first time mum - worried about AFTER the birth...

[NotNic]

I had a really poor recovery from my episiotomy last time. One of my stitches was too tight and puckered (sorry for TMI) and I ended up with a raised, painful scar. It was 10mths before I noticed an improvement. Really I should have gone back to the drs, but the treatment for that is cutting away the scar tissue, and the idea didnt appeal! I didn't have an issue with going to toilet, but I highly recommend washing and 'airing' your bits if you can to help keep the area dry, and keeping on top of the pain killers. I was taking them regularly, daily for 3-4wks until I felt better. Wearing a double layer of massive maternity pads, really helped too.

I did notice a difference after. Sex was very painful as the scar tissue had made me very tight and I found it hard to relax. This did improve over time (obviously otherwise there'd be no number 2 ) but needed a lot of patience from my oh. I didn't suffer with a pelvic floor problem and I was lucky I only bled for 3 wks. From talking to other mum's I would say my experience is pretty uncommon though. While I wouldn't want to experience it again, I am fine now and there has been no long term problems.

I would say how unprepared I was for the pain I felt everywhere though. No one warned me how much the rest of your body will ache from the physicality of labour. My biceps hurt much more than you could imagine! All worth it though!

 

[squirrel.]

Yes I second the pain killers and the anti-inflammatories they will give you. I had an epesiotomy with bad bruising from the forceps delivery, but the painkillers and anti-inflammatories they gave me were so good, I barely noticed the pain after a while. I thought it had healed, so stopped taking them one morning. BIG MISTAKE! The pain I felt as we went for a walk in the park that lunch time was unbelievable! I was in such a strange state of exhausted sleep deprivation and emotional upheaval then that I hadn't realised that the reason I wasn't feeling pain was because the medication was working! So silly in retrospect. So my big suggestion is take whatever they give you for as long as they say!

x

 

[cupcaker]

All circumstances are different I guess, but on a positive note, I feel that after my first baby everything has gone back to "normal". I had my baby with gas and air. I had a 2nd degree tear aparantly (I did not 'know' I had torn until told at the end/had stitches). The IDEA of it all made me cringe, and I was SO pathetic I did not LOOK at my downstairs area for a full six weeks...I didnt want to know, didnt want to see. I just kept clean, bathed in warm shallow baths etc and hoped for the best. For me the worst part was stinging when I peed, that went on for several weeks and I wasn't expecting just how long you have to wear pads after birth. It was weeks. BUT!

Everything healed and is normal and I'm doing it allover again this year.

 

[teal]

Definitely not the same after an episiotomy and 4th degree tear. Not stretched out but I have a lot of scarring down there.

 

[RaspberryK]

I had a 10lb3 baby vaginally, no tearing at all.
Initially everything felt a little loose, but I dtd quite soon after. By 8 weeks it was back to normal, I recommend doingpelvic ffloor exercise start now and continue. I wish I'd done mine now regularly because I find I do struggle slightly with leaking urine
Xx

 

[Mrs_X]

I gave birth naturally, and it was no different for me . Did tear a little and I can feel a scar, did sting afterwards too but I'm "no looser" lol.

 

[Gabrielle22]

lol. I didn't tear thankfully! But JJ went back to normal I don't see any difference.

 

[JoHio]

I have two kids, almost 4 and 2 and am pregnant with my third.
After my 1st, my doctor did the 6 week check up, looked at me and said (I swear!), "You're positively virginal!"

After my second, he did the check up and said (again, I swear), "You have the cervix of a 15 year old. I would never guess you'd even given birth once before, let alone twice."

LOL! OK, it may sound odd, but it was such a nice thing to hear! Honestly hon, don't sweat it. I even had stitches galore with my first and all is in top order.

(Side note: When I told my husband the doctor said I was virginal, he said, "Is your doctor saying I'm not well hung?!" Leave it to a man!)

 

[Tigerlilyb]

Goes back to normal pretty quickly, it's a total myth that you get a wizards sleeve as replacement! I have a tiny scar on my labia from a tear but I don't even notice it any more. It was sensitive for a while but I think that's to be expected.

 

[moter98]

I've had 2 babies and don't notice a difference and DH hasn't mentioned anything so I don't think anythings different down there haha! One thing I did notice after having my second baby was that my pelvic floor was weak, I had a feeling of "falling out" for awhile and would not have even thought about jumping for a few months. Lots and lots of kegals helped and just time to heal. I had neglected to do them during that pregnancy, so recommend doing them daily before you deliver.

 

[zigee]

Ive had one baby, he was not quite 8 lbs when he was born. I tore a little and had an episiotomy. Tender afterwards and felt my bits had been blown to pieces like a grenade went off. However the pain killer spray helps and the hospital gave me a squeeze bottle to squirt down there with warm water after going to the bathroom. That and patting dry really helped.

I was terrified to have my first bowel movement, but after some time the pain dissipates and it's all good. Soaking in a tub once a day did wonders too.

Honestly the freaking night sweats post partum were the worst part for me.

Sex all returned to normal, but I will say I have had to use lube a lot of times whereas before I didnt. I dont think its a physical change so much as stress/keeping up w/an 18 mo old boy.

 

[kaylamariee]

It felt back to normal after I had my first baby naturally, I'm not worried about my second! I'm sure it'll look the same.. Lol (hope)

 

[NotNic]

I had totally forgotten about the night sweats. No one warned me, but I sweated buckets! I needed to wash every morning because I felt so grim. Eventually I realised that all of our NCT group experienced it and it was normal. Don't remember ever reading about it in a book though so was a big shock.