The postpartum period also known as the “fourth trimester” is a crucial time for new mothers. It is the time to focus on healing, recovery and bonding with the new baby. It’s a unique and individual experience for every mother. Still there are some general tips that can help you experience a smooth, comfortable transition into motherhood.

What Changes To Expect After Birth & How To Deal With Them

Pregnancy transforms the body of a female in numerous and surprising ways. This journey of change doesn’t end with childbirth. Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section, your body goes through alot. A woman goes through many physical and emotional changes even after giving birth. 

1. Perineum Soreness:

Perineum is the area between your vagina and anus. It is the area that often experiences significant strain during vaginal birth, leading to tears. In some cases your doctor might make a small cut in this area, called an episiotomy, to aid in delivery. With or without these, this area feels sore and swollen after delivery for several weeks.

• To help relieve the pain, you can sit on a soft pillow or padded ring.
• You can also use a squirt bottle to spray warm water over the perineum.
• Practice good perineal care by wiping from front to back, using a peri-bottle for gentle cleansing.
• Apply witch hazel compresses to reduce the swelling.
• You can use warm compresses, heating pads or cold packs to alleviate discomfort.
• Use pain relief medications as directed by your healthcare provider.
• If you have stitches after an episiotomy, bathe them everyday to prevent infection.
• If you feel that soreness or swelling is increasing with time or not getting better, consult with your doctor.

2. Breasts And Nipple Soreness:

Initially your breasts will produce a yellowish liquid, called colostrum, for your baby. After 3 to 4 days they will start producing milk and become tender. It is common to experience breasts and nipple soreness after giving birth. Sometimes the discomfort is due to breast engorgement, caused by overfilling of breast with milk. It can also happen if your baby is not latching properly.

• Try feeding your baby from both sides to relieve breast engorgement.
• Sometimes engorgement makes it difficult for your baby to properly latch, in such cases try using a manual or electric breast pump to relieve engorgement.
• You can use warm washcloths on your breasts or take a warm shower before feeding, this will help with milk flow.
• You should wear supportive and comfortable bras.
• You can use cold washcloths between the feedings to ease discomfort.
• You can also consult a lactational expert to take advice for breastfeeding.

3. Vaginal Bleeding And Discharge:

After delivery there is postpartum bleeding and discharge, called lochia. It happens after both vaginal deliveries as well as c-sections. It is your body’s way of shedding excess blood and tissue from pregnancy. It is red in colour and heavier in the first few days and gradually becomes brown in colour and decreases in volume. Generally light bleeding or spotting can last up to 6 weeks.

• Use sanitary pads with good absorption, during this time.
• Change sanitary pads frequently to maintain hygiene.
• Do not use tampons during this time period, as it increases the risk for infections.
• Passing small clots is normal but contact your doctor if you notice that clot size is greater than a quarter.

4.  After Pains Or Contractions:

It is common to experience contractions for a few days after giving birth, also known as after pains. They might feel like menstrual cramps. They help reduce bleeding by putting pressure on uterine blood vessels. They are more common during breastfeeding, due to release of oxytocin.

• To relieve the pain, your healthcare provider might recommend over the counter painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

5. Bladder Control:

Pregnancy, labour and vaginal delivery can weaken the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles support the uterus, bladder and rectum. Weakening of these muscles can cause urine leakage while sneezing, laughing or coughing, also known as incontinence. This urine leaking often gets better in a week, but it can also last longer.

• Use sanitary pads while you are experiencing urinary leakage.
• Try doing pelvic floor exercises like kegels, to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve bladder control.

6. Hemorrhoids:

Hemorrhoids also known as piles can commonly develop during pregnancy or after giving birth. These are swollen veins in the anus or lower rectum. They can cause pain, bleeding  and itching after bowel movements.

Here is what you can do to relieve symptoms of hemorrhoids:

• Applying witch hazel to the hemorrhoids can cause pain and itch relief.
• You can use hemorrhoid creams or suppositories for pain relief.
• Soak anal area in plain warm water twice or thrice daily for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Avoid constipation as it can cause more pain during defecation. You should drink plenty of water, take a diet rich in fibers, use more fruits and vegetables or even stool softeners, if recommended by your healthcare professional.

7. Weight Loss:

It is normal to lose weight after birth. Most women lose around 13 pounds (6kgs) right after giving birth. This includes the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. In the following days you might lose more weight due to losing excess fluid from your body.

• You can return to your pre-pregnancy weight by regular exercise and consuming a healthy balanced diet.

9. Emotional Or Mood Changes:

Childbirth is a life-changing event that can bring about a mix of emotions. Hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation and the challenges of caring for a newborn can all contribute to these emotional or mood changes. 

It is common to experience feelings of anxiety and sadness after giving birth, also known as baby blues or postpartum blues. Its symptoms may include mood swings, crying, anxiety and difficulty sleeping, but these symptoms usually subside within 2 weeks. If these symptoms get severe in intensity and last for a longer time, it can indicate postpartum depression. In this case you should consult your doctor.

Here are a few tips to deal with these emotional changes:

• Focus on self care.
• Take plenty of rest and relax.
• Seek for support from your family and friends.
• Practice mindfulness

Seek  professional help if : 

• You feel persistent sadness, hopelessness or despair.
• You are having difficulty bonding with the baby
• You are feeling anxiety or worrying that is affecting your daily life
• You are having thoughts of harming yourself or the baby.

Postpartum Red Flags:

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should consult with your doctor right away:

• Heavy vaginal bleeding that soaks through more than one pad per hour or passing clots the size of an egg or larger, this can point towards postpartum haemorrhage.
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing, this can point towards pulmonary embolism.
• High temperature, tender tummy, this might be caused by some infection.
• Pain, swelling and redness in calf muscle of leg, this can point towards Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Severe headache or headache with vision changes, this can point towards pre-eclampsia.

Hope this blog was helpful for you!

Remember to be kind, patient and compassionate with yourself during this journey!