Postpartum Vaginal Care | Caring For Your Vagina After Childbirth

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Your vagina. She takes one hell of a beating during childbirth and it’s no joke.

Women always prepare for everything when having a baby but this. It just falls to the sidelines and you don’t think about it too much till you’re experiencing it. It really does suck.

But there’s a lot you can do to prevent and minimize the pain. Your vagina just needs some TLC and I’m going to tell you how to take care of yourself so you can enjoy your new babe instead of feeling terrible.

Here’s what to expect and how to deal.

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Postpartum Vaginal Care | Caring For Your Vagina After Childbirth

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Your Level Of Pain Will Depend On Your Birthing Experience

If you pushed for three hours like I did and you tear, you’ll be in worse shape than someone who pushed for 30 minutes and didn’t.

That will give you a little perspective on what to expect.

So your postpartum recovery timeline will be very dependent on how difficult your birth was.

****If you’re still pregnant but You haven’t taken a birthing class yet, there’s a great online course by Hilary Over at Pulling Curls. She’s a nurse and this is the best birthing class online today and at a great price point and part of the course is totally free. Have a look here. You can also get a free birth plan right here.

You will swell up badly if you pushed for very long periods. If you tear, and many do, the swelling will reach all the way back to your rectum.

Peeing and pooping can and will be painful. So can sitting and sleeping.

Your vagina can take about 6 to 8 weeks to fully recover so it’s important to be prepared.

What to Do About The Soreness And Swelling

The soreness and swelling after childbirth can be brutal. If you have tearing the stitches will itch and hurt and add to the discomfort.

But you can deal with the pain in several ways. ( Don’t forget you can take Tylenol while Breastfeeding so use it! )

First, Ice.

Ice is your best friend. You can get those Perineal ice packs to use. They will help tremendously at easing your pain. See them here.

You can also use a cooling perineal numbing spray like this one. This is definitely something you want to have on hand. This Earth Mama Perineal Spray has Benzocaine in it so it works really well.

It’s what I used and I highly recommend it.

A Peri Bottle to rinse with when you use the bathroom and Tucks Pads will help cleanse and soothe you as well.

There’s a full list of everything you’ll need to get you through the first weeks below in this post.

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The Bleeding Is Rough

You will bleed. But you won’t just bleed, you expel tons of tissue as well.

The tissue is leftover stuff from birth and it can be pretty gnarly. This will go on for about 6 to 8 weeks and taper off.

The first two weeks or so are the worst but then it gets better.

You’ll need really large pads to start, and I also recommend you use disposable underwear made for stuff like this.

Always makes this type of underwear and you can find them right here.

It Hurts To Go To The Bathroom

In the beginning, going to the bathroom will be strange and uncomfortable.

The first time you pee it will burn like hellfire. One way to remedy this is by squirting your Peri bottle on yourself while urinating. You can spray yourself with some Dermaplast beforehand to completely numb the area too.

That stuff is a lifesaver and you’ll really need it for the whole postpartum adventure.

Your first poop is rough too. It feels really awkward and you won’t enjoy the experience.

Your Doc will no doubt prescribe some stool softeners and that will help a lot. If they don’t request them asap.

You’ll need to use them for several weeks so get a bottle for home.

It will be hard to wipe too for the first several weeks too so using that peri bottle will come in handy.

Some new mamas have used a hairdryer on cool blast to dry themselves afterward so there’s less rubbing. It’s a great idea!

Lastly, you’ll likely have Hemorrhoids.

There’s nothing worse than having a swollen painful vagina and a burning bum as well. So make sure you have a good Hemorrhoid cream on hand.

You Should Do Daily Sitz Baths

The first few weeks you’ll be so swollen that it hurts to walk.

Doing daily sitz baths will help take down the swelling and it will help sweep away that not so fresh feeling.

There’s a little tub thingy you can buy that fits right over your toilet that you can dip your bottom in made especially for postpartum mamas. You can find it right here.