bled tonnes for about 8 weeks after birth. Bled heavily for about 4 weeks and for the next 4 weeks light bleeding but passing clots, I would suddenly feel a slight pain in tummy and feel a pressure and need to pee and would go to the loo and a big clot would come out. Just used lots of maxi pads. Nothing helped to slow it any.


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## Kess

youngwife20 said:


> Kess said:
> 
> 
> I have barely bled at all tbh, compared to what I was expecting. First few days was like a slightly heavier period than normal, but eased off quickly. No clots. If you have a natural third stage (wait for your body to expell the placenta on its own rather than having the injection) there's some anecdotal evidence that you bleed a little heavier at the birth (though I only bled a little then too) but less afterwards. Breastfeeding also helps the uterus contract, so pushes the blood out and speeds everything returning to normal.
> 
> The stinging is to do with stitches or grazes down there, and pee getting on them. I found the best thing to do was lean right forwards (hands on the floor) to pee until things healed up, as then the pee runs forwards away from the stitches etc, so no stinging. There's also a sort of bruised feeling, and not much to be done about that, but that doesn't make you need to be scraped off the ceiling like pee on stitches does lol. It never stung me to walk, it was just a bit uncomfortable with the bruised feeling for a day or so.
> 
> I took at least once (twice to begin with) daily sit-baths with lavender oil in the water - add 6 drops of lavender oil mixed in three tablespoons of full fat milk (though semi-skimmed will do in a pinch) to allow the oil to mix properly with the water.
> 
> As for how long... I'm still not quite comfortable down there and it's been about three weeks, but I'm not in pain or anything. I was itchy as the stitches healed and it got a little irritated at wearing a pad all the time.
> 
> ETA: Definitely agree with Lozzy about drinking lots! Diluted pee stings less, and if it's just a strong little dribble of pee instead of a greater quantity of diluted pee, it's more likely to run backwards onto stitches even with you leaning forwards.
> 
> Thank you so much for the advice! and wow what made you know about milk in the bath? and congrats on your new baby! i hope all your bleedings stopped now and its good it wasnt as much as you expected :)Click to expand...

MW told me about the lavender and milk. If you don't mix the oil with the milk the oil just sits in droplets on the surface of the water. The fat in the milk allows the oil to mix with it, and then distributes it properly in the bath water. Lavender is mildly antibacterial, healing and soothing. I used teatree oil too a couple of times, which is more strongly antibacterial but less soothing. That first bath after birth is amazing!

Still bleeding but only a little - I would be able to just use one pad all day if I wanted, in terms of quantity, though I prefer having fresh ones on. I think some of my quick recovery has been having minimal interventions in the birth (G&A only), and some has been breastfeeding - seriously, even if you're planning on formula feeding I'd recommend considering BFing for a brief time anyway just for the benefits for yourself! My uterus shrank down really quickly, even MW was surprised at how soon it was back down to basically normal sized (and I've been back in my normal clothes for over a week, even if it's those with a slightly looser waistband, not my tight jeans lol), and if you're wanting ways to get the blood out quicker, BFing does that.

Don't be surprised how swollen you will be down there after birth. Try not to feel around down there too much as it feels worse to your fingers than it actually is - MW fetched a mirror and got me to look and I was surprised that is didn't look half as swollen as it felt.


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## hattiehippo

I think if you've got really heavy bleeding then just go with changing as often as possible but don't worry if you do leak...mine was only that heavy for the 1st 2 or 3 days and then it was down to more mangeable levels. But you could be lucky and not have a lot of bleeding like other ladies - I wouldn't worry too much about it before hand cos there's not much you can do to change it.


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## youngwife20

Thanks very much! :) and i for sure will be exclusivly breastfeeding. so thats great that it helps!! :) im glad your doing so well! :)


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## snowangel187

When I gave birth they had pads with built in ice packs these were heaven!!!! I used them while in the hospital and even scammed some to bring home :haha: itdid bring some relief. I also had the spray bottle and was told to rinse not wipe. I bled for 6 weeks but didn't have my period for 9months breast feeding helps with that. ;). I would suggest not sitting for long periods and to try and stand straight up from a sitting position you don't really realize how sliding forward to stand would hurt but it burns! I also would roll out of bed (lay on side and let feet touch floor) put it this way after experiencing it you will be able to appreciate the "walk" a women who has recently giving birth has. I see people with new babies and watch the waddle and I tighten my area and cringe :rofl: it's something you don't forget but it's all worth it!! As soon as I delivered my daughters head I asked for a menu (hadn't eaten all day) and was actually thinking about having another. I had a med free delivery and what they say is true u forget the labor. Burning vag after delivery.... :haha: a little harder.


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## youngwife20

lol thank you for the advice! and wow! do u know anywere were i can get these pads? :)


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## rh333rh

my bleeding was no worse than any other period. but i had a tiny tear which was too small to stitch, i found this the hardest part of all including labour as it hurt so much to pee. i had to sit on the toilet bacwards and pour cool water with a small jug over my bits whilst weeing. this took a about 3 weeks to heal.


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## snowangel187

The hospital I gave birth at provided the pad/ice pack. And I live in the U.S. I actually have some still :haha: I saved for the next baby just in case they don't have them anymore.. I also live in another state,, hmmm,,, I don't know maybe you could buy them from a medical supply type of place or find them online? Maybe your hospital has them.. I'll look online andd if I see them I'll put a link up.. :flower:


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## snowangel187

Here they are........ Heaven :rofl:

https://inhishands.com/Peri-Cold-Pack.92
https://www.birthwithlove.com/categories/itempage.asp?prodid=Perineal+(Peri)+Cold+Pads


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## meow951

I bled quite a bit immediately after the birth for a day or two, as in it gushed out a bit if i sat for a while and then got up but i did haemmorage (sp?) so that might of been why it was like that for me. It got a lot lighter after a day or two and stopped completely before 2 weeks.

I had a second degree tear on my perenium and a labial tear. The labial tear stang so much when i went for a wee! Pouring cold water on it while i wee'd and drinking lots of water to dilute it helped a lot. It didn't hurt from about day 5 when it had started to heal.

I found using thick maternity pads helped with the bruising and swelling and were comfy to sit down on. Have 1 or 2 baths a day to soak any stitches or tears and dry your bits with a hair dryer afterwards :haha: Sounds mental but it dries it all up without the pain of rubbing it with a towel!


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## youngwife20

Snow+ thanks so much! I will have a look when I go online as I'm on my cellphone internet! I hope they have them in the UK they won't have them at my hospital I'm giving birth at they don't have much lol :)


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## minime11

Ok ill ignore the whole tmi thing. I bled loads! I was on loo for 20 mins just mopping myself up lol! But I had a lot of rlt so think this may have contributed as it makes your uterus contract really quickly! In terms of weeing yes it does hurt, if it hurts too much wee in the bath. To help with the healing id put a bit of salt in bath. Only really did this for first week. My bleeding had stopped well within 3 weeks luckily.


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## sequeena

youngwife20 said:


> Hey.. so I am not due for a long while! but I want to be as informed as possible, and get some personal opinions.
> 
> Number 1 : I hear you bleed alot after birth and I have no clue what to expect and how much to expect, because though I am not squeemish. I am the worst with period and period blood. so the more ready i am for it the better!
> 
> *I did bleed a LOT (seriously did not realise how much there would be) but that was only for the first few days. Now I can change my pad every 3-4 hours or so and it's not that bad. You will get clots though, I had a huge one and freaked out so don't panic. As long as you feel fine and your blood is not smelling awful you're fine.*
> 
> Any tips to help with managing it? Or making it a bit better? I hear hot baths help the blood come out quicker? stuff like that, was it really bad for you?
> 
> *I had lots of baths to stay fresh, I honestly expected to bleed in the bath but I didn't!*
> 
> Number 2: Also i hear it really stings to pee and walk , I was wondering how long does that usualy last for? what helped with the stinging and pain?
> 
> The only thing ive heard is patting your lady parts with a cold towel before peeing the first time etc.
> 
> *The most amazing tip I was given was to buy liquid witch hazel and put it in the fridge. Whenever you change your pad put it on your clean pad and it will soothe your lady bits. Pouring a jug of warm water over your bits when you wee/wee in the bath is meant to help but honestly it didn't work for me. I was in a lot of pain for over a week but it gets better. Getting up/down is a little tough too but take it slowly. Wiping yourself with toilet paper will be very sore too, even tapping will probably make you cry but this probably depends on how bad you tear/graze down there.*
> 
> How long did your down there hurt for?
> 
> *I've just about stopped hurting but I feel tight and have pressure like I need to fart in my lady bits *
> 
> Anything to help heal down there faster?
> 
> *Don't have a salt bath. I tried it and my midwife said it dissolves your stitches faster than it should.*
> 
> I know its very early to be thinking about this. but i want to be well informed!! :)

Hope that helps xx


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## youngwife20

Mini- no such thing as tmi for this kinda topic lol thanks for saying it how it is :) u said u had "rlt" what's that? 

Sequeena- thank u so much!!!!! That realy does help! Thank ur baby is so cute! :)


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## sequeena

rlt is raspberry leaf tea. It's supposed to help soften your cervix. Some women take it from 34 weeks but it's advised to wait until 37 weeks. I waited until 38 weeks and bought the clipper raspberry leaf tea from tescos. You can also get it in tablet form. It did nothing for me but some women swear by it.

Thanks! :)


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## youngwife20

thanks for the info :) and your very welcome :)


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## Brookey

i had a second degree tear and did find it quite painful down there for about a week, i bled quite heavy and passed two big clots (one was the size of a marble, the other a bit smaller than a golf ball!)

but my baby is nearly four weeks old now and im hardly bleeding at all. still feel a bit bruised down there and is a bit itchy from where it is healing but its nothing really.

i poured a jug of warm water with a drop of tea tree oil over my lady bits when i went to the toilet for the first couple of weeks. the warm water stops the stinging and the tea tree oil helps the healing. 

other than that my only advise would be to keep it clean and at least once a day try and spend some time laying on the bed with no pants on to air it out. that really helped me heal.

hope that helps!


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## BabySmiler10

I remember my MW putting 2 maternity pads between my legs for going up to the shower after having just given birth, i thought it was a bit extreme but i did bleed quite heavily but then my periods were never really that heavy. I bled heavily for nearly a week then it went lighter like your coming to the end of your period. Think I bled for 2-3weeks
I had a 2nd degree labial tear from top to bottom :| with a lot of swelling and bruising, it took at least a month to stop hurting all the time. Only thing now is I feel it throbbing when ive got my period but its nothing i cant handle :)
The MW told me to pee in the shower as that would ease the stinging but i was too scared to..lol. The first time i did go to pee i took a bottle of water and poured it on me whilst peeing. I think as long as you drink plenty fluids you wont tend to sting. Being kept in the hospital for 11days after birth kept me well hydrated with the hospitals being so hot I was drinking litres of water a day.
I have to say your brave wanting to know all this before birth, I was scared as hell of tearing but I never even noticed at the time theres so much else to think about :) it hasnt put me off having more either :)


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## sequeena

Oh yes drinking lots of water is meant to dilute your urine so it doesn't hurt as much x


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## Willo

My tips for the bleeding is to wear two maternity pads at a time (just overlaped in the middle) for the first while. It gives a large absorbent surface area.

For the healing use a bottle of witch hazel. Put it on your pads each time you change them. It cools the area and helps promote healing.

For the stinging I used a water bottle with a sports top and squirted it while peeing. It helps dilute the urine, and of course keep hydrated.

For the pooing, try not to be to anxious about it. With my first baby I was terrified to go and was afraid to take anything to help either. With the second baby I just let it happen and it didn't hurt too bad at all.

The bleeding for me was heavy for the first few days, but I had no clots that I recall either time. The bleeding lasted for about 5 to 6 weeks, but not as heavy at all, it would vary from day to day.

It took me till about week 4 to start feeling more back to normal after my last. I can't really remember how long it was with my first, but I had a very bad UTI after her so it took a while as that made me sore in a different way.

Other tips is to take it easy when you can. Don't try and be superwoman, taking care of baby, doing dishes and hovering the house. The best thing is rest to help with healing. So sleep when you can and rest when you can too. Even if it's just 10 mins lying on the bed.


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## Kess

sequeena said:


> rlt is raspberry leaf tea. It's supposed to help soften your cervix. Some women take it from 34 weeks but it's advised to wait until 37 weeks. I waited until 38 weeks and bought the clipper raspberry leaf tea from tescos. You can also get it in tablet form. It did nothing for me but some women swear by it.
> 
> Thanks! :)

I don't think RLT is supposed to soften the cervix, I think it's meant to tone your uterus so the pushing stage is faster because each contraction is more efficient. I drank RLT from 35-ish weeks on advice from MW and didn't push at all until his head started to emerge, I just breathed through the contractions and my body moved him down on its own.


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## JenStar1976

I had a second degree tear and was very swollen and bruised afterwards. This is what I did (pretty much repitition of what others have said):

Baths: Twice a day. 10 drops of tea tree oil in each bath. After each bath, try and lie on your bed with no underwear on to let everything "air".
For the swelling: Arnica tablets and paracetamol. Also used the freezer gel pads in my underwear as well as the maternity pads.
To help with sitting (as I was VERY swollen & tender): OH went out and bought a child's rubber ring from the local swimming pool - was the best thing ever!!
To help with No. 2s: Senokot tablets.
To ease peeing: Drink lots of water to keep the urine diluted - this will reduce stinging. A cold wet flannel to hand is a godsend too!

Remember to keep doing your pelvic floors during this time too, as this also helps with recovery. xxx


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## sequeena

Kess said:


> sequeena said:
> 
> 
> rlt is raspberry leaf tea. It's supposed to help soften your cervix. Some women take it from 34 weeks but it's advised to wait until 37 weeks. I waited until 38 weeks and bought the clipper raspberry leaf tea from tescos. You can also get it in tablet form. It did nothing for me but some women swear by it.
> 
> Thanks! :)
> 
> I don't think RLT is supposed to soften the cervix, I think it's meant to tone your uterus so the pushing stage is faster because each contraction is more efficient. I drank RLT from 35-ish weeks on advice from MW and didn't push at all until his head started to emerge, I just breathed through the contractions and my body moved him down on its own.Click to expand...

Oooh. In that case it may have worked for me. Once my labour got going it was only 3 hours.


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## youngwife20

BabySmiler10 said:


> I remember my MW putting 2 maternity pads between my legs for going up to the shower after having just given birth, i thought it was a bit extreme but i did bleed quite heavily but then my periods were never really that heavy. I bled heavily for nearly a week then it went lighter like your coming to the end of your period. Think I bled for 2-3weeks
> I had a 2nd degree labial tear from top to bottom :| with a lot of swelling and bruising, it took at least a month to stop hurting all the time. Only thing now is I feel it throbbing when ive got my period but its nothing i cant handle :)
> The MW told me to pee in the shower as that would ease the stinging but i was too scared to..lol. The first time i did go to pee i took a bottle of water and poured it on me whilst peeing. I think as long as you drink plenty fluids you wont tend to sting. Being kept in the hospital for 11days after birth kept me well hydrated with the hospitals being so hot I was drinking litres of water a day.
> I have to say your brave wanting to know all this before birth, I was scared as hell of tearing but I never even noticed at the time theres so much else to think about :) it hasnt put me off having more either :)


thanks i wouldnt consider it brave lol i think it will help me at the time coz im one of those people if something happens ive not heard will happen il think im dieing or something lol so this is helping me get ready for the propspect of a big blood bath and painfull lady bits lol :)


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## youngwife20

JenStar1976 said:


> I had a second degree tear and was very swollen and bruised afterwards. This is what I did (pretty much repitition of what others have said):
> 
> Baths: Twice a day. 10 drops of tea tree oil in each bath. After each bath, try and lie on your bed with no underwear on to let everything "air".
> For the swelling: Arnica tablets and paracetamol. Also used the freezer gel pads in my underwear as well as the maternity pads.
> To help with sitting (as I was VERY swollen & tender): OH went out and bought a child's rubber ring from the local swimming pool - was the best thing ever!!
> To help with No. 2s: Senokot tablets.
> To ease peeing: Drink lots of water to keep the urine diluted - this will reduce stinging. A cold wet flannel to hand is a godsend too!
> 
> Remember to keep doing your pelvic floors during this time too, as this also helps with recovery. xxx

hey thanks for the advice ..

this is my thing .. I cant imagine sitting there on my bed dripping with blood to help this heal faster.. the idea grosses me out :( do you just put like lots of towels on the bed??

and also isnt to early to start perlvic exercises? as im only 14 weeks? what about like those bouncy balls people use in labour would that help?

thank you! :) oh and were can you get these ice pad things?


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## youngwife20

snowangel187 said:


> Here they are........ Heaven :rofl:
> 
> https://inhishands.com/Peri-Cold-Pack.92
> https://www.birthwithlove.com/categories/itempage.asp?prodid=Perineal+(Peri)+Cold+Pads

hey thanks for this link, im in the uk so im trying to find them here hopefuly theyl have them! :)


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## youngwife20

is arnica tablets okay if your breastfeeding? as il be exclusivly breastfeeding :)


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## youngwife20

Ive seen something called "feme pads" there squishy and you put them in ur underwear.. but im not sure if you put the padd underneath it.. i asume u do , it says its cold and helps relief some pain in the lady bits


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## FeistyMom

Pelvic floor exercises are good for women pretty much all the time, whether pregnant or not :) They can help make pushing easier, and they help prevent/minimize incontinence. I started doing them while pregnant with my first, and I continue to do them periodically (although not as often as I should) between pregnancies, but especially during the postpartum healing period. Plus it helps pass the time!


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## Sini

Im not that worried about the bleeding or bruising but stinging and pain when weeing scares me. Ive had UTIs pretty much several times a year for 10 years now. Its the worse pain I know and I cant stand it. I will definately be drinking to dilute my wee and spraying water to take the edge of the sting :(


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## youngwife20

Fiesty- true! I will give it a go! And I'm having lots of time of before babys due so I'll do even more pelvic stuff to pass the time, do u mean incontinence as in peeing myself? Or do ppl actualy poo themselves? I knw ppl poo in labour but do u mean pelvic floor exersices stops u from peeing urself when ur heavily pregnant u mean?


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## Cocoa

This is a good thread! What I'm worried about is visitors, obv there will be a lot in the first week and if I'm bleeding really heavy and leaking it will be so embarassing! What about going out and about too!?.. eek!


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## nov_mum

My MW gave me paracetamol suppositories after my first labour, I think it helped. Also, I drank ural three times a day which I think helped neutralise the wee. I had used them in previous UTI's and my MW gave me a pile and told me to drink drink drink. 

The clots - no one talked about it! I thought I was dying - anything over the size of a plum is bad. They are not clots like a bleeding nose clot - they can be hard and look like blackcurrant jelly. I thought it was bits of retained placenta and saved it to show the MW. If only I knew beforehand, so embarrasing


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## alisha_t

Don't worry about stinging when you pee. If it's too bad, run some cool water in the bath and sit in it to pee. Then, shower off. I know it sounds bad, but there will be no burning/stinging and trust me, it will not be the last time you are peed on. Nor will it be the last time someone pees in the tub. LO will do plenty of both. Plus, you can wash right off after.


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## youngwife20

Cocoa said:


> This is a good thread! What I'm worried about is visitors, obv there will be a lot in the first week and if I'm bleeding really heavy and leaking it will be so embarassing! What about going out and about too!?.. eek!

oh goodness for sure something valid to worry about. i dont know how people do it my friend had her baby and 5 days after we were out shopping and she did say she was bleeding non stop but id feel so gross going out all day! lol it may be akward to start with , with visitors. im gonna try and avoid them for the first week while i figure out how to deal with it first then when im used to it visitors would be ok. just lots of douberling up on pads lol and wearing black and thick trousers!


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## youngwife20

nov_mum said:


> My MW gave me paracetamol suppositories after my first labour, I think it helped. Also, I drank ural three times a day which I think helped neutralise the wee. I had used them in previous UTI's and my MW gave me a pile and told me to drink drink drink.
> 
> The clots - no one talked about it! I thought I was dying - anything over the size of a plum is bad. They are not clots like a bleeding nose clot - they can be hard and look like blackcurrant jelly. I thought it was bits of retained placenta and saved it to show the MW. If only I knew beforehand, so embarrasing

aww atleast you didnt worry after she told you it was normal! im so glad im aware of all this now! hopefuly i wont have any embarrasing momments lol x


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## JenStar1976

You can get the gel pads from Mothercare. Yes, you can take Arnica tablets whilst breastfeeding. x


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## youngwife20

Thanks alot :)


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## k84

I'm a little late on this thread and this is my first baby so I don't really have first hand experience, but I did read about making perineal ice packs which sound like they'd be very soothing. 

Take a condom and put in 1 inch of rubbing alcohol and then put in around 3 or 4 inches of water and tie it off. Then double bag it with a second condom. Freeze them in a toilet paper roll to keep shape. Because of the rubbing alcohol, they don't freeze solid, but stay slushy/moldable. Then wrap in thin washcloth or thick paper towel for use. Apparently these work wonders and are a great shape for our bodies :thumbup:

Thanks for starting (and to others for contributing to) this thread - all these tips are so useful:) I've written them all down lol.


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## babyhopesxx

Drink plenty of water to dilute urine or squirt some warm water down there the same time your weeing to help with the sting. Also when your wiping, just pat dry, do not wipe as it catches on your stitches if you wipe. Also, i bled loads for the first few weeks, in hospital i was too scared to go to the loo but my mw said that a full bladder makes the bleeding worse so make sure you wee regularly. Doing a no 2 is an even scarier thought but it wasn't as bad as i expected and maybe take some laxatives to help. 

I bled on and off for 6 weeks, the first couple of weeks really heavy and yes i did have several leaks :blush: then it tailed off but kept comming back. I found that too much activity would start the bleeding back up again. 

Take plenty of baths to keep clean down below and it helps with the stinging a bit. Also arnica tablets are good for bruising and are available at boots and most chemists. I've packed some in my hospital bag, so start taking them immediately after birth.

And paracetamol helps with the pain a bit too. HTH.


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## youngwife20

K84- not to late at all! :) thanks very much tht is a very good idea :)
Babyhopei- thank u very much for the tips! What sort of activity made it worse? I'll stay home for the first few weeks of bleeding I dread lleaking! Lol xx


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## babyhopesxx

Things like shopping and housework for hours seemed to start the bleeding off again.


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## youngwife20

I'll stay clear of house work for a long time after babys here! Lol my hubby will have a lot to do!! Lol


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## youngwife20

I've read on here people were incontinence pads! Thts a good idea they say it stops the leakage coz there so big? If I cud get those incont ones tht look like underwear I would lol


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## Rachyroux

I bought huge maternity pads from boots- really cushiony , absorbant and padded, they say not to use normal sanitary pads as they can cause infections?
I had lots of baths to make me feel cleaner down there, I added salt to my baths, no shower gel or bubble baths as they can also cause infections. Salt water is used for healing, I had stitches and mine disolved just before the 2 week mark. Blood loss depends on the person, mine was really heavy for the first few days, heavy for 2 weeks then light, and then stopped at 4 weeks. For the after cramps and pains I took ibruprofen- stick to the dosage, x ammount in 24 hours, don't take too many. For the first few wees (or all of your wees if you're sore for a while/ have stitches) pour some warm water on your vaginal area, stings less when your urine flows out. Really helped me as I had stitches by the opening of where the wee comes out. It does hurt to walk, I was swollen down there, (for swelling I was given Ice in a glove in tissue paper to put between my legs when I was lying down). Avoid Overdoing it- 8 days after birth I went on a cleaning mission and tidied my house for 5 hours before the midwife came to visit. As a result, blood flow to the muscles in my vaginal area caused my stitches to become tight which was painful. So take it easy! Change your maternity pads often too, it'll make you feel cleaner and better about yourself. Honestly it does die down, and everyones blood loss , and pain is different. I had stitches, tear, and a graze, with swelling so that's why it was painful for me to walk about :) Oh, and drinking lots and lots of water helps your wee become less acidic, therefor not so stingy when it flows out. Any questions feel free to send me a message. Hope that all helped!Good luck lovely, hope you have a great birthing experience. xx


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## Courtcourt

Peri bottle was my best friend, squirt it as you pee and it doesn't sting. I never once had a stinging pee! Also, if you have it over there- dermoplast worked great for sore privates. It was provided in our hospital, but can be bought otc


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## youngwife20

Rachyroux said:


> I bought huge maternity pads from boots- really cushiony , absorbant and padded, they say not to use normal sanitary pads as they can cause infections?
> I had lots of baths to make me feel cleaner down there, I added salt to my baths, no shower gel or bubble baths as they can also cause infections. Salt water is used for healing, I had stitches and mine disolved just before the 2 week mark. Blood loss depends on the person, mine was really heavy for the first few days, heavy for 2 weeks then light, and then stopped at 4 weeks. For the after cramps and pains I took ibruprofen- stick to the dosage, x ammount in 24 hours, don't take too many. For the first few wees (or all of your wees if you're sore for a while/ have stitches) pour some warm water on your vaginal area, stings less when your urine flows out. Really helped me as I had stitches by the opening of where the wee comes out. It does hurt to walk, I was swollen down there, (for swelling I was given Ice in a glove in tissue paper to put between my legs when I was lying down). Avoid Overdoing it- 8 days after birth I went on a cleaning mission and tidied my house for 5 hours before the midwife came to visit. As a result, blood flow to the muscles in my vaginal area caused my stitches to become tight which was painful. So take it easy! Change your maternity pads often too, it'll make you feel cleaner and better about yourself. Honestly it does die down, and everyones blood loss , and pain is different. I had stitches, tear, and a graze, with swelling so that's why it was painful for me to walk about :) Oh, and drinking lots and lots of water helps your wee become less acidic, therefor not so stingy when it flows out. Any questions feel free to send me a message. Hope that all helped!Good luck lovely, hope you have a great birthing experience. xx

Thanks so much!! thats really helpful advice!! xx


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## we can't wait

Yes, you will bleed after birth, but everyone's experience is different. For me, I bled heavily for about two or three days, and then it started to taper off to just light spotting which went away at two weeks. It really wasn't that bad. I was told that breastfeeding helps push the gunk out faster by making the uterus contract. Also, they told me that walking and moving around can help use gravity to help it all come out. I'm not sure about the bath. It'd probably be worth a go, though.

Not everyone experiences stinging while peeing and walking. I had my first post-baby pee a few hours after giving birth. I leaned forward a little bit to keep the urine from going down lower, and that really helped. I didn't have any tears or stitches, so there wasn't really much to heal down there. Using a squirt bottle filled with warm water helps clean the area and keep it soothed. The hospital should prepare a bottle for you. For walking, I didn't have any soreness. I was up and walking around the same day that I had my daughter. For the first post-baby poop, I took a stool softener, and it was fine. I had a pretty smooth labor, delivery, and after-birth.

Good luck! :flow:


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## youngwife20

we can't wait said:


> Yes, you will bleed after birth, but everyone's experience is different. For me, I bled heavily for about two or three days, and then it started to taper off to just light spotting which went away at two weeks. It really wasn't that bad. I was told that breastfeeding helps push the gunk out faster by making the uterus contract. Also, they told me that walking and moving around can help use gravity to help it all come out. I'm not sure about the bath. It'd probably be worth a go, though.
> 
> Not everyone experiences stinging while peeing and walking. I had my first post-baby pee a few hours after giving birth. I leaned forward a little bit to keep the urine from going down lower, and that really helped. I didn't have any tears or stitches, so there wasn't really much to heal down there. Using a squirt bottle filled with warm water helps clean the area and keep it soothed. The hospital should prepare a bottle for you. For walking, I didn't have any soreness. I was up and walking around the same day that I had my daughter. For the first post-baby poop, I took a stool softener, and it was fine. I had a pretty smooth labor, delivery, and after-birth.
> 
> Good luck! :flow:


Thanks for answeing :) was it a natural labour you had?


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## we can't wait

Yes, I had a natural labor. :thumbup:


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## tummymummy

I had loads of baths in the first few days(with a bit of dettol in) it worked a treat and also peeing in the bath thats a good one :thumbup: xxxxxxxxx


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## gills8752

I havent read the whole thread, its a bit long lol. But the one thing I can recommend after giving birth is to roll up two medium/large towels into sausages and place one under each thigh and sit down on that. That way your foof doesn't touch the chair and it hurts a lot less!! Huge godsend for me with my first baby!!


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## youngwife20

gills8752 said:


> I havent read the whole thread, its a bit long lol. But the one thing I can recommend after giving birth is to roll up two medium/large towels into sausages and place one under each thigh and sit down on that. That way your foof doesn't touch the chair and it hurts a lot less!! Huge godsend for me with my first baby!!

That is a great idea!!! thank you so much!! :)


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## mumanddad

i wish i had seen a thread like this before i had my son. 

i blead really bad after i wore one night time pad and two others (i did loose alot of clots), i 
also wore two pairs of knickers everyday. 
If i was you i wont try taking some of them mattress protectors the hospital use to save your mattress. 

I was advised while having a wee and after to use luke warm water which stopped the stinging and also cleared away any excess blood. 

i had 2 salt baths a day as well, which really eased the stinging (no it doesn't sting when you get in there)

my only problem after was going for a poo, i was so scared because it hurt. Try taking a lacsative (SP) and then with tissue on your hand hold down (apply some pressure) it feels so much better and hardly any pain at all. 

sorry lots of tmi but i wish i was told what would happen before i had my angel x


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## youngwife20

mumanddad said:


> i wish i had seen a thread like this before i had my son.
> 
> i blead really bad after i wore one night time pad and two others (i did loose alot of clots), i
> also wore two pairs of knickers everyday.
> If i was you i wont try taking some of them mattress protectors the hospital use to save your mattress.
> 
> I was advised while having a wee and after to use luke warm water which stopped the stinging and also cleared away any excess blood.
> 
> i had 2 salt baths a day as well, which really eased the stinging (no it doesn't sting when you get in there)
> 
> my only problem after was going for a poo, i was so scared because it hurt. Try taking a lacsative (SP) and then with tissue on your hand hold down (apply some pressure) it feels so much better and hardly any pain at all.
> 
> sorry lots of tmi but i wish i was told what would happen before i had my angel x

Thank you so much for this advice!! and i need the tmi kind of informatioN!! im learning lots!! thank you!! i feel so much better about it all now i know what to expect i think i have a fear of periods or something! BUT I WAS completly getting scared about the bleeding and stinging thats to come lol but i am so relaxed about it now!!


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## Trying4ababy

I bled for around 6 weeks and had some pretty large clots ( grape sized)


I used a numbing spray on my stitches called Dermoplast

It took me around 3 weeks to not be real sore. My stitches itched like crazy when they were healing.


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## Kess

Trying4ababy said:


> I bled for around 6 weeks and had some pretty large clots ( grape sized)
> 
> 
> I used a numbing spray on my stitches called Dermoplast
> 
> It took me around 3 weeks to not be real sore. *My stitches itched like crazy when they were healing.*

Oh yes, the itching! Worse than the soreness by a long way.


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## youngwife20

omg i just hope i dnt need stiches because i cnt resist the urge to itch


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## chuck

With grazes/cuts/tears etc let the air get to it!

Every day spend some time with no knickers and no pad (trust me the pads get bloody irritating after a while), yes you will be bleeding and a bit gross so sit on a puppy training pad/potty training mat/inco pad (I nabbed a whole pile from the hospital for this).

This is really good when you get out of the shower/bath as it's rather difficult to dry oneself with a towel when things are sore!

Oh and keep a pack of nice soft wetwipes (unfragranced) by the bathroom window so they get nice and cold...that aswell as the squirty bottle of salt water when you pee helps to soothe any swelling.


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## youngwife20

Thank you! Do you sit on the bed? i feel gross thinking of dripping everywere lol


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## Newmummy18

I bled for 4-5 weeks afterwards. It was really heavy the first ten days, then gradually tailed off. To start with I used the big thick padded maternity towels then I used tesco slim ones and had no probs.
I also tore with my DD so had quite a few stitches. I was in hospital for five days due to DD being in SCU and for the first two days only peed using the bidet in the hospital loo. Running the water over your stitches while peeing totally relieves the pain. After this I drank LOADS of water to dilute it and found it totally painless. As for the first poo, I ate plenty of fruit and found I passed it with no pain at all, though the MW said holding some loo roll or even a maternity pad to your stitches can help.
Also remember if you have stiches when you shower to not use your ordinary soap/shower gel on them as it stings! I used simple unfragranced stuff and it was fine. I also found that cleaning them with fragrance free baby wipes throughout the day helped, as I didn't really have bother with my stitches, it was the bruising that hurt more. Hope your pregnancy and birth go well! xx


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## youngwife20

Thank you so much new mummy! very helpful tips! and i will for sure eat lots and lots of fruit to help with pooing lol. 

and do you remember what brand of soap you used? xxx and hope everythings going well with u and ur little one xx


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