Charley horses = ow ow ow
Early this morning I was nearly awakened by a leg cramp, but I managed to have the wherewithall to flex it out before it fully gripped me. Man, those are really awful. Maybe it’s because I’ve just gotten back into running the last couple of days after a 2-week hiatus. Maybe I haven’t been rehydrating properly.
Those of you who’ve given birth: is being in labor kind of like having a charley horse of the uterus? Is it that tight, painful, bound-up feeling? I’ve heard it’s sort of like really bad menstrual cramps, which sounds manageable enough, but maybe I’ve never had menstrual cramps as bad as a charley horse or labor.
I can tell you from experience that what happens after labor is much worse than labor itself. When you are in labor you have adrenaline helping you out and the whole thing goes rather quickly.
NOTHING prepared me for the aftermath of labor, like going to the bathroom for the first time and such. But you know, I had a c-section so my opinion is a bit tainted. And I am only telling you this because you asked.
Holly
I’m impressed to hear you say it went quickly for you, Holly. As I recall, you were in labor for a really long time before you ended up having a c-section, weren’t you? That sounds really sucky.
Twenty-six hours, in fact.
I’m embarrased to relate that I didn’t even manage to stay awake the whole time. As punishment, I got to stay awake and feed the baby when Holly passed out after the surgery.
After 45 minutes of labor, you slipped out like a little fish, Aprille. A mother-in-labor never had it so good. Of course, there was that embarassing moment when your dad tried to tell me how to breathe, and I hit him in the stomach. Fortunately, he’s a forgiving man.
Yes, I had really long labor, but it wasn’t intense labor. And I still stand by the fact that the first few days after you give birth are a lot worse than labor.
You need more potassium. Lack of potassium is what causes Charley horses.
Eat some taters.
I know a lady who had a C-section (she loves it when I call her a “lady”), and I can confirm that her experience was exactly like Holly’s (24 hours of labor and then the section; I was awake the whole time, unfortunately). She wants to try a VBAC next time ’round. God help us all.
I must admit that my labor was not like Holly’s; it was hell. Everyone told me that “it’s-like-a-bad-menstrual-cramp” story, too. It wasn’t like that for me. It was like a hot knife being plunged into my lower back over and over. Apparently, that’s back labor. After 24 hours, and two epidurals that didn’t work, I literally was begging to die (no joke; just ask Rachel, who’s now terrified to have a labor like her sister’s). I’m not trying to scare you, and I’m sure it won’t be like that for you, Aprille. But it was unlike any pain I’d ever felt. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad the next time. Ugh.