Postpartum is often referred to as the "fourth" stage of labor. It begins immediately after the delivery of your baby and lasts about 4 - 6 weeks. However, it will take your body several months to get back to where is was physically before you got pregnant. Now, remember, it took almost a year to have that baby (nine months give or take a week or so). So, your body has experienced a lot of physiological changes. Now, after birth, your body begins to heal, returning to its pre- pregnant state.
(Please read pgs 57, 58, + 59 in your book) What book?
Emotionally, you are excited, amazed that you gave birth, and possibly overwhelmed about being a new parent! This is normal, and expected. You can expect mixed feelings of elation and possible let down. What you have waited for is here, now what? What do you do with this little person? You may miss feeling the sensations of your baby inside you. You may worry about your ability to be a good mom, or dad. You may be frustrated because you are not sure about what you are doing, or what you are supposed to do to care for this little person. You may feel perplexed and/or confused about choices you are making, and about advice you are receiving. You may even feel guilty or question yourself about decisions already made (circumcision)! Who knows, you may feel absolutely in charge of everything! The point is, you will experience many emotions and they will vary from woman to woman, man to man, couple to couple.
Postpartum is a special time. Aside from the above, you and your partner are now of family of three! Your partner has been with you throughout your pregnancy, labor, and birth, and will now join you in sharing a lifetime adventure in raising this child. You will discover new aspects of your relationship together, a new appreciation for each other, and experience some struggles and/or conflicts in parenting along the way. Your relationship together will change, and priorities will shift to the baby. Where once you were a wife and lover, (and still are) now you are a mother first, and sex, for a while may not be important. New dads, will still be interested in sex, but guys, you'll have to wait. Be patient and understanding, until she gives you the green light! Don't worry. Everything will be OK, in time. What is needed now is time to get acquainted with this little person, with each other, your new routines, and new life together as a family.
Immediatly following the birth of your baby, and depending on how you feel, and what kind of birth you experienced you may feel:
* Elated, tired, discomfort either from an episiotomy, or from the Cesarean incision.
* After birth contractions, which should be mild. You may receive Tylenol for discomfort.
* You will be able to breathe!
* You may be very hungry!
* Eager to start breastfeeding. Go ahead, this is the best time to start because baby is alert and eager to learn!
Hours, later, you :
* Sweat! Yes, this will happen. Why? Your body retained a lot of fluid during the pregnancy, and now you will urinate a lot and perspire to get rid of that fluid naturaly. Very normal, and within 24 hours of delivery.
* May have trouble urinating because the perineal area ( that area of the vagina to the rectum) is swollen from childbirth. Ice packs will be applied after birth to decrease swelling.
* May have discomfort from the episiotomy. You will be given a sitz bath to sit in several times a day while in the hospital. You will use warm water which promotes healing to the area, and is soothing.
* Will be bleeding, which will change over the next couple of days, to weeks called lochia. The color will change from bright red, to brown to yellow, and to white. You may bleed for a couple of weeks. How long varys from woman to woman.
* May have hemorrhoids (painful swelling of veins in the anal area)caused by pressure on delicate blood vessels during birth.
* May have gas pains, more so with a Cesarean birth because of surgery. Get up and move!
* May be constipated. Drink lots of fluids.
* When you wake up in the morning, or get up from sitting a long time, it will seem like you are bleeding heavier than before. This is because blood has "pooled" from lying down. Don't get scared. However, if you are passing clots of blood let your nurse know, and if you are home, call your health care provider.
* The nurses will check for the position of the uterus daily. This is because after birth, the uterus shrinks to the size of a melon, and should feel firm to touch. This is good. It means the uterus is contracted, and inhibiting bleeding from small blood vessels located where the placenta was.
* Experience emotional highs and lows .
* Possible Breast engorgement.
Most of the above will be short lived, such as the perspiration, breast engorgement, gas, and urination problems The rest will be resolved in their own time, such as the bleeding, healing from the episiotomy or Cesarean incision, and emotioal highs and lows. Also, your cervix takes about six weeks to close after delivery, so no douching, no tampons, no sex right away, nothing in the vagina that might increase the risk of a vaginal infection. In six weeks, (after delivery) you will have a postpartum check-up with your care provider.
The postpartum period in the hospital is also a very busy time, and a short stay before you go home. You will be visited daily by your obstetrician, and/or Midwife, nursery nurses, dietary, pediatrician, family, friends, the florest, Lactation nurse (if you are brestfeeding) and so on. Lots of questions will be asked of you to discuss with your partner, such as circumcision, or breastfeedng verses bottlefeeding. It will be important for you to have some idea of what you want to do before the birth of your baby, so that you'll feel more secure in your decisions,.and so that the hospital staff will know your desires as well! Most hospitals practice "rooming - in", which is this: After delivery the mother has the baby in her room as much as possible to learn about caring for it, breastfeeding or bottlefeeding, changing diapers, etc. This is good because if you have questions, the nurses are there to help you, because you will be home very, very soon, and on your own!
This is a period of transition for both of you, so take each day as it comes. You've heard the saying, and if not: No directions come with a new baby on how to care for it, or how to parent a child. We all just do the best we can. So try to relax, go to infant care classes (you will learn a lot about newborn care, and breastfeeding classes), early in your pregnancy. Here are some other suggestions for after the baby is born.
* Be selfish. Yup, that's right! Don't be afraid to ask friends and family if they can visit you in a couple of days so you can have time alone with your new baby, and each other as new parents.
* Have meals already cooked and frozen, or just go out a lot to eat, if you can aford it.
* Trust your own instincts! YOU are the parents, not Aunt Millie who means well. At the end of a week, you will know more about that little one than anyone else. Follow your own heart.. You really do know best!
* If you are very stressed, or are experiencing emotional lows, TALK! To your partner or someone else you trust. Find a New Mothers support group and share your feelings if needed.
* Don't over do it. You are healing! Your body will let you know you are overdoing it by starting to bleed and feeling very tired.
* Get 2 of everything. Especially if you live where there is an upstairs and a downstairs! You will lose count after running up and down the stairs to get something you forgot!
* Have a good laugh at yourselves every now and then! New parents are delightful. You won't be the first to leave the house without the diaper bag!
* Communicate your feelings! Many new moms experience the "baby blues". This is very real! With all the joys of becoming a new parent, it also comes with many frustrations that you will discover as the days, and weeks unfold. Take heart. This was already mentioned above, but a little reinforcement never hurt anybody, besides it's important enough to repeat.
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