I expected the worst but my reality was even WORSE than the worst! I have friends who were back to normal(ish) just days after giving birth. I think for maybe baby #2 I now really can expect the worst and hopefully it will be much easier this time around 
You might also enjoy...
-
It was about what I imagined. It hurt to walk up/down stairs for a week or two. I kept up on my pain meds to cope. I was surprised at my swelling/IV edema. But by three weeks I felt "normal-ish" and by six weeks I was 100% back to normal, aside from the extra weight!
-
I wouldn't say "much" worse, but it was worse. I expected to get to stay home and heal up. Having to trek back and forth from the hospital for a week after having her didn't help me heal any faster, that's for sure.
-
it was only what I imagined because I'd read a lot about post partum recovery here on HB before! Otherwise, I would have been shocked because people don't talk about this stuff IRL!
-
Mine was so much easier than I expected. I had a normal birth with a 2nd tear, I was up walking around immediately afterwards and felt good enough to walk around a local fair at 5 days postpartum. I'm now 11 months postpartum and back to my pre-baby weight and body without much help (read excersing) from me.
-
Somewhere between as expected and better than expected. I feel really lucky because I know it's much rougher for a lot of people. I never even used ice packs after the hospital which I'm told is really unusual.
To make up for the easy recovery, I had a baby who didn't sleep for 3 months though.
-
It was much worse. I had a small piece of retained placenta and that, coupled with double mastitis, made me really ill - fever, chills, the works. Plus it took months for my episiotomy to heal properly. Dreadful.
-
It was better than I imagined. I felt pretty normal within days.
-
Much, much easier than I had expected! I never even took so much as an Advil after having my first and was feeling pretty much completely normal within a couple of days, minus some tenderness from the stitches for my 2nd degree tear.
With my second, I felt even better (I was home from the hospital four hours after giving birth and felt like a million bucks), although I did take a few Advil as the cramps were definitely noticeable and painful for a few days the second time around! On the plus side, despite having another second degree tear again, I never noticed any tenderness or pain in that area. I also never used any ice packs, peri bottles, witch hazel or any of that other stuff people swear by as I never felt uncomfortable enough to try anything.
I'd been expecting the worst but it was so easy - I've had a harder time recovering from strep throat than I did childbirth! Now BF'ing was an entirely different story but I don't consider that recovering from giving birth...
-
It was worse in some ways, and better in others.
My arms and shoulders hurt SO much due to how I pushed. And the pulling sensations while I healed were awful. I didn't expect the cramps. I also didn't expect the 'roids. Ugh. So awful.
In general, I was up and about the next day. But I just didn't expect some of the things. And they didn't impede my day to day things...just the little stuff.
-
It was about what I was expecting, some days worse, some days easier!
Are you expecting?!
-
Much worse. I honestly prepped myself for labour & delivery to be the worst thing I've ever experienced. I would do it over 10 times if I didn't have to ever go through recovery again (or at all in the first place).
-
@hellobeeboston: NOOOOO! Hahaha. I got lost in the HB blog archives about PP recovery. and 15 months out I am still scarred by my recovery...but thinking about it in the next year or so
-
Better! I had a c section, but was up and walking the next day and managed to stay off the hard core drugs after the initial drugs wore off. I stuck with ibuprofen and an anti inflammatory.
-
Way better. I felt better post c-section than I did at 39 weeks pregnant.
-
Both times, it was much better. I had relatively easy deliveries, without much tearing.
-
OMG Girlfriend I thought you were preggo again.
-
@JoJoGirl: hahaha shoot, I thought "maybe baby #2" was clear--not like a maybe i'm pregnant, but maybe, another baby, someday! SO not pregnant.
-
Much, much worse.
I thought that labor/birth would be worse and recovery would be better, but it was the opposite. Times a million. -
@rachiecakes: mamadarity--i know you had a rough go of it, too! it makes me so scared for something similar with another baby...
-
From what I expected it was way worse. But thats only because no one warned me about it. I knew what to expect the second time at it was pretty much as expected.
-
@maybebaby: at least now we know? when I was pregnant everyone told me about how awful, excruciating, their labor was but bounced back, had visitors in the hospital, were walking around the mall with the stroller, back to the gym. I didn't know anyone that went through anything like I did.
-
Much easier than I expected. I had a second degree tear but only 2 stitches. I was up walking right away and going for walks around the neighbourhood by day 3. I took Arnica for the swelling and I think it helped a lot. I didn't bleed much and I only wore a panty liner after the first few days.
-
It wasn't even in the realm I imagined... It was so much worse, both mentally and physically. I'm 15 MONTHS PP, and I still have a long way to go to heal emotionally and physically.
-
@Boheme: ::hugs::
almost 3 years here 
-
Mine was a little easier than expected, but I had prepped myself for the worst. My biggest issue was some lingering pain from where I tore, which took 3-4 months to really go away. But otherwise it wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be (or maybe I have mom-nesia).
-
It wasn't much worse, but it was worse. I just had no reference point to even imagine what it would be like. I had a couple small tears, and waiting for stitches to heal was painful. The pelvic floor pressure was insane. My nipples were so raw from a bad latch, and let's not even talk about the first pp poop. Uhh!!! I purposefully stayed in bed for 5 days (advice from my midwives), and I think it helped me recover faster ... But, it still sucked. With that said, I'd do it all over again. I can't believe how much birth can wreck your body, and it's beautiful how you heal and feel normal again (eventually).
-
@Boheme: Sending hugs your way mama. I know you've been through the ringer. We're also 15 months out and each month I feel better mentally and physically, but still not normal and still feel irrational jealousy when people have "normal" recoveries.
-
@Vegmama: it's incredible what your body can do, but I don't know if I'll ever feel normal again!
-
@maybebaby: @Boheme: I know you ladies understand and seriously
that I get to connect with you - get this, I recently noticed that I've lost feeling on the insides of my toes. I only noticed because I've been wearing flip flops all summer. Yep, another side effect of the nerve damage from my episiotomy. Almost 3 years later. Really???!! Seriously, wtf.
-
@rachiecakes: oh no, that is crazy! have you ever done chiropractic or acupuncture? i wonder if that might help with anything?
-
So much worse. Everything ached, the bleeding seemed never ending and I was in the throes of ppd/ppa. I hear it's easier second time around and I'm hoping that's the case.
-
Much much worse
-
With D, easier, with S worse, and with M easier.
-
with #1, it was pretty bad, #2 was much much better
hope the same for you!
-
... both?
I was expecting a recovery from a vaginal birth and convinced a c section would be the WORST THING EVER. I ended up with a c-section and I'd say the recovery was worse than I'd hoped with a vaginal birth, but not as bad as I expected a c-section would be (except for my incision opening which did such hugely).
-
Worse for both deliveries, but I had a complication with each (retained membrane/placenta with my first, spinal headache/blood patch with my second). After those issues were fixed, recovery was pretty similar to what I expected, and I fully expected to stay in bed for weeks.
-
Easier in some ways and harder in others. I had imagined pain from delivery but had not thought much about the pain from tears/stitches and hemorrhoids. Ouch! I had also not anticipated the long-term effects of the scarring on sensation/intimacy, etc. That has been the worst I think.
It was easier in that I was up and moving about soon after and was back to my PP weight quickly. We'll see how it goes this time around. -
Much worse. I never expected to need a blood transfusion and then have two weeks before I could walk around without feeling like I would pass out. I don't expect it to be as bad the second time around.
-
It was actually easier than I had anticipated. I only had two internal stitches so I think that helped. I sat on an ice pack for about 2 days but other than that, I was really okay. I'm hoping #2 (whenever that happens -- not pregnant) is just as easy.
almost 3 years here 
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
75 comments