Congratulations! The moment you have been waiting for has arrived. You have anticipated this moment ever since finding out you were pregnant. Your pregnancy experience (either traditional or via the need for fertility assistance) along with your birthing experience plays an important role in your recovery from child birth. Not only have your hormones soared and plummeted during pregnancy and delivery but will so for the next weeks and months to come. You are now coping with a newborn who needs you for virtually every aspect of care. Exhausted. Welcome to motherhood!
The first month after giving birth is a time to recuperate and adjust. The pelvic floor has been stretched significantly during birth and you may even have been cut or torn to facilitate delivery. The cervix has to close back down from dilating to 10 centimeters (4 inches) and then stretching to let the baby pass through. The uterus shrinks a lot in the first few days, but it will take at least a month to return to its post delivery size, and the internal organs have to settle back into position after being crowded for so long. If you had a Caesarean section, the pelvic floor will be intact, but you have had a major abdominal surgery that will take several months to heal.
Perhaps one of the most surprising (and possibly disappointing) aspects of the post natal period for a new mother is that she still looks about four to five months pregnant. The baby and the afterbirth add up to only about 15 to 20 pounds of weight lost immediately. In the first week or two after giving birth, you still has a lot of extra fluids in your system that are slowly being flushed out or reabsorbed. Your abdominal area and the skin over the belly are loose after being stretched out for nine months. After giving birth you may even question, “where are my abdominals”? When getting out of bed and doing your routine of the day (now including caring for your newborn) you may feel a slight pull in your abdominal area and not quite connected to where your baby once lived. You may sense a feeling of emptiness or that things have just moved around in there and not quite feeling right. On the outside, your abdominal area can feel and look mushy, which may be caused by a separation of your abdominal muscles called diastasis recti. Thoughts can quickly turn to, what do I wear now? What can I fit in to? You probably have had enough of your pregnancy clothes but you’re not ready to get back in to your regular ones. Once you have clearance from your doctor or midwife, come join RaisingMOM’s POP classes. They are all geared to your new life POst Pregnant and will focus on your unique issues for abdominal health and strength, pelvic floor issues, posture and energy.
These first few weeks can also be hugely emotional as you are learning to take care of your new baby and adjust to your role as a mother. This intense responsibility, combined with hormones that are still present in the system (and will remain for months if you are breast-feeding), can lead to mood swings and even depression.
It is normal to bleed for up to 4 to 6 weeks post delivery. This discharge is of leftover blood, mucus, and tissue from our uterus, known as lochia. A sudden gush on getting out of bed in the first few days is common and no cause for concern. Maxi pads, not tampons, should be used to absorb the flow that may continue on for a couple of weeks.
You may be feeling abdominal cramps as your uterus begins to contract and go back to its pre pregnancy size. You may also feel cramping when your are nursing. The baby’s sucking sends a signal to the brain to release oxytocin, which causes the uterine contractions.
If you had an episiotomy, you may be experiencing some pain and discomfort. As it is located in a part of the body that is almost always moist, the episiotomy scar is quite vulnerable to infection, As soon as you feel up to it, you can run warm water over your perineum in the shower (if you have a removable showerhead). The soothing effect is immediate.
Constipation may have been an issue for you during your pregnancy, and now it might be a issue for a bit longer. Expect not to have bowel movements for about the first 3 days post delivery. The swelling due to the tremendous pressure exerted on the rectum during expulsion needs to ease in order to have a bowel movement. It is advisable to watch your diet in order to avoid constipating foods, hydrate and take stool softeners as needed. Hemorrhoids, which were common during pregnancy are also common during the 4th Trimester period. This pain can be intense, especially when sitting on a hard surface or when having a bowel movement.
Breast discomfort and engorgement about the 3rd or 4th day post delivery is also inevitable if you are breast feeding or not. If you decide to breast feed, successful nursing is in large part determined during the first week your new baby’s life. However, getting started is not always easy. RaisingMOM provides both in-home lactation consultations and breast feeding drop-in classes to help you through any difficulties and questions you may have.
Cesarean sections may cause a wide range of physical pain and discomfort. The day after a c-section is rarely the most painful, because most women are still on an IV and receiving pain relief. In addition to recovering from surgery, you are also recovering from childbirth. Expect some discomfort associated with your c-section to last about a month. Furthermore, the intestinal tract is still dormant. The scar will become sensitive, and will pull and itch. By contrast the skin around the scar will seem numb. It is essential to practice breathing exercises that will help prompt the abdominal muscles to recover their tone more rapidly and will help in speeding up the healing process.
Fatigue would be the number one “issue” all moms have in common. After 9 months carrying your baby, the birthing experience and adjusting to your new family life with a newborn, fatigue and even exhaustion can sneak in fast. RaisingMOM helps you in all aspects of managing your life with your newborn. Our Certified Post Natal Doulas take care of your needs while you take care of your baby.
After having a baby, many women have mood swings. One minute they feel happy, the next minute they start to cry. You may feel a little depressed, overwhelmed, have a hard time concentrating, lose your appetite or find it hard to sleep well even when your baby is asleep. These symptoms usually start about 3 to 4 days after delivery and may last several days. If you feel that your mood swings are lasting longer than a few days, please contact our RaisingMOM’s Clinical Psychologist for your private consultation or feel free to drop by our expert led New Mom Discussion Group at Club H Fitness each week.
Six weeks after you give birth is time to have an appointment with your gynecologist or mid-wife to ensure you are healing properly. It’s also important for you to check in with yourself and take stock of how you feel.
