After this whole pregnancy journey when you finally hold your baby in your hands it gives a lot of happiness, peace & joy to you & your partner. However you can get really tired and frustrated many new parents feel this way ,with all the happiness you can ge tired as well ,though the rewards and joys of parenting are huge but sometimes it can be challenges draining .confusing and depressing but the good thing is this you can past it.
In this article we will discuss
• Care after delivery
• How long do you need to rest
• What do you need to take care of yourself
• Why is post partum care important
• When to see doctor
Care after delivery
if you had an episotomy or vaginal tear during the delivery,the wound might hurt for few weeks.extensive tears might take longer to heal,to ease discomfort while you are recovering• Sit on a pillow or padded ring
• Cool the wound with an ice pack,or or place a chill witch hazel pad between a sanitary napkin and the wound
• Use a squeeze bottle to pour warm water on your perineum as you are passing urine
• Sit in a warm bath just deep enough to cover buttocks and hips for five minutes
• You can use cold water if you find it more soothing
• Take over the counter pain killer
• You can even use numb spray like lidocaine
• Take stool softener if you have constipation
Vaginal discharge
After delivery the superficial mucosa that line the uterus begin to shed of ,the lead to vaginal discharge consisting if blood and mucus it continues normally till six weeks after birth
The blood discharge is heavier in first days later it becomes light
Then it will taper, become increasingly watery and change from pinkish brown to yellowish white
Contractions
Few days after delivery you can feel minor contractions.they are common during breast feeding because of the release of oxytocin hormone These contractions — which often resemble menstrual cramps — help prevent excessive bleeding by compressing the blood vessel
For this you can take the over the counter pain reliever pill.
How long do you need to rest?
After nine months of stretching and adjusting to accommodate your growing baby
You don’t need only few days to rest
You need almost six to eight weeks to completely rest
Stitches
If you have stitches due to a torn or cut perineum it will take 7-10 days to heal. The stitches will absorb over time. It is important that you keep the stitches from getting infected by gently cleaning them with warm water after each time you use the toilet. Do this by using a squirt bottle to rinse the area and pat it dry. Do not wipe the area with toilet paper or you could irritate the stitched area. No matter how eager you are to check the healing progress, try to keep you hands off the stitches. If the area begins to hurt worse or the stitches seem weepy, contact your doctor. It could be a sign of infection.
If you have stitches from a cesarean birth (C-section), these heal in varying degrees. The stitches in the skin should heal in 5-10 days. The underlying stitches in your muscle layer will take longer to heal. These won’t completely heal for 12 weeks. For the stitches that you can see, make sure to watch for any signs of infection. These signs include if the incision area is red, swollen, or weeping pus; or if you have a fever
What do you need to take care of yourself?
• Get plenty of rest and sleep so you can get rid of the tiredness
• Ask for help don’t hesitate to get help from family and friends during post partum period and after that
• Eat healthy maintain a healthy diet to promote healing
• Take your medicines
• Use you ice pads for pain
• Follow up with your doctor
• For breast engorgement use nipple cream for soreness and cracking
Why is post partum care important
"Optimizing Postpartum Care," states that patient-centered, maternal postpartum care has the potential to improve outcomes for women, infants and families and to support ongoing health and well-being. In the weeks after birth, a woman must adapt to multiple physical, social and psychological changes. She must recover from childbirth, adjust to changing hormones, and learn to feed and care for her newborn. In addition to being a time of joy and excitement, this “fourth trimester” can present major challenges like lack of sleep, pain, depression, lack of sexual desire and urinary incontinence. Postpartum care visits with obstetrician-gynecologists or other obstetric care providers can help women navigate the challenges of motherhood.
When to see doctor
When you are recovering from delivery, it is best on the side of caution if you feel that something is not right with you or with the baby. You should expect to have some discomfort as you heal. You should not begin to feel worse.In general, if you have any of these postpartum symptoms, call your doctor.
• Heavy vaginal bleeding that soaks more than one pad per hour or vaginal bleeding that increases each day instead of decreasing
• Passing large clots (bigger than a quarter)
• Chills and/or a fever of more than 100.4°F
• Fainting or dizziness
• Changes to your vision or a severe headache (persistent)
• Painful urination or difficulty urinating
tor When you are recovering from delivery, it is best to err on the side of caution if you feel that something is not right with you or with the baby. You should expect to have some discomfort as you heal. You should not begin to feel worse.
In general, if you have any of these postpartum symptoms, call your doctor.
• Heavy vaginal bleeding that soaks more than one pad per hour or vaginal bleeding that increases each day instead of decreasing
• Passing large clots (bigger than a quarter)
• Chills and/or a fever of more than 100.4°F
• Fainting or dizziness
• Changes to your vision or a severe headache (persistent)
• Painful urination or difficulty urinating
