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It is a challenge for new mothers to adjust to the daily routine after the delivery of a baby. The postpartum period takes you through a lot of emotional and physical challenges. You start dealing with the changes as you and your partner adapt to function as a changed family unit.
Although taking care of your child is essential, it is equally necessary to look after yourself. Keep in mind certain precautions after delivery to rebuild your strength. You will find all about postpartum care in this piece. So, read on.
Most new mothers do not plan to return to work for approximately the first six weeks post-delivery. This gives them ample time to adapt to the new changes and develop a new normal lifestyle.
Often, you might experience sleepless nights as your baby requires frequent feeding and changing. That is when you need someone to help you and be by your side so that you can take a rest. This is when you and your partner are involved in learning to take care of your newborn child.
The postpartum stage begins just after the delivery of your child. It ends when your body has adapted to the changes and has returned to its pre-pregnant stage. This lasts for at least six to eight weeks. However, you require rest, proper nutrition and guidance for the first few weeks.
In addition, you need to accept the changes your body has undergone post-delivery to avoid postpartum depression.
Your body might undergo several changes after delivery. So, you need to understand the necessity of after-delivery care. Apart from the newborn, the mother also requires intensive care to return to her daily chores.
Here is a list of precautions to take after delivery:
All newborns have different time clocks than their parents. Normally a newborn wakes up about 3-4 hours and requires feeding and changing. This might disrupt your sleep, and you might feel exhausted.
Here are a few ideas to help you cope with the transition:
A common issue faced by most new mothers, mood swings can keep you anxious throughout the day.
To help you lighten your mood, try to follow these steps:
For new mothers to stay healthy post-delivery, they must eat healthy food. Especially when breastfeeding, it is necessary to increase your intake of fluids.
Here is a list to guide you with healthy eating:
Apart from these, you should also monitor your consumption of:
Iodine - Iodine helps in infant growth and boosts brain development. Lactating mothers should consume approximately 290 micrograms every day.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Women who are breastfeeding should also consume 9-12 ounces of fish every week. Consume varieties that are low in mercury and high in EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA or docosahexaenoic acid. You will find them in sardines, trout, salmon and anchovies.
Choline - Another essential component lactating women require 550 milligrams each day is choline. This also helps in your baby’s brain development.
However, essential precautions for after-delivery include avoiding food and beverages such as alcohol, caffeine, peanuts, carbonated drinks and oily food.
Apart from all these precautions for after-delivery, new mothers should also try light exercises to keep themselves energetic. Here are the tips to follow:
Exercises will help you to:
Your newborn might be your priority, but post-delivery care is necessary for all new mothers. You will notice certain changes in your body after childbirth. Adapting to these changes will allow you to return to normal daily life faster. Pregnancy changes your body in more ways than you can expect.
For those who are pregnant and interested to know what are these changes you can expect, here are they:
If your doctor made an incision or if you have had a vaginal tear during delivery, the wound might hurt for a few days. These are painful and heal according to your body condition. To ease any discomfort, follow the below:
You might start shedding superficial mucus membrane lining your uterus post-delivery during your pregnancy. The vaginal discharge might continue for a few weeks, but it will die down after a few weeks.
New mothers often feel contractions or afterpains during the first few weeks of delivery. These are similar to menstrual cramps and help to prevent excessive bleeding as they compress the blood vessels in your uterus.
Due to the release of the hormone oxytocin, afterpains are common while you breastfeed your little one. As you consult your doctor, he or she will provide you with certain medications per the severity of the condition.
Pregnancy, labour pain and delivery can injure or stretch your pelvic floor muscles supporting your bladder, uterus and rectum. Due to this, while coughing, laughing or sneezing, you might leak a few drops of urine. According to the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, this happens due to the hormone relaxin that loosens pelvic bones and muscles during childbirth.
Therefore, post-childbirth, the feet seem spread out, causing incontinence. Although these issues heal after a few weeks, they persist for some. Pelvic floor muscles or Kegels exercises will tone the muscles and control your bladder.
According to British Medical Journal, pain during bowel movements or swelling near your anus implements, you might have swollen veins in your anus or on your lower rectum. To heal haemorrhoids, follow the below:
To reduce pains from haemorrhoids, try to keep your stools regular. Consume fibre-rich food that includes vegetables, fruits, and grains and drink plenty of water.
Post-delivery, new mothers might experience tender breasts or engorgement, according to Aesthetic Journal Surgery. In that case, breastfeeding on both breasts can remove this issue. This is a very normal condition. However, if you still feel uncomfortable for a longer time, apply warm water or a cold pack to your breasts.
As your body adjusts to the change, sore nipples from breastfeeding will die down. Consult your doctor, who can provide nipple cream to soothe the pains and cracks.
According to the British Journal of Dermatology, most women will notice pinkish stretch marks during pregnancy. Elevated hormone levels during pregnancy results in hair loss and skin changes. You will often notice darkening of skin and unusual patches on your skin. After five to six months of delivery, these will reduce, and your stretch marks will also lighten.
Post-delivery, mothers can experience a lot of mood swings and emotions. This includes sleep discomfort, anxiousness, tiredness and many more. Commonly known as baby blues, these will subside after two to three weeks.
One of the necessary precautions after delivery is necessary for you to discuss your woes and emotions with your partner. Someone needs to be by your side during this situation.
After giving birth to your baby, you might gain weight, which is a common issue. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), most women gain 11 to 16 kilograms during pregnancy. Following a proper and healthy diet and regular exercise will help to regain body fitness.
Elevated blood sugar levels or gestational diabetes develop in more than 10% of women in the US as per Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention. Post-delivery, half of the new mothers having gestational diabetes tend to develop type-2 diabetes, as per the studies.
To diagnose gestational diabetes, try to maintain a healthy weight and a diet. Control your blood sugar levels and go for regular follow-ups.
A complex mix of emotional, physical and behavioural changes that most women undergo post-delivery is postpartum depression. It is a major depression and begins within four weeks after delivery. The most common symptoms of postpartum depression are as follows:
Well, postpartum depression can impact for longer periods affecting early bonding with the mother. According to a recent study on 14000 children, almost 40% lacked emotional bonding with their parents.
However, certain precautions are taken after delivery and before delivery to avoid postpartum depression. Here they are:
Now that you know all about precautions after delivery, try to follow as much as possible. Additionally, you must consult your doctor regularly to have regular check-ups of your body. Your physician will check your emotional and physical well-being and help you adjust to your new life along with your baby.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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