| Childbirth recovery and postpartum care | 415.000000000000 | Childbirth recovery and postpartum care | Childbirth recovery and postpartum care | C | English | Pregnancy | Adult (19+) | Body;Uterus;Bladder | Reproductive system | NA | Prenatal
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2009-09-11T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 8.60000000000000 | 63.5000000000000 | 1434.00000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Learn about the various changes a woman's body goes through after she gives birth. Changes in blood pressure, blood loss, and sex are discussed.</p> | <p>If you had a normal vaginal birth, your body will still need time to recover from pregnancy and the birth. You may notice certain changes occurring in your body over the next six weeks. At your six-week check-up, your health-care provider will check to make sure you are recovering well, and you can ask them about any questions you may have about your health.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>As your body recovers from pregnancy and childbirth, you may experience some physical changes including exhaustion, breast changes, urinary system changes, flabbiness and stretch marks.</li>
<li>If you do not breastfeed your baby, your period should return in about six to eight weeks; if you do breastfeed, if can return between two to 18 months after delivery.</li>
<li>You will have a postpartum check-up with your health-care provider at about four to six weeks after delivery.</li></ul> | <h2>Recovery and medical care after normal vaginal birth</h2>
<p>If you had a normal vaginal birth, your recovery and postpartum care should go through the following steps:</p>
<h3>Blood pressure and pulse</h3>
<p>After childbirth, your blood pressure should remain about the same as it was during labour, and your pulse will gradually decrease. A high or low blood pressure can be helpful in diagnosing potential complications such as hemorrhaging or hypertension. A fast pulse may be due to blood loss, anemia, fever, or shock. Your health-care providers will check your blood pressure and pulse periodically. </p>
<h3>Blood loss</h3>
<p>Most women lose about 500 mL (half a quart) of blood during and immediately after childbirth. Your body has been preparing for this by making extra blood in pregnancy. The amount of vaginal bleeding will be monitored. Because the risk of hemorrhage is greatest immediately after childbirth, a trained attendant will monitor you for the first hour or longer. The attendant will check your vaginal blood loss and whether your uterus is firm and well contracted. You will continue to lose blood at a slower pace for the next two weeks or so, and your body will bring its blood level back to its pre-pregnancy state. If you notice large clots, notify your health-care provider. </p>
<h3>Vaginal discharge</h3>
<p>You will have a vaginal discharge called lochia, which may be coloured red with blood at first. Your health-care provider will monitor the amount and character of the lochia. After a week, the bleeding should gradually cease, and the lochia should be a white or yellowish colour. You may have some bleeding on and off within the postpartum period. If you notice heavy or bright red lochia, with or without clots, notify your health-care provider right away. </p>
<h3>Vaginal and perineal soreness</h3>
<p>Your vagina will be sore and swollen after delivery, and there may be small tears in the vaginal wall. Your perineum, which is the area between your vagina and anus, will be sore and red, even if you did not have an episiotomy. Applying an ice pack to the area for the first 24 hours may help to reduce swelling and discomfort. To help you take care of your vaginal and perineal area, many hospitals will recommend the use of a squirt water bottle, to cleanse the area after passing urine or bowel movements. To reduce soreness and help in healing, try soaking the area in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day until the area is well-healed. You can do this just after feeding your newborn baby so you can relax in the bath knowing someone else can take care of their needs.</p>
<p>In the first few weeks after childbirth, your vagina will gradually become smaller. It will approach the size it was before childbirth, although it will never be quite that small again. </p>
<h3>Exhaustion</h3>
<p>At first, you will feel exhausted, and this exhaustion will last a few weeks. You need to be well rested in order to recover properly and to promote milk production. Also, extreme fatigue can make you feel frustrated and depressed. Try to make sure that you have support from your partner or another friend or family member, so you can rebuild your energy and take over more responsibilities. Limit visitors so that you can get your rest, and try to sleep when the baby sleeps. </p>
<h3>Mobility</h3>
<p>Within a few hours after childbirth, an attendant will help you to sit up and move around off the bed. Moving about early helps to increase circulation and reduce the risk of developing bladder complications, constipation, and other health problems. </p>
<h3>Breast changes</h3>
<p>Your breasts will become filled with a clear fluid called colostrum, which will gradually change over the next few days into breast milk. In the first few days, your breasts may feel quite engorged and your nipples sore. Ask your health-care providers to help you with breastfeeding so you can get off to a good start. </p>
<h3>Uterine contractions</h3>
<p>After you give birth, you might be surprised that your belly does not immediately shrink down. This is because your uterus is still quite large after childbirth. Soon, though, your uterus will start to rapidly contract and shrink. These contractions may feel like cramps, and are called "after pains." The after pains will subside in a few days. Your health-care provider will monitor the size and consistency of the top of your uterus. Your uterus should be back to its pre-pregnancy size by about four weeks. By this time, it will have decreased to 10% of the weight it was just after childbirth. Your uterus will be about the size of your fist. </p>
<h3>Narrowing of the cervix</h3>
<p>Your cervix measures about the width of two fingers for a few days after childbirth. Within the next few weeks, the cervix gradually narrows and thickens. Your cervix might not become as narrow as it was before you gave birth. </p>
<h3>Urinary system changes</h3>
<p>At first, you may have some problems emptying your bladder, or with leaking. This may be due in part to certain types of anaesthesia that were used during childbirth, or to trauma from the birth itself. It may be difficult for you to urinate at all. However, it is important that you urinate as soon as possible after giving birth, to help restore the tone of your bladder. You should also try to urinate every few hours so as not to overstretch your bladder. If you find it difficult to urinate, drink lots of water, run warm water on your perineal area with the water bottle, and turn on the tap water to provide the sound of running water. Your urinary system should return to normal in about two to eight weeks. </p>
<h3>Flabbiness and stretch marks</h3>
<p>Your abdominal wall will be flabby due to the stretching it received during pregnancy, and you may have a few silvery stretch marks. Exercise can help you to firm up your abdominal muscles after childbirth. </p>
<h3>Sweating</h3>
<p>You may notice excessive sweating soon after delivery, especially at night. This is generally associated with hormonal changes and the normal loss of blood volume after childbirth. Sweating is not something to be concerned about unless you also have a fever.</p>
<h2>Having sex again</h2>
<p>After a few weeks, if you have completely stopped bleeding and your doctor gives the OK, you can try having sex again. Don’t forget to use birth control because you can get pregnant again. You may feel tenderness at first, so try to relax as much as possible. Note that breastfeeding can make your vagina dry, and you may need a good lubricant to make intercourse more comfortable. Sometimes being on top can help, because you can control what happens during penetration. </p>
<h2>Return of menstruation</h2>
<p>If you do not breastfeed your baby, your period should return in about six to eight weeks. If you do breastfeed, your first period can occur anytime from two to 18 months after delivery. Ovulation is much less frequent in women who breastfeed, but it is still possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. </p>
<h2>Your six-week check-up</h2>
<p>Most women have a postpartum check-up at about four to six weeks after delivery. During this visit, your health-care provider will check a number of things, including: </p>
<ul>
<li>blood pressure </li>
<li>weight </li>
<li>size, shape, and location of your uterus </li>
<li>condition of your cervix and vagina </li>
<li>incision sites such as those for episiotomy, tear repair, or caesarean section </li>
<li>breasts </li></ul>
<p>Usually a Pap smear and swabs are done at the same time to make sure everything is OK. At this point, you can also ask questions about your health, and discuss contraception options. </p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/childbirth_recovery_postpartum.jpg | | | | | | | Childbirth recovery and postpartum care | | False | | | | | | | | |
