Biking and an episiotomy

**beetle** · 06-12-2007, 09:19 PM

My DS#2 is 10 weeks old today. I just went back through my training diary and I did my first ride at 3 weeks (for all of 20mins on the trainer). I had a minor labial tear with a few stitches (so nothing compared to your episiotomy). I was pretty nervous getting on for the first time and only planned to keep riding if there was absolutely no pain. I rode on the trainer so I could move around easily (and not have to worry about cars) and had a spare cloth nappy on standby to add a bit more padding if required. I was very conscious of slowing the healing by getting on the bike so for me I was well on the mend by 3wks.

Hear's my TMI advise. Don't go near the bike until you feel REALLY comfortable touching, moving, squeezing the scar tissue. If there is pain and sensitivity just to touch it you don't want to be sitting on a bike yet. In my non-medical opinion.

I'm also a big fan of the Concept 2 rowing machine, great cross training for running and cycling. Also good for abs and back strength which despite exercising through pg still seem to take a beating.

As others have said, time with baby and rest are very important but I understand your desire to get back on the bike. For me exercise has become my "me time" and break that allows me to recharge and then get back to the job of being a good parent. This is only possible though as my second one sleeps and feeds much better than #1 and I am getting lots more sleep/rest.

**mimitabby** · 06-12-2007, 09:32 PM

wow, Beetle, you are lucky. my #2 son was so much harder than my #1 son
that if he'd been born first, I would have stopped RIGHT THERE!

good advice though.

**beetle** · 06-14-2007, 04:30 AM

wow, Beetle, you are lucky. my #2 son was so much harder than my #1 son
that if he'd been born first, I would have stopped RIGHT THERE!

Very lucky. #1 was neither really good or really bad and I had anticipated the new little guy to be more of a handful so I think, so far, I've just been lucky and have benefited from expecting the worst.

**KnottedYet** · 07-29-2007, 04:48 PM

Wow, Tricanada! 8 weeks after this huge episiotomy and you are doing a half Iron Man...

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17628

**maillotpois** · 07-29-2007, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Trekhawk

Dont worry I know plenty of women who have given birth and required not a single stitch. I just wasn't one of them unfortunately.

I had no stitches - only STAPLES!!

(C-section. You'd think I'd have good good birthing hips, but no. It's deceptively small in there give how shapeley it is on the outside...)

**Crankin** · 07-29-2007, 06:58 PM

I had emergency c-sec. with #1 preemie who didn't make it. I was back exercising after 4 weeks, with the staples. After son #1, I had a somewhat major episiotomy (don't remember how many stitches) and he was a forceps baby, too. I was back at the gym doing aerobics and weights after 3 weeks. With son #2, I was walking after 2 weeks and back to the gym after 6 weeks. As others have said, exercise was my "me" time. I considered myself very lucky to have a doctor who let me have vaginal deliveries after a c section and pretty much told me to do whatever I felt comfortable with as far as the exercise, since this was 25 years ago!

**tricanada** · 07-29-2007, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Wow, Tricanada! 8 weeks after this huge episiotomy and you are doing a half Iron Man...

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17628

Now you know why I asked the question

My doc and lactation nurse gave me the go ahead and since I resumed training, my son continues to gain the right amount of weight if not more each week. I consider myself lucky.

**Grog** · 07-29-2007, 09:22 PM

This is very cool TriCanada, good luck with your tri and raising the new baby! Your kid is going to be very proud of his mom when he sees the pics from the tri many years from now, I can tell you that!

The more I read about this, the more I think I'll pick up marathon running and not cycling randoneering after giving birth though! At least when running you don't have to sit on the sensitive bits!!

Good luck!

**xeney** · 07-30-2007, 12:03 PM

Dear Team Estrogen:

Can we maybe not bump this thread and its terrifying title and first post until AFTER I have my baby? It's only one more week!

Having nightmares,

Xeney

**tricanada** · 07-30-2007, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by xeney

Dear Team Estrogen:

Can we maybe not bump this thread and its terrifying title and first post until AFTER I have my baby? It's only one more week!

Having nightmares,

Xeney

You made me laugh!!! No worries though. I put my original post up 2 weeks after I delivered. That was now 9 weeks ago and I have since recovered plenty. I have resumed biking and am getting ready for a 1/2 Ironman in 3 weeks. I wish you all the best and an even speedier recovery!

**amymisk** · 07-31-2007, 02:25 PM

Good Luck in your Tri!

I had a third degree tear with over 20 stitches, I don't think I could have done a tri so soon after birth. Come to think of it, I don't think I could have trained for a tri while pregnant.

Good Luck!!

**mimitabby** · 07-31-2007, 02:39 PM

Xeney
most moms don't tear like that. I had 3 stitches for boy 1 and no stitches for boy 2.

**KnottedYet** · 07-31-2007, 09:35 PM

I had a groovy episiotomy. Dunno how many stitches, I never even asked. The episiotomy allowed my kiddo to be born forceps rather than c-section, at the last moment.

He survived, I survived. I don't complain a bit.
(and I can't find my scar and neither can my sweetie. And it doesn't hurt me on the bike. It's all good.)

**xeney** · 08-07-2007, 08:22 AM

As it turns out, I'm now really glad this thread exists, because it gives me some reassurance that life will go on eventually. Penelope Ramona was born on August 4 after 38 hours of back labor, mostly unmedicated, and although at the end she turned so she came out facing the right way after all, she had the cord wrapped around her neck and her heart rate had started to drop. Similar to Knotted's story, she had to come out ASAP, and it was too late for a c-section because she had descended too far. She was delivered with an episiotomy and a vacuum and four big pushes.

So I don't regret my episiotomy, either, although things are pretty painful right now and I'm feeling a little down about how fragile I feel. My doctor wouldn't tell me how many stitches I had -- he said he didn't count -- and just said it was as long as it needed to be.

And I guess it was, because she's here and she's perfect.

**indigoiis** · 08-07-2007, 09:14 AM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

What a beautiful baby. Worth the stitches.

It's easy to feel the blues with a new baby and all those stitches, and other little pains and digestive issues. See if your community has a visiting nurse service (usually provided for free) that you can take advantage of, as they have all kinds of tricks on healing and eating right after the birth.

Pretty soon you'll be out and about again. Meantime, GET SOME REST and enjoy your new girl. She's gorgeous.

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