There are a few things that can help speed your recovery and make you feel back to normal, sooner!
View my recovery post to read about what happens just after birth. Here are some other things from the hospital and through my own research to use to help speed recovery.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. These are from my own experience and personal research. If you have any questions please ask your doctor! And as always, please wash your hands before and after you use the restroom when recovering as you are healing and to avoid any possible infections.
Hospital Will Provide:
Dermoplast: The hospital will have this for you. It is a numbing spray. Spray after you use the warm water bottle to rinse you off. It is awesome!
Tucks Pads: Also the hospital will provide these for you. Put a line of 3 on top of the pad which is on top of the mesh undies.
You Provide:
Depends: Yes, I am recommending these! Use them when you get home instead of the mesh undies. But put your pad on them and then the tucks pads on the pad.
Maxi Pads I use: Kotex Overnight pads for the first 2 weeks and heavy days/nights. Then Seventh Generation Ultra Thin Pads for the lighter days. You will need some pads when you get home too. Make sure you have these on hand before you arrive home from the hospital. Postpartum bleeding can last as long as 6-8 weeks! You never know how long your will last for. Amazon makes it easy for reordering though!
Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm Spray: This was my first pregnancy recovery using this and it was awesome. I sprayed it before the dermoplast. Used this every time until 10 days or you run out /it stops working well. I took this to the hospital and started using it right away!
Earth Mama Bottom Balm: I started using this in addition to the spray after 10 days. To allow the stitches to heal first and to avoid the possibility of infection because you have to slather it on yourself. It is not hands free like the spray.
Ibuprofen: Have plenty on hand at the house because you will have good days and bad days. It is ok to take these. You don't have to be super women and suffer silently.
The biggest tip and trick to a speedy recovery is rest, rest and more rest. Seriously. If you do more in the day, you will bleed more. Allow your body time to recovery from the crazy experience it just went through. Have people at the house to help you, to take care of your other children for you, to cook for you, clean, and just help out around the house. I'm over 2 weeks out and yesterday and today are the days where I really felt more like myself! But I have been waking up/getting out of bed around 8am, taking a 2 hour nap everyday and going to bed around 9pm. And resting or sitting on the couch and just taking it easy. The days I didn't take it easy I would have a step back in my recovery the next day.
This recovery has been more difficult for me but that was an internal pain I was feeling more from the traumatic birth of Collin. But I did these other tips and tricks and they have helped the external healing speed up. Hope these help you!
