MSE Pregnancy Club 20

babyboysmommy

Just popping over from the less than 12 weeks thread (I'm 11.5 weeks) & saw all the comments on maternity pads...

I had an episiotomy (sp?) with DS & had a large cut & lots of stitches as a result. Maternity pads were a God send, because I was so sore & uncomfortable they provided that extra bit of padding so I used them for a while. Not because I needed to because of the bleeding but just from the comfort factor, sitting on stitches is not pleasant especially on a hospital chair, more comfortable at home.

Someone else mentioned doing a poo after having stitches. You wont burst them so don't worry. I was advised to get in the shower & use the hose to spray warm water on them after going to the toilet, it was wonderfully helpful advice & meant it was easy to keep them clean & the warm water did sooth things. Stock up on prunes, one thing you hardly ever hear women talk about is how unpleasant that first poo or two can be, especially if you have stitches. Drink loads, eat prunes etc to make things pass easier

Charlie1978

Dusty i've started to feel baby moving (16 weeks). I know it's early. I have a back placenta. I find I don't feel it until evenings when i've got my feet up with a cold drink. Started to watch my tummy as I can feel where baby is and am looking for movements. Just starting to see little movements now. It's so cute!

Can't wait until it is all obvious so hubby and kids can see it too. I only know it is there cos I can feel it on the inside. If that makes sense. I am starting to get very excited now though. The holiday season upon us and baby growing. Happy, happy, happy

CL

I heard that about first poo from friend. She said MWs are obsessed and don't want you to leave hospital until you have done one. You can get prune juice in a plastic bottle which keeps for weeks and might be handy for OH to bring into hospital for you. It is supposed to be most effective if drank at room temperature.

Princess_Coupon

Krystaltips wrote: »

Sounds like when I had DD1! Really severe tear, too bad for the midwife, Dr got called out on an emergency, had to wait 3 hours to be stitched... I had my legs in stirrups, a female registrar sewing me up and her small male someone (could have been jnr Dr, nobody ever actually said?!) holding the right part open so she could see better... Was also far more painfull than labour and I was sobbing like a baby into the gas and air while the registrar was threatening to take me to theatre :mad:

:eek::eek::eek:I have a morbid fear of needles and this is my nightmare needle scenario, could you not have had a local anesthetic? I had a small tear after DD despite her being small and refused a stitch which they accepted as I was border line for it anyway, which leads nicely to the subject of "checking". For the 4 days I was in they checked my fairy everyday to make sure it was healing ok (most embarrassing when visitors are sent out the room for it). DD's nappies where split open and checked as they had decided she was producing little or no urine, and as I was bleeding heavily my pads were checked and noted down the estimated amounts and frequency of changing Yak! luckily I don't embarrass easily after 5 years of TTC there isn't a medical professional vaguely related to obs and gyny in a 10 mile radius that hasn't seen my bits:rotfl:

Princess_Coupon

CL wrote: »

I heard that about first poo from friend. She said MWs are obsessed and don't want you to leave hospital until you have done one. You can get prune juice in a plastic bottle which keeps for weeks and might be handy for OH to bring into hospital for you. It is supposed to be most effective if drank at room temperature.

I was really paranoid and scared too as everything feels so "wrong" down there for a few days, I'm not a every day person anyway and it must have been more than 4 days as I remember I had the first at home. I sat for a good 15 mins plucking up the courage to push a bit, but it was absolutely fine no pain at all just a bit weird feeling.

Krystaltips

Princess_Coupon wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek:I have a morbid fear of needles and this is my nightmare needle scenario, could you not have had a local anesthetic?

I did have!! The tear went so far up inside the aneasthetic didn't touch it... Once they started doing the outside it was fine... I think I was borderline for a spinal block and full on repair work, but it was 10pm by that point and they just wanted it done quickly... I wish I'd had a bit more gumption about me and insisted someone come and have a look a bit quicker instead of lying there bleeding all over the floor and letting it all swell up... I also should have asked who they all were instead of just accepting a random little man holding bits and pieces of me... Although really, as a birth partner, my sister should have spoken up for me a bit better...

DD2 was a breeze, they gave me a little jab and 3 stitches for the graze and I didn't feel a thing... All the midwives told me their names as they entered the room and they didn't do a thing without checking with me first... I also think briefing DH on what I would and wouldn't accept helped because he really did stand with me...

As far as first poop goes... I didn't think about it until someone on the ward commented about it and that made me paranoid, but I was fine... second time around I didn't even give it a thought...

If you do feel like your innards might drop out then hold a pad of loo roll against yourself just for support

nic2075

Teenie_D wrote: »

LOL that 's the same as me, I needed loads of gas and air when i was getting stiches. I had the midwife do it and tbh things have never really felt down there since, i think she maybe done them too tight I am actually starting to feel tender at times in that area, wondered if anyone else felt it (this is over 3 years on now!). It is worrying me that i will tear again in the same place.

Midwife never check my pads either, a week after the birth I had to call her out urgently as I was in a lot of pain, it felt like labour again. She thought I maybe had an infection, but I just started passing loads of pretty large clots (sorry tmi ).

Ladies don't want to scare you or anything but I wish I had known before, if you do have to get stiches you probably wont be able to go for a poo for a couple of days. I was terrified to do one as i thought the stiches would burst (not sure if that would actually happen though?). I am going to try and be more prepared for that and drink lots of water and try and eat as much veg and fruit as I can.

Oh the joys of pregnancy and birth!:D

I havent read back yet but thought id answer incase I forget. I also get tenderness where I had the stitch. i often wondered if it should of been more than 1. I also had a light tear with DS but the MW didnt think it needed a stitch (but maybe it did) it can be quite painful after sex.

Charlie1978

When I was in hospital after having DS1 I was in a bed next to an asian woman who kept saying 'dear lord, dear lord' when they gave her a suppository. I thanked her every day for like a month after cos when they asked me had I been for a number 2 I immediately said yes. No way where they going near what is one way traffic for me!

nic2075

Teenie when is your 20 week scan?
Im 17+4 today ( a few days behind you I think?) and I havnt had a letter yet. I just want a date so i know when to travel back down after the move. I wanted it down here so i could hopefully find out the flavour. ill be 20 weeks on the 9th so i thought id know by now.

nic2075

Charlie1978 wrote: »

When I was in hospital after having DS1 I was in a bed next to an asian woman who kept saying 'dear lord, dear lord' when they gave her a suppository. I thanked her every day for like a month after cos when they asked me had I been for a number 2 I immediately said yes. No way where they going near what is one way traffic for me!

I fibbed to the midwives after ds. I learned with DD lol. I knew id be fine or I would of been truthful, but when they came in and asked if id 'had a bowel movement today' I answered yes promptly.

Childibrth is so undignified. but when its happening and immediatly after you really dont care whos been looking at you. But later on and the next few days you just want your body back. So if its not necessary then I decline or fib.
I think as this is my 3rd I know my body by now and what feels right and wrong. With my first I didnt know and did what ever they told me.