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Everyone is different my lovely (not helpful I know) I had a vaginal birth but asked for an episiotomy, as I was worried about tearing. My experience of postpartum with this was amazing, I was able to use tampons after 2.5 weeks for my bleeding without it hurting down there and weeing was not a problem either, like it would be with a tear, as they cut away from the body (not a straight line) meaning my wee didn’t touch the cut and sting. This is something you have to make not just your general midwife aware of but the delivery team when you go into labour. I was on gas and air so my partner told the midwife. This was at the JR - the symptom I found ‘the worst’ was the night sweats, no one tells you about that. I’d say my recovery time to feeling normal was as soon as the bleeding stopped around 4 weeks for me. xx
I had an induction and instrumental which wasn’t my preference but it is what it is! 4th degree tear and a few complications with the episiotomy so recovery was longer, 4 ish months I’d say and lots of drugs to take for pain and blood loss. But honestly whilst it was super hard, I was fine and I got through it and I still loved that time with my daughter and just took it slowly
i bled for about 6 weeks both times. i had a 2nd degree tear and stitches with my first, was fully healed about a month postpartum, i had a 1st degree with no stitches with my second and felt healed within a week or 2. vaginal birth both times. my pelvic pain stayed a bit after having my second but no other symptoms other than the after birth contraction pains (didn't get them with my first though)
I had like a normal/ heavy period after. Didn’t last more than 1-2 weeks. Vaginal birth, tiny tear they didn’t need to stitch. Wee and poo felt normal
thank you everyone !
First birth - emergency c-section Bled for 4 weeks had a week off….then got my period on Boxing Day! Merry Christmas! (Periods were heavy for 2 months but went back to normal after that) Physically I felt able to do most things drive etc by about 3 weeks, wasn’t taking painkillers and external wounds all healed but emotionally I struggled as we were in Covid lockdown so I was isolated Second birth (twins) - elective C-section - had bad wind pain for the first 3 days Bled for 5 weeks had 10 days off then got my period (they’ve been heavier for longer this time. I’ve just had my 5th post delivery and this is the first one that wasn’t ridiculously heavy but my iron levels post delivery were lower this time which I think has contributed) Again after 3 weeks I felt pretty ready to get back to life again and week 4 when my husband went back to work I was driving, taking the twins to hospital appointments and my daughter to her toddler group
The only thing i have struggled with post delivery this time is significant diastasis recti (my twins were 7lb and 7lb 14 so it’s hardly surprising) which is contributing to a bad back but I’m working on that and losing weight
After about 2 months I felt well from the birth itself , I had 2nd degree tear , vaginal birth with lots of stitches internally too so was quite uncomfortable, I bled for about 8 weeks , I had some issues with my blood after so felt poorly , postpartum hair loss got me about 4 months pp