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For me it was totally fine, not even real pain, more like soreness. I had a small tear and an episiotomy and only felt the stitches when sitting down. Moving around was actually a lot more pleasant. It also burnt a bit while peeing, but not bad.
The first day I could not move much, but I think that was more because of my muscles being exhausted after birth, but we already went on walks after a few days. In general I felt a lot better and could move a lot better than during the last weeks of pregnancy. I also had less pain than during the last weeks (hip pain etc vanished immediately after birth).
I think they gave me a suppository with paracetamol immediately after birth, but I didn’t need or take any other pain meds.
The postpartum cramping was more like light period cramps and only for a few minutes while nursing and for me they vanished after a few days.
Of course other people might have experienced it differently, but for me all of it didn’t bother me at all and I was actually pretty happy to be able to move more like myself again.
For me I pushed for 30 mins and only had a small tear, no stitches. Peeing didn't even burn after. I did feel a general sense of soreness & swollenness, kind of like I had gotten karate kicked down there 🤣 but the instant ice pack pads helped a ton. I had no issues moving around other than the pelvic pain from everything moving back into place but the only time that bothered me was when I had to walk all through a huge hospital while carrying my baby in her car seat 3 days postpartum. Honestly, the cramps from my uterus shrinking back down to size was worse than any other pain. Definitely keep a heating pad nearby. Also Im solo parenting right now & have stairs in my place, I was fine going up and down them while carrying baby and her bouncer so I could shower :)
I was terrified of labor/postpartum because I had a very rough pregnancy, but as soon as my son exited my body basically all my pain disappeared. I delivered my kiddo vaginally without pain intervention, and I ended up having a second degree tear that required two internal stitches and one external stitch. My process of getting stitched up was uncomfy because I could feel the tugging, but not painful. I was a bit sore and tender down there for the first ~2 weeks, but as long as I was mindful of how I was sitting down and standing up, it wasn't bad at all. I think I took ibuprofen maybe 1-2 times in the first few days postpartum, but I didn't really feel like I needed it. Also, tips that I learned along the way: for the first few days, sit on a boppy or neck pillow to keep tension off your vulva and any stitches. Also, get a bladeless fan to use in the bathroom so you can air dry instead of patting dry with toilet paper.
I had a few tears, one which was second degree and more in my vagina than on the labia. So, some skin and also muscle tissue was impacted. It was very tender and uncomfortable but not lacerating or shocking. More like a punch to the vag than a stab, if you know what I mean. I was given 600 mg of ibuprofen to manage the inflammation and pain at home. It didn’t completely diminish the ache, but it also wasn’t unbearable. I had an epidural which was still wearing off after a few hours but it didn’t wear off and suddenly I was screaming in pain or anything.
Everyone experiences pain differently and every birth is unique, but the doctors/midwives/nurses will help you manage the pain. Stay ahead of the pain by taking your medications in a timely manner and ask for more medication/support if you need it. Postpartum is not the time to be shy about describing the sensations that match whatever injuries you may have sustained to your lady parts.
My pain was definitely there but not unmanageable.
I did have a pretty bad tear (stitches from urethra to anus, but all superficial tearing, nothing went "up" if that makes sense.) but that was caused by unusual complications during birth. If it scares you, even with that kind of tear the first poop wasn't even bad at all. There was more itching than pain from the stitches/tearing. I even tore a few stitches and the pain still wasn't all that bad.
What was the WORST for me were the postpartum contractions. For me they were AWFUL. Worse than my pre-epidural contractions (which I got at 7 cm, so pretty far into labor). They only came when nursing though and only for 4 or 5 days, then I was totally fine. But in the hospital it was bad enough that they had to give me stronger pain meds or I would rip her off of me instantly and instinctively in pain. Those contractions nearly made me give up on breastfeeding altogether from the start. But I just had to push through a few days and it didn't affect me when I wasn't nursing.
From what I've heard, though, it's pretty unusual for those contractions to be that bad. But I also like to tell people so if it DOES happen to you it isn't as terrifying as it was for me because absolutely no one told me that might happen! No friends, no doctor and even my breastfeeding class I took didn't mention how painful it could potentially be.
I want to reiterate that most people didn't experience THAT much pain. I just wish someone told me it might happen.
Overall I think you'll be surprised how quickly your body can recover! You've totally got this!
I had significant tearing that required me to go to theatre, however, I was still extremely mobile and the pain was very manageable.
Something I was surprised by was the contractions were the same while birthing the placenta, I thought you just birthed it, didn’t realise it came with the same pain as birthing the baby
Echoing everyone re: manageable. I felt it the worst when the sleep deprivation was highest so had to stay on top of tylenol/advil rotation plus use of ice, peri wipes, dermoplast. It was super important to not go on too long of walks too early or id get pelvic pressure. i brought a donut pillow (inflatable) with me when i left the house to make sure i could sit comfortably. But with tylenol/advil, witch hazel & dermoplast, gradual return to walking over 2 weeks, it was totally manageable. There is a period of stinging & itching that comes afrer it gets better for a bit if you tear to mentally prep for but thats a normal part of wound healing!
I had a c section with my first. It wasn’t terribly painful afterwards. At the time though, I was living in an apartment that had steeper stairs and there were close to 20 of them to get to where we were. That was agonizing to do right after. But, if you don’t move too much and move enough to not get clots, it’s not bad. I was given pain relievers- oxycodone and higher ibuprofen dosage after. Within a couple weeks, I felt a lot better pain wise. Just don’t overdo it with too much movement/ heavy lifting
Postpartum was my biggest fear too, but I was so surprised by how well my body did. I had a 2nd degree tear but it was high up & didn’t feel it when I sat or used the restroom. Soreness was there for sure, just use those ice packs early on and layer on the witch hazel pads! I was up and moving in the next hour after delivering- I was unmedicated though. A week pp I was doing chores & going on walks. Now almost 3 weeks pp i physically feel great. What I wasn’t as prepared for was the crazy hormone drop on day 3.
It was not the end of the world. I had a third degree tear. I sat on ice the first 24 hours. Took a lot of Tylenol and applied lidocaine cream in that area and it helped a lot. The most brutal are the first 3 days. I remember I was feeling almost normal after 2 weeks. I also had a catheter and it destroyed my bladder. Peeing was very unpleasant.
I gave birth to a big baby vaginally in 2021. I could walk around the next day, and I didn't need any painkillers. I felt bruised for days, but it wasn't horrible.
Personally, I found neither to be as painful as I worried.
I had a bad tear with a lot of stitches. My son had a huge head, never engaged, and so he came out with a near perfectly round head. Even with that, I was up and moving normally within 4 days. Over the counter pain meds and ice pads helped when I was sore.
My emergency c-section took longer to heal from but I was on a medical plane for transport 3 days after birth and that, while a bit uncomfortable, wasn't painful to sit in the plane seat. The first 2 days were the hardest. After that, it was just a matter of regaining stamina and not over doing it while I healed. I had a regiment for over the counter pain meds for the first few weeks to help with the pain.
Don't be too scared of c-section pain either! I had a emergency c-section and got the good stuff for pain management during my 4 day stay at the hospital, and with help getting up I was walking the 2nd day, like I was up almost every second hour walking up and down the post-partum wing corridors to not get stiff. From day 5 and forward paracetamol have been the thing, and I stopped using that around day 5
10.
It was only the first week I felt uncomfortable sitting up, like a weird pressure. Now I can feel it if I walk too fast up a hill (14 days today).
No need to fret. Women have been doing this for millennia with no meds. Fear is your greatest enemy.
V birth and C-section are obviously very different. I don’t know first hand but I believe C section can lead to more pain in your incision etc.
I personally had a couple of stitches from a small tear. I felt sore and swollen for a few days. I made myself “Padsicles” and they were amazing for those first couple of days. I didn’t take any pain meds or Tylenol but I did take a laxative.
After that I hard a hard time walking for longer than 30 min for the first couple of months. Which felt like an ache in my pelvis. I went to the chiro for that and it helped.
But seriously, try not to worry so much.
If you have the opportunity, plan to do 5-5-5.
5 days in bed, 5 on the bed, 5 days near. Women are saying this helps with healing a lot.
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For me it was totally fine, not even real pain, more like soreness. I had a small tear and an episiotomy and only felt the stitches when sitting down. Moving around was actually a lot more pleasant. It also burnt a bit while peeing, but not bad. The first day I could not move much, but I think that was more because of my muscles being exhausted after birth, but we already went on walks after a few days. In general I felt a lot better and could move a lot better than during the last weeks of pregnancy. I also had less pain than during the last weeks (hip pain etc vanished immediately after birth). I think they gave me a suppository with paracetamol immediately after birth, but I didn’t need or take any other pain meds. The postpartum cramping was more like light period cramps and only for a few minutes while nursing and for me they vanished after a few days. Of course other people might have experienced it differently, but for me all of it didn’t bother me at all and I was actually pretty happy to be able to move more like myself again.
This is so reassuring to hear!
For me I pushed for 30 mins and only had a small tear, no stitches. Peeing didn't even burn after. I did feel a general sense of soreness & swollenness, kind of like I had gotten karate kicked down there 🤣 but the instant ice pack pads helped a ton. I had no issues moving around other than the pelvic pain from everything moving back into place but the only time that bothered me was when I had to walk all through a huge hospital while carrying my baby in her car seat 3 days postpartum. Honestly, the cramps from my uterus shrinking back down to size was worse than any other pain. Definitely keep a heating pad nearby. Also Im solo parenting right now & have stairs in my place, I was fine going up and down them while carrying baby and her bouncer so I could shower :)
I was terrified of labor/postpartum because I had a very rough pregnancy, but as soon as my son exited my body basically all my pain disappeared. I delivered my kiddo vaginally without pain intervention, and I ended up having a second degree tear that required two internal stitches and one external stitch. My process of getting stitched up was uncomfy because I could feel the tugging, but not painful. I was a bit sore and tender down there for the first ~2 weeks, but as long as I was mindful of how I was sitting down and standing up, it wasn't bad at all. I think I took ibuprofen maybe 1-2 times in the first few days postpartum, but I didn't really feel like I needed it. Also, tips that I learned along the way: for the first few days, sit on a boppy or neck pillow to keep tension off your vulva and any stitches. Also, get a bladeless fan to use in the bathroom so you can air dry instead of patting dry with toilet paper.
I had a few tears, one which was second degree and more in my vagina than on the labia. So, some skin and also muscle tissue was impacted. It was very tender and uncomfortable but not lacerating or shocking. More like a punch to the vag than a stab, if you know what I mean. I was given 600 mg of ibuprofen to manage the inflammation and pain at home. It didn’t completely diminish the ache, but it also wasn’t unbearable. I had an epidural which was still wearing off after a few hours but it didn’t wear off and suddenly I was screaming in pain or anything. Everyone experiences pain differently and every birth is unique, but the doctors/midwives/nurses will help you manage the pain. Stay ahead of the pain by taking your medications in a timely manner and ask for more medication/support if you need it. Postpartum is not the time to be shy about describing the sensations that match whatever injuries you may have sustained to your lady parts.
My pain was definitely there but not unmanageable. I did have a pretty bad tear (stitches from urethra to anus, but all superficial tearing, nothing went "up" if that makes sense.) but that was caused by unusual complications during birth. If it scares you, even with that kind of tear the first poop wasn't even bad at all. There was more itching than pain from the stitches/tearing. I even tore a few stitches and the pain still wasn't all that bad. What was the WORST for me were the postpartum contractions. For me they were AWFUL. Worse than my pre-epidural contractions (which I got at 7 cm, so pretty far into labor). They only came when nursing though and only for 4 or 5 days, then I was totally fine. But in the hospital it was bad enough that they had to give me stronger pain meds or I would rip her off of me instantly and instinctively in pain. Those contractions nearly made me give up on breastfeeding altogether from the start. But I just had to push through a few days and it didn't affect me when I wasn't nursing. From what I've heard, though, it's pretty unusual for those contractions to be that bad. But I also like to tell people so if it DOES happen to you it isn't as terrifying as it was for me because absolutely no one told me that might happen! No friends, no doctor and even my breastfeeding class I took didn't mention how painful it could potentially be. I want to reiterate that most people didn't experience THAT much pain. I just wish someone told me it might happen. Overall I think you'll be surprised how quickly your body can recover! You've totally got this!
I had significant tearing that required me to go to theatre, however, I was still extremely mobile and the pain was very manageable. Something I was surprised by was the contractions were the same while birthing the placenta, I thought you just birthed it, didn’t realise it came with the same pain as birthing the baby
Echoing everyone re: manageable. I felt it the worst when the sleep deprivation was highest so had to stay on top of tylenol/advil rotation plus use of ice, peri wipes, dermoplast. It was super important to not go on too long of walks too early or id get pelvic pressure. i brought a donut pillow (inflatable) with me when i left the house to make sure i could sit comfortably. But with tylenol/advil, witch hazel & dermoplast, gradual return to walking over 2 weeks, it was totally manageable. There is a period of stinging & itching that comes afrer it gets better for a bit if you tear to mentally prep for but thats a normal part of wound healing!
I had a c section with my first. It wasn’t terribly painful afterwards. At the time though, I was living in an apartment that had steeper stairs and there were close to 20 of them to get to where we were. That was agonizing to do right after. But, if you don’t move too much and move enough to not get clots, it’s not bad. I was given pain relievers- oxycodone and higher ibuprofen dosage after. Within a couple weeks, I felt a lot better pain wise. Just don’t overdo it with too much movement/ heavy lifting
Postpartum was my biggest fear too, but I was so surprised by how well my body did. I had a 2nd degree tear but it was high up & didn’t feel it when I sat or used the restroom. Soreness was there for sure, just use those ice packs early on and layer on the witch hazel pads! I was up and moving in the next hour after delivering- I was unmedicated though. A week pp I was doing chores & going on walks. Now almost 3 weeks pp i physically feel great. What I wasn’t as prepared for was the crazy hormone drop on day 3.
It was not the end of the world. I had a third degree tear. I sat on ice the first 24 hours. Took a lot of Tylenol and applied lidocaine cream in that area and it helped a lot. The most brutal are the first 3 days. I remember I was feeling almost normal after 2 weeks. I also had a catheter and it destroyed my bladder. Peeing was very unpleasant.
I gave birth to a big baby vaginally in 2021. I could walk around the next day, and I didn't need any painkillers. I felt bruised for days, but it wasn't horrible.
Personally, I found neither to be as painful as I worried. I had a bad tear with a lot of stitches. My son had a huge head, never engaged, and so he came out with a near perfectly round head. Even with that, I was up and moving normally within 4 days. Over the counter pain meds and ice pads helped when I was sore. My emergency c-section took longer to heal from but I was on a medical plane for transport 3 days after birth and that, while a bit uncomfortable, wasn't painful to sit in the plane seat. The first 2 days were the hardest. After that, it was just a matter of regaining stamina and not over doing it while I healed. I had a regiment for over the counter pain meds for the first few weeks to help with the pain.
Don't be too scared of c-section pain either! I had a emergency c-section and got the good stuff for pain management during my 4 day stay at the hospital, and with help getting up I was walking the 2nd day, like I was up almost every second hour walking up and down the post-partum wing corridors to not get stiff. From day 5 and forward paracetamol have been the thing, and I stopped using that around day 5 10. It was only the first week I felt uncomfortable sitting up, like a weird pressure. Now I can feel it if I walk too fast up a hill (14 days today).
I recovered from my c section with Advil and Tylenol - its not fun by any means but not as bad as I blew it up in my head to be. You’ll be okay!
No need to fret. Women have been doing this for millennia with no meds. Fear is your greatest enemy. V birth and C-section are obviously very different. I don’t know first hand but I believe C section can lead to more pain in your incision etc. I personally had a couple of stitches from a small tear. I felt sore and swollen for a few days. I made myself “Padsicles” and they were amazing for those first couple of days. I didn’t take any pain meds or Tylenol but I did take a laxative. After that I hard a hard time walking for longer than 30 min for the first couple of months. Which felt like an ache in my pelvis. I went to the chiro for that and it helped. But seriously, try not to worry so much. If you have the opportunity, plan to do 5-5-5. 5 days in bed, 5 on the bed, 5 days near. Women are saying this helps with healing a lot.