Postpartum Pain

I didn’t find it that bad tbh! I had an episiotomy so was a little stingy but no where near as bad as I expected. I’m a single mum so had no choice but to crack on. I wore pads until the bleeding stopped so around 2 weeks and that was it. You get used to dabbing instead of wiping to start with too 😅

Honestly it isn’t as bad you expect, everyone’s journey is different like but I had a very rough labour and clamps used and bad tear and i was walking and being able to care for baby soon as I could move my legs. It is painful don’t take me wrong and stringy and uncomfortable but you just crack on xx

I had a section, so obviously a lot different to vaginal birth! Recovery for me was strange, I had what was similar to a heavy period for around 2 weeks, the pain in my stomach was strange, didn't hurt until I went to move and then it was more of an ache. I actually found it more comfortable to stay standing up... but everyone I know who had a section have had such different recovery it's really hard to say!

brutally honest, i found it horrible. i had a 2nd degree tear and episiotomy and it was so painful for weeks. i could still do normal things and look after our newborn, but it was painful and slow, but like the other comments, you just stay on top of your meds, crack on and deal with it - i wore adult nappies for a month (saved loads of washing 🤣) - showering was fine, just make sure you dry everything properly - toilet was ok, if you give birth vaginally and have a tear/episiotomy i recommend getting a peri bottle and fill with cold water to wash yourself after you wee, and just dab (don’t wipe!) yourself dry. - things felt better about 4/5 weeks after the start stitches healed and gaps closed up etc

C section here. It was uncomfortable but I didn’t take the drugs they sent home with me. Got by on household painkillers fine so can’t have been that bad.

I had a vaginal birth, no tears. Peeing was okay, not very sore. I was scared of pooing lol. When I went to wee the first time there were a few big clots but nothing after that. Took me a few days to poop. I think because it felt like when I was giving birth he was coming out of my ass, I was scared of that feeling again lol

I spent six days in NICU with my boy as he was 5 weeks premature so I treated it like a mini holiday in a private room so had loads of time to recover. Felt a bit weird for a day as I'd had loads of gas and air, but I felt absolutely fine if I'm honest.

@Elise oh god the pooping! I think it took me about 8 days to go and it was pretty horrific 😂 I spent hours in the toilet trying to get it out and then finally it did and I felt so much better 🙈

i had stool softeners to help with pooping 🤣

You are going to get so many different answers based on people’s experiences but personally, it wasn’t too bad. I had a vaginal birth with an episiotomy, I was walking about a couple of hours after, discharged the same day and out for meals etc from day 3. There was some soreness but I had no issue using the bathroom and it soon passed.

Vaginal and episiotomy here - after episiotomy they put a stool softening tablet up your bum. I held back from pooping but when I did it was effortless and perfectly fine plus such a relief. They also said I needed to poop before they could discharge me to be sure everything was working as should be. I have never felt a pain like it in my life but it didn't exceed my expectations/fear. Weirdly I only started feeling pain in the first night when I got home maybe all the drugs had just worn off. The worst part for me, besides the flashback of the episiotomy being done, were the first few nights when the pain felt so deep and intense which would wake me early AM in tears almost felt like I was overheating/ temperature was too hot and melting the stiches or something to do with healing flesh? All in all baby kept me busy enough and it wasn't unbearable just painful at times and definitely uncomfortable. Oh I also couldn't stand the smell of lochia - was a shock as even my pre periods never had any strong smell!