3 Simple Precautions You Should Take Post Delivery
These simple and practical tips will allow you to recover faster after childbirth.
In This Article
You undergo a lot of physical, hormonal, and emotional changes after childbirth. In addition, your little one is dependent on you for all their needs. Therefore, it is crucial to follow certain precautions post-delivery as you recover from pregnancy and delivery. For example, a few mothers get postpartum depression post delivery which is a clinical disorder and that needs to be identified at the earliest to ensure proper treatment and recovery (1).
The postpartum stage stretches over about six to eight weeks from the day of your delivery to the time you regain your pre-pregnant state. As a new mother, you need to take good care of yourself with adequate sleep, rest, and a nutrient-rich diet to take proper care of your baby. Read this post as we provide you with valuable suggestions to help with your postpartum recovery.
What To Expect After Delivery?
Post-delivery, your body faces several changes which include physical and emotional problems.
a. Physically, you might experience (1):
- Discharge per vagina
- Constipation
- Breast engorgement
- Discomfort in perineal area
- Post delivery abdominal pain (uterine contractions)
- Hot and cold flashes and night sweats
- Discomfort in passing urine and sometimes urinary incontinence.
- You may also lose a few pounds post-delivery.
b. Emotionally, you may experience (2):
- Postpartum depression or blues (also called baby blues)
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Guilt
- Intrusive thoughts
These are some common symptoms that are visible in most of the new mothers due to several hormonal changes in your body. You also have to adjust to your various changing roles and the needs of your baby.
3 Simple Precautions After Delivery
So, want to know what precautions to be taken after delivery? For some basic precautions after delivery, check out here:
1. Giving your body rest
Every baby has their own clock and this is discovered by every new parent as soon as they take the responsibility of taking care of their baby. In the beginning newborn sleeps more in the morning hours and wakes up more at night. In general, a newborn usually wakes up every three hours and during this time baby needs to be fed, cleaned, and comforted. Owing to this routine, it is very hard for parents, especially the mother, to sleep.
- This will result in extreme exhaustion for you as a mother. In such situations, it is not possible for you to sleep for 8 hours, not at least for several months. Therefore, the following suggestions can help you find relief:
- In the first few weeks, relieve yourself from all caring duties, except for feeding your baby. During this time take ample rest and care of yourself.
- Change your sleep routine. Try to adjust to your baby’s routine, sleep when your baby sleeps and wake when she wakes.
- Keep your baby with you or Have your baby’s bed near you to save energy and time.
- If you have too many friends and family coming to see the baby, do not get busy entertaining them. If you are tired, go take a nap (3).
- You can feed your baby in lying down position also so can sleep or rest while feeding
- Try to feed the baby only breast milk not even water
2. Giving your body nutrition and perform exercise
After childbirth you need to heal. Your body has gone through several changes and you need to get accustomed to them. In order to do so, you require proper nutrition.
- Proper nutrition will give strength to your body and aid it in its quick recovery.
- Most doctors advise new mothers to eat when they are hungry. So whenever you feel hungry, eat!
- You do not always require three full meals and three nutritious snacks. The simple rule is to eat whatever you like when you feel hungry.
- Eat a lot of grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein.
- If possible, try to maintain a balanced diet by having an equal amount of all kinds of food. Include dry fruits and nuts in your diet.
- Take plenty of liquids
- Do some exercise every day (3). Try doing a little walking and some exercise to ease the movement of your body.
3. Assign or hire help
Babies require a lot of work. Their demands and needs change every day and it is very hard for new parents or mothers to cope with them.
- If you and your husband are working individuals, then things become demanding.
- Hiring help for household activities or asking someone from your family to help you for a few days can help you in several ways.
- You must physically save yourself from exertion, have ample time to rest, and your household chores get completed without you.
- Hiring help can give you more time to take care of you and your baby (3). It also helps in sustaining exclusive breastfeeding
- This will help her psychologically also to prevent baby blues .
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should I tie my stomach after delivery?
To support your abdomen, you may wrap your belly with a cloth for two to four days after normal delivery or ten days to two weeks after cesarean delivery (4).
2. How to heal stitches faster after giving birth?
During the post-pregnancy period, your body goes through several changes Hence, you may experience constipation, urinary incontinence, and hot flashes. Therefore, it is important to take utmost care of yourself to reduce the risk of complications such as postpartum depression or nutritional deficiencies during this period. Allowing yourself sufficient time to rest, taking proper care of yourself, and having a well-balanced diet are some important measures you should follow for your and your baby’s well-being. Be careful not to push yourself too hard since you can only take care of your baby if you are healthy.
References
- Pregnancy: Physical Changes After Delivery.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9682-pregnancy-physical-changes-after-delivery - Caring for Your Health After Delivery.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/postpartum - Losing weight after pregnancy.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000586.htm - Benefits of postpartum belly binding.
https://www.newlifebirthservices.org/new-life-blog/2020/4/14/the-benefits-of-postpartum-belly-binding# - Recovering from a perineal tear.
https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/after-birth/recovering-perineal-tear - Going home after a c-section.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000624.htm
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.