October Chit Chat for Ladies Due in Sept/Oct/Nov

[laughinglynxie]

Pinkin, I haven't heard for sure about my "bulge" yet, but I'm pretty convinced it's my bladder bulging and my uterus is definitely way further down than it used to be. I go to my 6 week postpartum visit on the 26th, so I'll keep you updated.

[auroara78]

lynxie, I forgot to ask my doctor at my postpartum visit if my slight bulge was that, but he felt all around, said my uterus was back in the right spot and everything looked perfect...so maybe my slight buldge on the left side is more fat? ugh...I'd hate to think that but I guess it's better than my organs being in the wrong spots!

[Mochagirl]

I have a bulge down there too, and I asked my mw about it the other day. She said it was just my vaginal walls sagging (attractive, I know ) - she said it takes a while for them to go back after delivery (though I don't remember it being this bad with my other babies).

My latest concern is my bleeding. I hardly bled at all right after delivery - I had to wear those huge pads for maybe 24 hours, then switched to regular pads. Within a few days it seemed like my bleeding had stopped. For the next couple of weeks I just had spotting - usually when using the toilet. A pantiliner was usually enough.

Well...just in the past 24 hours the bleeding has increased significantly. It's as heavy as af, and I'm back to wearing maxi pads. It's also bright red. Is this anything to worry about? I don't have any pain or tenderness (other than slight af-like cramping), and it's not heavy enough that it soaks right through a pad. This couldn't possibly be af returning after only 4 weeks, could it? I exclusively bf all my kids, and af returned after 8 months with my twins, and only 9 weeks with ds3.

[laughinglynxie]

Mocha, from what I read, any bleeding before 6 weeks postpartum is still birth-related. With my first, my bleeding happened like yours did and would come and go for a few weeks. This time it seems it has been a very steady taper down. I've been to a liner just this last week.

Nothing like saggy vaginal walls, haha. Mine is definitely because Ivy's forehead really pressed on that area on her way out!

[Mochagirl]

Glad to hear the bleeding is normal. I knew it was too good to be true, having hardly any bleeding this time around. My mw couldn't believe it when I told her the bleeding had stopped less than a week after birth!

[auroara78]

yeah my bleeding was weird this time too, in a weird start-stop pattern for about 6 weeks straight, ugh. With DS1 and 2 it just bled consistnely for about 3 weeks and was over...and I liked that much better, lol. I hated the whole "oh it's over...ooooh no it's not" back and forth stuff.

my cold continues to plague me and Lillian. I just feel so bad for the poor baby, she is just so congested. Took her to the pedi yesterday and they said just give her saline drops and suction out her nose; it hasn't gone to her lungs, so that's good. They tested her for RSV (?) and it came back negative, so I guess that's good too.

This is my last week off work, booooo, I return on the 29th. Well, I'll posting more tho, since I am a forum troll when I'm at work, haha. I know, so bad, but....

[Hobbermittens]

Auroara, is DH worried about having all the kids by himself while you are at work? Sorry you and the baby are both sick still.

Mocha, I don't know about the bleeding thing--mine always seems to last forever! I am still having bleeding now, and though it has slowed down some, it is still here. Hope everyone's bleeding stops soon. It sucks so much!

I started a new thread about this, but thought I would ask here too--how much, if any, tearing did you all have this time and with previous births? I tore this time right at the base of my vajayjay opening (where the dr would do an episiotomy if he was going to do one) and it is still painful when I touch it or wipe after going pee. I never had anything like this with my other babies, because Sawyer was so much bigger than the others! Anyway, just wondering how long it will take to heal and if sex is going to hurt! !

[Mochagirl]

Hobber - I had a HUGE episiotomy with ds3, and I have to tell you the recovery was agonizing and long. I remember thinking that it was worse than my c-section recovery. With Sadie I only had a small microtear - one stitch - and it never bothered me at all. How many stitches did you have?

Auroara - sorry Lillian's sick. I've had a nasty cough and cold for weeks now, but luckily Sadie hasn't caught it from me. I can't believe you're back to work already! I forget how short American maternity leave is - here in Canada, everyone gets a full year!

[PeonyPrincess]

Yeah that sucks that you are heading back to work so soon Auroara. That has gone so fast. I will get 18 weeks paid leave this time around, but usually take 12 months off before thinking of working again. It would be nice if everyone could choose how long they wanted off, but I know the bills don't pay themselves.

Hobber, ouch. That doesn't sound like fun. It sounds like a perineal tear- you didn't tear right through to your bottom did you? I hope not as that is a 3rd degree tear. If it is just a little on your perineum, or tore more to the side, then I would imagine up to 6 weeks for it to heal, but that area is likely to be really sensitive for quite some time. I had a 1st degree tear with DS1 as they had to use the suction to get him out (just on my internal labia), and nothing with DS2. But they were both just under 7lbs. I have friends who had awful injuries- no wonder you hear some birthing horror stories.

[laughinglynxie]

Bummer on the going back to work. :/ I'm so happy I don't have to deal with that this time!

Ivy seems to be non-stop congested, too. I have been having sinus pressure with the weather changing, so I can only imagine that's why she's all booger-y. I've been doing saline and suction on her as well. It's tough because she's trying to breastfeed and gets all freaked out when she can't breathe!

With my son, they gave me an episiotomy and it was a nightmare for recovery. Sex felt like nothing all the way into 4 months postpartum. I was trying to do kegels as soon as it was comfortable. This time around I only had one tiny stitch from a natural tear and I didn't hardly feel anything was wrong. If anything, my tailbone hurt way more!