Post Pregnancy Tips That You Should Know
If you have just given birth to your first child, welcome to the world of parenthood! After waiting for nine months and conquering all the challenges of pregnancy, there are still challenges that await our moms after pregnancy.
Delivering a child is just the first step to motherhood. Even if all of your love, energy, focus, and health consciousness will be extended to your precious little child, remembering to take care of yourself is also essential. The postpartum period begins after the baby’s delivery and ends when your body returns to its natural state before pregnancy. During this phase, the mother undergoes physical and emotional changes while learning to balance the responsibilities that come with motherhood. The child and the mother both need extra care at this point of phase.
Post Pregnancy Challenges and Risks
The mother will experience a lot of changes in the first 6 weeks after childbirth. The postpartum period will not only affect the physical aspect of the woman but also her emotional health.
Physical Changes and Challenges
- Weight loss
The loss of weight of the mother in the first few weeks is one of the most evident changes that the mother will experience physically. There are a lot of changes that go along with it as well inside the mother’s body.
- Heavy and sore breast
Sore breast is normal that comes after delivery for moms. The soreness is due to the milk that is produced in the breasts. Nursing your baby will enable you to release the milk out. Nurse your baby after regular intervals. You can also use breast pumps, which can be manual or electrical, to release the milk out of your breast and store it for your baby to consume when you are not at home or work. Make sure to refrigerate afterwards to avoid spoiling.
- Constant Constipation
Whether you have had a normal delivery or a C-section, constant constipation is mostly experienced by moms after childbirth. This is an effect of the iron supplements that the mother takes before and after delivery.
- Urinary Incontinence
This includes vaginal discharge and vaginal soreness. Contraction due to the delivery weakens the muscles in your pelvis, which causes pain, soreness, and discharge.
Emotional Changes and Challenges
Experiencing tantrums, mood swings, and anxiety are common and okay after childbirth. These are natural feelings that moms go through, and you should not worry about it if you are feeling these as well.
- Baby Blues
Baby blues is the feeling of guilt, irritation, and sensitivity that most moms experience after giving birth.
- Anxious Anxiety
Mothers constantly feel anxious after childbirth, worrying especially for the health of their child. Trying not to overthink and letting the situation settle by itself will help you calm your nerves. Be calm and relax when you are feeling anxious.
- Postpartum Depression
Mothers who experienced depression before getting pregnant have a higher rate of getting postpartum depression. When you have this, try to distract yourself and focus on happier things, things that you should be thankful for. Having a support group that you can rely on is a big factor to help you recover from postpartum depression.
- Itchy irritability
Aside from the physical irritability, emotional irritation can also be experienced by mothers. This is mostly due to lack of sleep from tendering the child.
- Multiple Mood Swings
Experiencing this is normal. Request your spouse to help you tend for the baby and yourself as well. Support from your loved ones will help you feel relaxed and emotionally stable.
Postpartum Care Tips for Mothers
1. Get plenty of rest
The baby usually wakes up every two to three hours after feeding. Make sure to sleep and rest when tour baby is sleeping to have the energy in tending for the child.
2. Eat Healthy Foods
To fasten your healing process, eating healthy foods is essential. You should increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains. For breastfeeding moms, increasing your fluid intake is very important.
3. Exercise
Ask your doctor when it is ok to exercise. You can start with a not very strenuous exercise like walking near your house. Breathing fresh air will also help you lift your moods.
4. Seek help
Don’t hesitate from seeking help from your family and friends when it becomes exhausting. Especially during the postpartum period, all the help from the people around you will enable you to rest for a longer time. Friends and family can help you in preparing meals, grocery shopping, running errands, and take care of the child when you need sleep or a break.
When to see a doctor.
If you are experiencing any signs of postpartum depression, consult your online doctor. This requires medical treatment. You can get a consultation at a walk in clinic Thunder Bay for your postpartum needs. Online consultations are also available.