u/Complex-Frosting2925

As a first time mom who’s 2.5 weeks postpartum I really just want to express my gratitude. My milk came in fast and hard within four days and I was sooo engorged (still struggling with that). I had what I’m sure was a clogged duct last night and was so worried and didn’t know what to do and ya’ll really showed up with answers as I scrolled this sub. I did ice, ibuprofen and DANGLE FEEDING omg and last night as I was feeding him I felt him unclog it!! This morning it’s gone and I have zero pain. I’m so thankful for communities like this, and love seeing how women show up for each other in solidarity in these online communities. Thank you thank you thank you 😭

Has anyone used period underwear for postpartum? I’m about 2 weeks pp from a c section and my bleeding is so intermittent. I hate how diapers feel, and I’m running low on disposable underwear, AND I hate how the maxi pads feel. It’s all soooo uncomfortable. I have one pair of period panties I use for nighttime when I have my period, but I was thinking about snagging a couple more pairs maybe in a lighter color so I can keep an eye on color/clots etc. my bleeding is steadily going down so I feel like this may be a good option but wanted to see if anyone has any tips!

For reference I fit in my pre pregnancy leggings and I actually find the compression really comfortable. I don’t like the belly binder either it’s a sensory nightmare lol so I’ve loved wearing leggings now that my incision isn’t excruciating everytime I brush against it

Soooo I’m a FTM and have been staying home since about 24 weeks pregnant. I’m 11 days postpartum, and I feel like I’m actually falling apart.. I had to have a somewhat emergency c section due to my water being broken for over 24 hours and developing an infection, and that was after pushing for 6 hours, as well as laboring for 17 unmedicated beforehand with back labor. It was a traumatic and exhausting birth experience. I’m still emotionally recovering from it, on top of just hormones in general.

My partner promised to take 2-3 weeks off work to support me and help out while we adjust to being new parents. We talked a lot about this being really important since I spent my pregnancy alone. He was always gone and always working so that he could take time off. Now he’s still working, and I’ve had to take the brunt of baby care day and night. I’m so incredibly exhausted and he cannot handle my emotions. Takes everything super personally, gets upset when I vent because I’m just “complaining” instead of providing solutions. His mom is in town and spent all day at our house doing laundry, cleaning, taking care of baby. It was the first day I felt somewhat relaxed and truly cared for. I cried when she left even though she’s coming back tomorrow to stay with us. I just feel lonely and I’m made to feel dramatic and I feel like I’m going to literally shrivel up and float away most days. This is not what I wanted this time to look like. I knew pp would be hard, and I’m also high risk for ppd so I’m worried that when his mom leaves I’m going to completely fall apart.

I hated being pregnant because it was soooo lonely and I was always just being strong and toughing it out because “it’s going to get better I promise” and now during a time where I need a lot of physical and emotional support, I’m still carrying so much of the mental load. I don’t understand what he doesn’t understand. He’s a good kind man but it’s like not clicking for him that I’m really struggling. He takes it so personally instead of putting his pride aside and just being there for me.

Someone please tell me it gets better before I go insane.

I’m a FTM and my supply came in like a tidal wave. My boobs are in so much pain because they feel so full first thing in the morning and in the middle of the night. Everyone says stop pumping but I’ve tried the hand expressing and the ice and it just didn’t help at all. I’m having a hard time sleeping :( I went from a small B to definitely a D and I feel like they’re rock hard always and I can never empty them. Are there any tips you guys have for managing this? I’m so uncomfortable that I want to quit breastfeeding but I also really don’t want to quit one week into it.

Also I’m only pumping for maybe 10 mins twice a day, just enough to not hurt anymore

I just gave birth to my first baby last Sunday!! I had a beautiful baby boy, and he’s healthy and good. But I just have to rant somewhere… or just out my feelings out there. I had planned a beautiful birth center birth. My water broke last Saturday, and I labored at home for around 14 hours. When I got to the birth center I was in excruciating pain.. turns out it was back labor. Baby was sunnyside up and we couldn’t get him to flip. I tried everything, and couldn’t stop throwing up and literally screaming through each contraction. Myself and my midwives decided it was time to go to the hospital and so my partner and I met them there. I was given pain relief and then an epidural. I actually started enjoying my labor, and went on to progress quickly. I started pushing and pushed for around 5 ish hours. He was stuck due to his position and I was nearing an infection. I had to make the choice to get a c section which I realllly didn’t want to do. I knew the recovery would be harder, and I was really scared. I was so high the whole time and I feel like I half missed the birth of my son. The hospital stay was intense, and I felt like my partner complained a lot and slept the whole time. I didn’t sleep at all. Now we’re home and I know that emotions run high with a baby crying and being sleep deprived but I feel like his expectations of me aren’t realistic, and I feel like he doesn’t know how to be here for me. I’m an emotional wreck, I’m devastated about how things went and I can’t stop thinking about being cut open. I feel so guilty because my baby is healthy and so happy to be snuggled up with me or his dad, but I’m also breast feeding and my nipples are already destroyed, my boobs HURT unless I pump, and I’m so hungry all the time. I can barely get out of bed and when I do it’s just painful. I feel invisible and so fucking ugly and like a stranger in my own body. Does this pass or is this the onset of PPD? Did anyone experience anything like this? I need to not feel alone