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After the birth of your baby, you may be issued a prescription for pain medication. Pain medication is not always necessary, however if you have a cesarean section delivery, an episiotomy, a laceration of the perineum, or other complication, you may need medication.
Even if you are given a prescription, you should take over-the-counter Ibuprofen. If you are unable to take Ibuprofen due to allergies or other health issues, talk to your doctor. Ibuprofen is safe to take when breastfeeding. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory and will help reduce swelling. It will also help relieve pain without causing constipation. Constipation is a common side effect of prescription pain medications.
If you are taking prescription pain medication, you should also use a stool softener. Colace (a common stool softener) is available over-the-counter, without a prescription, and is safe to use even when breastfeeding.
When taking prescription pain medication (such as Vicodin, Percocet, or Tylenol with Codeine) you should also take Ibuprofen. Typically, your instructions for prescription pain medication will state "take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed." If you are able to do so, we would suggest taking your prescription pain medication every 6 hours. You should also take 600mg of Ibuprofen every six hours.
When using prescription pain medication and Ibuprofen, we suggest that you alternate the two medications. For example:
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Take your prescription pain medication.
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Wait three hours and take your Ibuprofen.
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In another three hours you can repeat the prescription pain medication (it will have been six hours from your original dose.
Alternating your medications like this will give you better pain management without having to take as much prescription pain medication, thereby limiting the amount of side effects (like constipation) that you may experience.
Before you have your baby, it would be appropriate to pick up the following items at your drug store so you will have them on hand when needed:
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