concerned about hemorrhoids

[Monika]

Hi all!

I'm in my 30th week of pregnancy at present with my second child. I have a
son who's now a little more than 2 years old. I had a vaginal birth with him
and though I did tear a little and got a few stitches, what really caused me
a lot of agony post-partum was the hemorrhoid I sustained as a result of the
pushing. It made going to the loo an activity I dreaded most as it was so
painful and also the hemorrhoid used to bleed sometimes (sorry about being
graphic). My mid-wife had recommended a cream to apply in that area so as to
make the area numb and hence make the toilet trips easier but even then, it
was close to two months before I was actually feeling normal.

Hence, I was wondering if you some of you have any ideas/advice on the
following:

- is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of getting a
hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
- if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief

Any other helpful comments will be much appreciated.

TIA,
Monika
Due May 2005
Mom to Ani born 28/12/2002

[Dagny]

I had an unattended birth where no one told me to push. I did not push but
rather, my body/uterus gave about six pushing contractions. Afterwords, it
looked like nothing had happened -- including my rectum. And I had HORRID
hemorhoids for months and months after my first birth 15 months earlier
(birthrape with LOTS of coerced pushing with no urge); and I am still
dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
bleeding again. Yet, birth did not affect me AT ALL.

WHEN WILL WOMEN STOP PUSHING? (of course I knew not to the first time but
the attendant got to me)

-- Dagny

[[email protected]]

Monika wrote:

> - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of
getting a
> hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
> - if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief
>
> Any other helpful comments will be much appreciated.

This is purely anecdotal, but my mom had my brother and I (her first
two) lying down. She had terrible hemorrhoids with both of us. My
sister, her third child, and a homebirth, had her cord around her neck.
The midwife had my mom stand up to deliver her, and Mom says that she
had no trouble with hemorrhoids, after. She also says it was the
easiest birth of the three. (She also says that the third child is the
mother's reward for putting up with the first two... My sister is
Practically Perfect In Every Way, so maybe there's something to
that...).

Witch hazel wipes (sold over the counter, pre-moistened) help, too.

They can also do surgery to repair them. Maybe that would be an option
when you're all done having kids?

Amy

[L.A.]

Hi Monika...

I'm looking for a way to avoid them this time around too...so I'll be
watching this thread for tips. But as to how to relieve them, I found
using an anti-swelling cream with a topical anasthetic included (like
anusol) helps. Also, buy some Tucks pads for wiping, as they clean
you without the abrasivness of toilet paper. And eat lots of bran and
prunes and other things to help keep you regular because even if you
dread going, it helps the pain to take the pressure of a full bowel
off them. Don't sit on the toilet for longer than necessary, as that
will aggravate them, and don't sit on a cold, hard surface.
Hope this helps.

L.A.


"Monika" > wrote in message >...
> Hi all!
>
> I'm in my 30th week of pregnancy at present with my second child. I have a
> son who's now a little more than 2 years old. I had a vaginal birth with him
> and though I did tear a little and got a few stitches, what really caused me
> a lot of agony post-partum was the hemorrhoid I sustained as a result of the
> pushing. It made going to the loo an activity I dreaded most as it was so
> painful and also the hemorrhoid used to bleed sometimes (sorry about being
> graphic). My mid-wife had recommended a cream to apply in that area so as to
> make the area numb and hence make the toilet trips easier but even then, it
> was close to two months before I was actually feeling normal.
>
> Hence, I was wondering if you some of you have any ideas/advice on the
> following:
>
> - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of getting a
> hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
> - if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief
>
> Any other helpful comments will be much appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Monika
> Due May 2005
> Mom to Ani born 28/12/2002

[Ericka Kammerer]

Monika wrote:


> - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of getting a
> hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
> - if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief

Don't push until you feel an urge, and don't let anyone
tell you when or how to push. (It helps if you are unmedicated
to do this, but it still works a lot of the time even with an
epidural if it's turned down for pushing.) Don't hold your
breath when you push.

Best wishes,
Ericka

[Renee]

Did anybody get a hemorroid from the pregnancy itself? I got one in my
first pregnancy. This time, I made sure I ate more fiber so I wouldn't
get constipated, but I still ended up with one.

Renee

[Larry McMahan]

Monika > writes:

: - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of getting a
: hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)

Hmmm. It makes me wonder what position you were in when you pushed the
first time. It also made me wonder if you were simply allowed to push
when you wanted or if you were ordered to push on command.

I have heard that the easiest position to push in is standing, but
you might not be able to do that. I have also heard that the worst
are a full squat, or any position that closes the birth canal
(dorsal or semisitting). Kneeling on one knee with the other foot
on the ground might work pretty well.

You should also be allowed full mobility during labor and NOT be
required to lie on your back at any time during labor. You should
be allowed to decide WHEN you want to push.

Of course all of these assume you are probably having a midife attended
birth in the place of your choice, rather than a OB attended birth on
a hospital bed.

Good luck,
Larry

PS: My wife is named Monika, too.

[Larry McMahan]

Dagny > writes:
: I had an unattended birth where no one told me to push. I did not push but
: rather, my body/uterus gave about six pushing contractions. Afterwords, it
: looked like nothing had happened -- including my rectum. And I had HORRID
: hemorhoids for months and months after my first birth 15 months earlier
: (birthrape with LOTS of coerced pushing with no urge); and I am still
: dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
: bleeding again. Yet, birth did not affect me AT ALL.

: WHEN WILL WOMEN STOP PUSHING? (of course I knew not to the first time but
: the attendant got to me)

: -- Dagny

My point exactly. See my response to Monika!

Larry

[Todd Gastaldo]

"Larry McMahan" > wrote in message
...
> Dagny > writes:
> : I had an unattended birth where no one told me to push. I did not push
> but
> : rather, my body/uterus gave about six pushing contractions. Afterwords,
> it
> : looked like nothing had happened -- including my rectum. And I had
> HORRID
> : hemorhoids for months and months after my first birth 15 months earlier
> : (birthrape with LOTS of coerced pushing with no urge); and I am still
> : dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
> : bleeding again. Yet, birth did not affect me AT ALL.
>
> : WHEN WILL WOMEN STOP PUSHING? (of course I knew not to the first time
> but
> : the attendant got to me)
>
> : -- Dagny
>
> My point exactly. See my response to Monika!
>
> Larry

Larry,

Your response to Monika didn't seem to me to recommend that women not push.

Also, your response to Monika suggested a professional birth attendant and
indicated that midwives are better than OBs...

Dagny had an unattended birth because she had such a bad experience with a
direct entry midwife.

I was just thinking today about Dagny and her mom who assisted at the birth.

How many moms would be up to that?

Todd

[Chookie]

In article >,
"Monika" > wrote:

> Hence, I was wondering if you some of you have any ideas/advice on the
> following:
>
> - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of getting a
> hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
> - if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief

Did you sustain it from pushing the baby out or from straining on the toilet
during or after the pregnancy? If you can avoid straining, you can avoid
piles. Eat plenty of fruit and drink plenty of water to keep everything
moving.

If you do get teh problem again, get stool softeners etc to help.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

[Chookie]

In article >,
"Dagny" > wrote:

> I am still
> dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
> bleeding again.

But they aren't *meant* to be hard!! Apart from the prune juice, how much
fruit and veg do you eat each day? How much water do you drink? And are you
taking iron supplements?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

[Dagny]

"Todd Gastaldo" > wrote in message
> I was just thinking today about Dagny and her mom who assisted at the
> birth.
>
> How many moms would be up to that?


Few moms are as cool headed and loving as mine.

-- Dagny

[Dagny]

"Chookie" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Dagny" > wrote:
>
>> I am still
>> dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
>> bleeding again.
>
> But they aren't *meant* to be hard!! Apart from the prune juice, how much
> fruit and veg do you eat each day? How much water do you drink? And are
> you
> taking iron supplements?
>

You know, one night where I get dehydrated nursing and I could be in pain
for two weeks.

-- Dagny

[Anne Rogers]

>> How many moms would be up to that?

my mom wanted to assist at my first birth, she wanted to see how it compared
to goats (her family kept goats and donkeys, so she often assisted with
deliveries of kids, the donkeys never needed help), my dad on the other hand
did not want to assist, I was quite glad as his experience is with cows and
they usually yank them out with ropes!

Anne

[Anne Rogers]

> Don't push until you feel an urge, and don't let anyone
> tell you when or how to push. (It helps if you are unmedicated
> to do this, but it still works a lot of the time even with an
> epidural if it's turned down for pushing.) Don't hold your
> breath when you push.

Ericka, I pushed entirely as I had the urge, no one told me what to do, but
I did hold my breath through each push, kind of deep breath then do the hard
work, I wouldn't know what else to do, my body was so consumed with pushing
that there was no thought or energy left over to do any breathing, there was
time enough for that after the push, so how do you manage not to hold your
breath when you push?

Anne

[Todd Gastaldo]

"Anne Rogers" > wrote in message
...
>>> How many moms would be up to that?
>
> my mom wanted to assist at my first birth, she wanted to see how it
> compared to goats (her family kept goats and donkeys, so she often
> assisted with deliveries of kids, the donkeys never needed help), my dad
> on the other hand did not want to assist, I was quite glad as his
> experience is with cows and they usually yank them out with ropes!
>

Anne,

Your mom sounds cool too!

Todd

PS Dagny had no professional attendant at her birth - no midwife - no OB -
"just" her mom.

[Ericka Kammerer]

Anne Rogers wrote:
>>Don't push until you feel an urge, and don't let anyone
>>tell you when or how to push. (It helps if you are unmedicated
>>to do this, but it still works a lot of the time even with an
>>epidural if it's turned down for pushing.) Don't hold your
>>breath when you push.
>
>
> Ericka, I pushed entirely as I had the urge, no one told me what to do, but
> I did hold my breath through each push, kind of deep breath then do the hard
> work, I wouldn't know what else to do, my body was so consumed with pushing
> that there was no thought or energy left over to do any breathing, there was
> time enough for that after the push, so how do you manage not to hold your
> breath when you push?

You breathe out slowly as you push. I gather this is
challenging for some, but it does help you control things a
bit and be able to push without your eyes (and other things ;-)
bugging out. I'm a wind musician, so it came very naturally
to me. Maybe you could pretend like you're blowing out a
candle, but very slowly (airstream under pressure)?

Best wishes,
Ericka

[Dagny]

"Anne Rogers" > wrote in message
...
>> Don't push until you feel an urge, and don't let anyone
>> tell you when or how to push. (It helps if you are unmedicated
>> to do this, but it still works a lot of the time even with an
>> epidural if it's turned down for pushing.) Don't hold your
>> breath when you push.
>
> Ericka, I pushed entirely as I had the urge, no one told me what to do,
> but I did hold my breath through each push, kind of deep breath then do
> the hard work, I wouldn't know what else to do, my body was so consumed
> with pushing that there was no thought or energy left over to do any
> breathing, there was time enough for that after the push, so how do you
> manage not to hold your breath when you push?
>
> Anne

If you are vocalizing you will be exhaling and it will also help with any
pain.

-- Dagny

[Anne Rogers]

>
> PS Dagny had no professional attendant at her birth - no midwife - no OB -
> "just" her mom.

yeah I know, I don't think my mum would quite be up for that, but then it is
her who is encouraging me to go and stay with her from when I am 37+5 for
about a week, when DS came at 37+4, if I did go into labour then, I doubt
I'd get a midwife by the time the baby arrived which I pointed out and she
didn't seem bothered. Mad woman! I am not going to stay with her then,
particularly not without my DH, her idea was Dad and DH did some male
bonding (=decorating).

Anne

[Monika]

Hi Chookie! I sustained it from pushing the baby out. I was having
contractions, strong and fast, coming on and upon checking my cervix, my
mid-wife had said that I was kind of fully dilated and to let her know when
I felt the urge to push. I don't remember now whether it was an actual urge
or was it that the contractions were getting too painful and I really wanted
to get the baby out...anyway, I pushed like mad...I think the total pushing
time was 19 mins. Shortly after the delivery, I noticed that I had reddish
spots all over my face...also as a result of the pushing. They took a couple
of days to fade away.

Coming back to the hemorrhoids, thanks to all of you for the
advices/tips...I was lying on my back during the delivery so I guess that
could have been one reason why the muscles down below were really stretched
as I had to push harder.

regards,
Monika




"Chookie" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Monika" > wrote:
>
> > Hence, I was wondering if you some of you have any ideas/advice on the
> > following:
> >
> > - is there any way I could avoid (or if not, reduce) my chances of
getting a
> > hemorrhoid (provided I have a vaginal delivery again)
> > - if I end up having them again, what are ways of getting relief
>
> Did you sustain it from pushing the baby out or from straining on the
toilet
> during or after the pregnancy? If you can avoid straining, you can avoid
> piles. Eat plenty of fruit and drink plenty of water to keep everything
> moving.
>
> If you do get teh problem again, get stool softeners etc to help.
>
> --
> Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
> (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
>
> "In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
> nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
> Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.

[Anne Rogers]

>> Ericka, I pushed entirely as I had the urge, no one told me what to do,
>> but
>> I did hold my breath through each push, kind of deep breath then do the
>> hard work, I wouldn't know what else to do, my body was so consumed with
>> pushing that there was no thought or energy left over to do any
>> breathing, there was time enough for that after the push, so how do you
>> manage not to hold your breath when you push?
>
> You breathe out slowly as you push. I gather this is
> challenging for some, but it does help you control things a
> bit and be able to push without your eyes (and other things ;-)
> bugging out. I'm a wind musician, so it came very naturally
> to me. Maybe you could pretend like you're blowing out a
> candle, but very slowly (airstream under pressure)?

IC, that make sense, looking back, I may well have been doing that, I know I
was ready to take the next breath, which means I must have exhaled
gradually, I certainly didn't have any problems with eyes etc. I'll bear
this in mind, when I get to pushing. I guess these things are more important
if you are pushing a long time? DS was 16 mins and I was side lieing, this
time I plan to be upright and it doesn't look like it will be a large baby,
so it may just slip out.

Anne

[Anne Rogers]

> If you are vocalizing you will be exhaling and it will also help with any
> pain.

I was fairly vocal at other times, but I think I was quiet during pushing, I
did have and epi, but it was only partially effective. This time I should be
at home, where I planned to be last time, so I'll probably be more vocal.

Anne

[Larry McMahan]

Todd Gastaldo > writes:

: "Larry McMahan" > wrote in message
: ...
:> Dagny > writes:
:> : I had an unattended birth where no one told me to push. I did not push
:> but
:> : rather, my body/uterus gave about six pushing contractions. Afterwords,
:> it
:> : looked like nothing had happened -- including my rectum. And I had
:> HORRID
:> : hemorhoids for months and months after my first birth 15 months earlier
:> : (birthrape with LOTS of coerced pushing with no urge); and I am still
:> : dependent on prune juice because I can't have things get hard or I start
:> : bleeding again. Yet, birth did not affect me AT ALL.
:>
:> : WHEN WILL WOMEN STOP PUSHING? (of course I knew not to the first time
:> but
:> : the attendant got to me)
:>
:> : -- Dagny
:>
:> My point exactly. See my response to Monika!
:>
:> Larry

: Larry,

: Your response to Monika didn't seem to me to recommend that women not push.

: Also, your response to Monika suggested a professional birth attendant and
: indicated that midwives are better than OBs...

: Dagny had an unattended birth because she had such a bad experience with a
: direct entry midwife.

: I was just thinking today about Dagny and her mom who assisted at the birth.


My answer is "not many" which is why I pharased it the way I did.
: How many moms would be up to that?

: Todd
:)
Larry