How your body changes after the birth of your Baby

During Pregnancy your body went through a couple of changes. Though you might not be pregnant anymore, after giving birth you can still feel battered, bruised and exhausted.

Here is a little more in what to expect in the coming weeks.
9 months is a long period where your body was in an altered state. Give yourself time to get back to normal. It’s advised not to rush back to work and continue your life the way it has been before you got pregnant. As your body is working its way back to its pre-birth state you might experience some of the following:

PAIN IN THE PERINEUM:

If some of the perineal tissue tore after birth, or if you had an episiotomy, it will take about a week for the stitches to dissolve and up to 6 weeks for the area to heal completely.
You might find that sitting or even having a bowel movement causes discomfort and pain.

You can dissolve coarse salt in a shallow bath of warm water. The salt will keep the wound from getting septic and will help with the haling process as well.
Ice packs or warm compresses can be placed onto the perineal area.
Arnica tablets will help reduce swelling and bruising.

AFTER BIRTH PAINS:

After your baby is born the uterus still has to sweep itself clean and come down to size, so you’ll still have mild contractions for about two weeks. The pain is more intense during breastfeeding because oxytocin – the breastfeeding hormone – also stimulates contractions. It may be uncomfortable but at least it’s decreasing your chances of infection and extended bleeding.

Frequent breastfeeding will encourage your uterus to return to its normal size quickly.
If you take a mild painkiller, it’s still safe to breastfeed, but check with your doctor if you are taking something stronger.

CAESAREAN STITCHES:

Over a period of days the stitches from a caesar will dissolve. Meanwhile having bowel movement passing urine or having wind can be quite painful.

When coughing, sneezing or laughing, press a pillow over your abdomen.
Kneeling on all fours relieve the pressure on your cut.
Do a lot of walking, it helps speed up the healing.
Take arnica tablets for swelling and bruising.

BREASTS:

Your breasts may feel sore and tender. When your milk comes in on about the 3rd day you may feel fullness or tightness. For some women this is very uncomfortable. If you are having problems getting breastfeeding going, your nipples may become red, sore and even cracked. This can be sorted out very quickly with the help of a breastfeeding advisor.

Feed frequently in the early days to stop you from feeling engorged.
If you are having problems breastfeeding express your milk.
Use ice packs, ice cold cabbage leaves or warm compresses to ease sore breasts.
Make sure your baby is correctly positioned at the breasts.
If breastfeeding hurts, get help from someone who really knows.

WEAK TUMMY:

In the font of your stomach, there is a band of muscles running down, which are designed to stretch and separate. During pregnancy, a gap forms. This gradually closes over time. You can check the gab by doing a crunch. Place your fingers below your belly button. Most people have a gab of two fingers. If you do a few abdominal exercises three times a week, you’ll notice a difference within days and the gab will close. If you had a vaginal delivery you may start exercising 3 to 4 weeks after birth but after a caesarean wait about six weeks.

If you do crunches, lie on the floor with your buttocks right up against your bed so as to keep your legs relaxed, otherwise you tend to use your leg muscles to pull you up. Do tiny crunches where you put your lower back into the ground as you breathe out and lift your shoulders off the floor fractionally.

BACKACHE:

Pregnancy can put a lot of strain on your back. It’s compensating for the extra 3kg and the pregnancy hormone progesterone has caused all the joints and ligaments to become loose. Because of this, backache can continue for a few weeks.

Always practise good posture.
Warmth can ease tense muscles and cold packs will decrease inflamed areas.
When lifting and carrying, keep your back straight and bend your knees.

BOWELS:

If you suffered from constipation during pregnancy, it’s unlikely to go away over night, especially after a Caesar.
Constipation is made worse by pain medication, a sore perineum and surgery, as drugs tend to slow down your intestines.

Drink plenty of water.
A cup of Rooibos tea in the morning and at night can help.
Whole grains or raw fruits and veggies can help with the increase in fibre.
Start exercising as soon as possible.
Try relaxation techniques especially if you are sore or have stitches.

PILES:

This is one of the less pleasant side effects of pregnancy, and a lot of pushing during labour can make it worse.
As the veins throughout the body soften and enlarge swollen veins can result from pressure in the rectal area.

Taking action against constipation can help.
Avoid straining when going to the loo.
Cotton wool soaked in witch hazel can be applied to the painful area.

FEVER:

It is a possibility that moms can develop postpartum infection, it is important though to report any symptoms to your doctor as it could be a sign of infection
You can drink plenty of water to flush out the infection.
Keep your stitches as clean as possible.
If your Caesar scar is looking red and feel hot and sore, tell your doctor.

FATIGUE:

To be a good mom you need to look after yourself and your baby. Apart from the physical upheaval you’ve suddenly got a little person who requires your undivided attention.
If you are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed you run the risk of depression. Apart from that feeling fatigued means you’ll have less energy to focus on breastfeeding and bonding with your precious baby.

Get plenty of rest; try to sleep when your baby is sleeping.
In many cultures families rally around to help the new mom. Let them help with shopping, chores, cooking and baby sitting.
Eat healthy food to give you energy and improve your feeling of well-being.
Light exercise classes will help combat fatigue and lift your spirits.
Leave your baby every now and then with someone you trust and do something for yourself.