Pregnancy and childbirth
The first six weeks after delivery are the recovery phase, regardless of the mode of delivery, as the body has undergone a phase of maximum stress and strain, and it should be noted that each mother is different from the rest.
Postpartum Care
Tips for coping with physical changes
Women
experience many physical changes after natural childbirth, and below are the
top tips for dealing with the changes and health issues that arise in the
postpartum period.
Cervical area: Women often experience pain and discomfort in the area between the
vagina and the anus, called the perineum, due to the normal rupture
of the vagina during childbirth, or the doctor opens and enlarges the area of
the vagina with a small wound to facilitate the delivery, in fact, these pains
in the pulp area last for a few weeks, and to relieve this, it is recommended
to sit on a loop pillow, and work on the warm water spills on the vine during
urination, or after urination.
Vaginal bleeding and discharge: after normal delivery or cesarean section, the woman's vagina lets out what is called maternal fluid (lochia), which is the body's natural method of getting rid of the excess amounts of blood and cells that the body used for the growth and feeding of the baby during pregnancy, and if the bleeding is very red at first, that is, for about 10 days, its density then gradually decreases.
Light bleeding and
spotting can last up to six weeks and it is recommended to use sanitary napkins
and avoid tampons, especially during the first week.
Soft urine: pregnancy and vaginal delivery can affect the muscles at the bottom of
the pelvis responsible for supporting the uterus, bladder, microplate, and
rectum, resulting in the diversion of a few drops of urine during sneezing,
laughing, or coughing, but often the problem of urinary smoothness improves in a
few weeks, so women in this period are advised to use pads and do Kegel
exercises to support the muscles.
Constipation and bleeding: Constipation is a common problem during the first few days after delivery, and may be due to palliative or medications taken in the hospital during labor, fear of pain during incontinence due to the presence of stitches, or bleeding, or fear of damaging the stitches.
In fact, the problem of bleeding may arise during pregnancy, or later as a result of stress and propulsion during childbirth. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with the possibility of ingesting feces after consulting a doctor.
Women are also advised to relieve hemorrhoid pain by doing warm water dips for 10-15 minutes several times a day, placing cooled witch nuts on the area, and using over-the-counter hemorrhoids.
Excess weight: Approximately six kilos are lost during childbirth, including the weight of the baby, placenta, and amniotic fluid, while the remaining excess weight is lost gradually, depending on the weight gained during pregnancy.
In fact, this may take several months. It should be noted that a healthy diet, exercise, and some women lose more weight. Tips for coping with psychological changes, women are affected during the postnatal period by emotional changes.
Tips for dealing with psychological changes
1-Maternal depression: it is normal for postpartum mothers to experience some mood swings and negative feelings for a relatively short period of only two weeks, and in fact, 70-80% of women suffer from this condition, known as the baby blues, one of the most important symptoms of this condition:
unprovoked crying, excessive irritation, insomnia, grief, and boredom due to the hormonal changes in the woman's body during this period, fatigue, and physical tiredness.
2-Postpartum Depression: 10-15% of women suffer from postpartum depression during this period, a more severe form of maternal depression, which lasts up to a year after delivery.
Symptoms of postpartum depression include mood swings, constant grief, anxiety, guilt, loss of attention to daily activities, unexplained crying, boredom, excessive irritation, insomnia, and lack of sleep.
Advice to start breastfeeding
begins the journey of breastfeeding within an hour of birth, and although the amount of milk produced is initially small, it is sufficient for the infant due to the size of his small stomach. Colostrum is rich in nutrients for the infant's immunity.
During subsequent days,
the mother notices her milk filling and chest bloating. The mother is advised
to keep breastfeeding or milk suction to alleviate the problem of bloating and
chest pain.
To know more:
Common lies: 10 rumors about breastfeeding, which correct it.
Cesarean section
Cesarean
section and C-section are major surgeries, and although they may be life-saving
for both the mother and her child, they may also be associated with some side
effects that may take a long time to recover from, as doctors consider it to
take 4 to fully recover from cesarean section. - 6 weeks, but much research
indicates that the total recovery time is longer than that. Here, it should be
noted that the length of recovery may vary from woman to woman, but the mother
can recover faster by focusing on caring for herself and her child, giving her
body the rest it needs to recover, and getting the necessary medical care.
Advice before leaving the hospital
The mother and her child are likely to spend
about 2-4 days in hospital after the Caesarean section, during which time the
following are recommended:
Taking painkillers; After the anesthesia effect has gone, the health care provider may recommend that the pain of a painkiller be given ibuprofen.
It should be noted that most palliative drugs are safe during
breastfeeding. It should be noted that the doctor may also prescribe certain
intravenous antibiotics while the mother is in hospital followed by a
prescription for oral antibiotics that she continues to take at home after
leaving the hospital.
Get out of
bed as soon as possible; The sooner the mother gets up and moves, the better
for her circulatory cycle, and the more often the medical care provider is advised
to move within 12 hours of undergoing Caesarean section surgery. Although it is
difficult and tiring for the mother in question, it is very important for her
health. Movement after Caesarean delivery contributes to the disposal of raids
and pain, the facilitation of bowel movement and exfoliation, and the prevention
of bowel movement.
Eating and
drinking as soon as you feel hungry or thirsty, yet in some cases, the mother
may have to wait a few hours before the doctor allows her to eat anything.
The mother's
direct contact with the child over her hospital days and attempts
to start breastfeeding.
Keeping the
urine catheter inside the bladder for about 24 hours after coming out of the
process, the urinary catheter is defined as a tube installed in the process to
discharge the bladder from the urine as much as possible, and because it may be
difficult for the mother to go to the bathroom immediately after the operation,
or she may not feel the need to go to the bathroom because of the anesthesia
effect, the catheter should be left for about 24 hours after the operation.
Cover a
bandage wound for at least 24 hours.
Post-hospital advice
After the
mother and her child leave the hospital and stay at home, they must ensure that
they take a great deal of rest, and if possible use others to help them take
care of the child.
- Avoid
lifting or bending and carrying heavy objects
- Exercise
- Proper
nutrition
- Pain Control
- Bleeding
Control
- Surgery wound care
- Attention to
the emotional situation: Birth itself is an emotional experience for the mother,
and it can be a difficult emotional experience for women who have undergone an emergency or painful birth or have undergone Caesarean birth beyond their
control.
The guilt
and shame of the mother, which is why a husband, a friend, or a therapist can be
used to speak transparently about these feelings and to obtain psychological
support from them as soon as possible, contribute to reducing the risk of
[postpartum depression and post-natal depression], and to getting treatment
faster in case of postpartum depression.
Comments
Post a Comment