Postpartum haemorrhoids?
Do you get haemorrhoids after giving birth or not? Unfortunately, the answer is: yes, often. In fact, you can even get haemorrhoids before giving birth. Almost all women who give birth vaginally experience them.
Haemorrhoids often develop during delivery. That’s because you need to push hard, which puts a lot of pressure on the anus. The veins swell and protrude, causing a haemorrhoid to form. With a (planned) C-section, this doesn’t happen. After all, you don’t need to push.
What symptoms come with haemorrhoids? And more importantly: what can you do about them? Below you'll find the answers you’re looking for.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of (external) haemorrhoids after childbirth are:
- Itching: The larger and more numerous the haemorrhoids, the more intense the itching can be. Try not to scratch. It can damage the haemorrhoids and make symptoms worse.
- Pain: Some women experience very painful haemorrhoids. Again, this depends on the severity and size.
- Bleeding: Especially external haemorrhoids may bleed easily. Usually it’s just a small amount. If you’re seeing a lot of blood, consult your doctor.
- Involuntary leakage of stool or mucus: External haemorrhoids can sometimes lead to the unintentional release of soft stool or intestinal mucus.
The larger the haemorrhoids, the more noticeable the symptoms. While many women only have mild discomfort, others suffer from severe haemorrhoids and intense symptoms after childbirth.
Many women share their experiences on various forums, describing their haemorrhoids as severe, extreme, or even massive after pregnancy. If this sounds like (or becomes) your situation, make sure to consult your doctor.
Treatment
haemorrhoids usually go away on their own, but this can take time. In the meantime, dealing with pain and itching isn’t fun. So what can you do? Below are several treatment options.
Surgery
There is a minor procedure to remove haemorrhoids using rubber bands. No anesthesia is required. The doctor ties off the haemorrhoid with one or more small bands. This cuts off the blood supply, causing the haemorrhoid to die and fall off within a few days, usually during a bowel movement.
Pushing them back in
Are you dealing with external haemorrhoids? These are essentially internal haemorrhoids that have prolapsed. If necessary, you can gently push them back inside. This reduces the risk of damage and bleeding, making them less bothersome.
Cream
Some people claim Sudocrem helps with postpartum haemorrhoids, but this only works for a few. There’s a much better alternative:
AnaMel, a cream specifically developed to relieve haemorrhoid symptoms. It won’t eliminate the haemorrhoids themselves, but it will reduce pain and itching. Its effects are long lasting and importantly clinically proven.
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Other Questions
I already have haemorrhoids before giving birth. What should I do?
Many women, just like you, develop haemorrhoids during pregnancy. Naturally, you want to prevent them from getting worse during or after delivery.
During pregnancy, you can use the same treatments described above. Always consult your doctor and/or midwife first.
When do haemorrhoids develop after childbirth?
haemorrhoids usually don’t appear after childbirth, but during it. The intense pushing during labor puts major pressure on your anus, which causes the haemorrhoids to form.
If you develop haemorrhoids weeks or months after giving birth, there’s likely a different cause.
How long do haemorrhoids last after childbirth?
Haemorrhoids after childbirth don’t just disappear, unless you opt for surgery (see above under “Treatment”). Alternatively, you can treat the symptoms, such as itching and pain, with a cream like AnaMel.
