Surely they are questions that you have already asked yourself during pregnancy, but that after having your baby they regain strength when. You are fully in the postpartum and these questions, doubts and fears arise to those of us who will answer for your peace of mind.
Some issues have to do with the same mother, some arrive at the same hospital and others arise at the time we return home. Do not worry, because for everything (or almost) we have an answer and we hope it is an intense stage, but with less doubt (although there will always be something that worries us ...).
Will the rise in milk hurt?
Even before the baby is born, the woman's breasts already produce colostrum, which will feed the baby the first days of life. On the second or third day there is a "rise in milk" (or "fall"), when milk production increases, a natural process.
This is usually manifested by a tingling in the chest, inflammation and maybe with punctures. Vascularization of the breasts can be uncomfortable. It is not usually a very intense pain, although for some women. Apply cold cloths between the shots (not in the areola) to relieve the tension of breast engorgement.
If you have put the baby in the chest since birth and quite often, the rise is likely to be more gradual and less uncomfortable.
Are postpartum contractions normal?
During childbirth, detachments occur that leave blood vessels open in the uterus. To close them and the uterus to return to its usual size, postpartum contractions, known as "entuertos" are necessary. They are normal contractions in the necessary process of uterine involution after childbirth.
Remember that breast stimulation favors proper sealing of blood vessels while involving the uterus: every time the baby breastfeeds, the hormone oxytocin is released, which causes contractions in the uterus.
How long do the lochia last?
In turn, these contractions cause the expulsion of uterine residues from blood, cervical mucus, placental remains ..., the lochia, a normal bleeding that in the first three days consists of blood and vernix caseosa (blood or red lochia), while as the days go by they are less abundant and clear up, with a higher content of cervical mucus, leukocytes ...
This bleeding with vaginal secretions lasts between six and eight weeks after giving birth, during the puerperium and will gradually reduce. If you do not notice that reduction or there is a bad smell in the lochia, consult the doctor.
Is it normal to feel sadness?
You just had a baby, but you don't feel the happiest woman in the world. Don't worry, it's normal. The emotional state of the mother after childbirth is very variable, volatile and unpredictable. After the euphoria you can feel a slight sadness or mild postpartum depression, the baby blues, probably mixed with new fears that appear on your vital horizon, on the other hand also very normal.
Little by little, the contact with the baby and with the support of the family that sadness will disappear. When we have to worry and seek help is if we are faced with a true postpartum depression: if we have negative feelings towards the baby and ourselves that do not dissipate (they go beyond the first week after delivery), if we do not communicate and we continuously cry ...
When can I go to the bathroom normally?
A gesture as simple as going to the bathroom normally seems a bit distant after giving birth. But don't worry, you can probably go to the bathroom alone in a few hours. The discomfort of vaginal delivery (more intense if there has been episiotomy) may not allow us to walk normally and the same happens with the strength of the legs if there has been epidural. You have to wait a few hours, and remember to incorporate yourself little by little.
If there has been a C-section, the time to go to the bathroom is usually delayed, they will be probed but the next day you can get up and take the first steps. The first visits to the bathroom may be with help.
In both cases (but especially in the case of caesarean section because there is less mobility) it is very common for constipation to occur in the postpartum, which is aggravated if the dreaded hemorrhoids have appeared. It may take a week until the body returns to normal, when the diet rich in fiber takes effect and body movement recovers intestinal transit.
How do I cure episiotomy?
You have probably suffered an episiotomy and are worried about how to cure it at home so it doesn't get infected and heal as soon as possible. In the hospital, they will cure you and explain how to do it (do not hesitate to ask if this is not the case). Daily shower with soap and water is recommended and keep the scar clean and dry.
You have to dry with small towel taps from front to back in the case of episiotomy (some people recommend the fresh air of a dryer or even with a fan, if it hurts to touch the wound).
The C-section scar heals in the same way. In both cases, resorbable points are usually used (although for the caesarean section, staples that the gynecologist must take out a week after giving birth). If you have followed these steps, the chances are that the wounds will heal and you will feel a little better every day.
Consult the doctor if you notice inflammation, ascending pain, bad smell, bruising, suppuration or bleeding from the wounds.
When to restart sex life?
This will not be a question you ask yourself too soon. And it is also normal to leave sex life relegated at the beginning, when we are physically sore, the puerperium is not over and fatigue makes a dent in us. The family has grown and we need time to get to know each other, to adapt.
When the rhythm of life regains some normalcy (this is very relative, because now the whole rhythm has been disrupted, it will no longer be the same) and mentally we are recovered, it is probably time to restart sexual life, something that in some women It may arrive earlier than in others, but in the end it arrives if there are no other problems.
A month, two or three, depending on the mother's physical recovery, is a fairly long period in which relationships can be restarted, give yourself time and if you see that sexual desire does not come back and you have other symptoms of postpartum depression, consult your doctor.
Do not forget family planning as well, even if the menstruation has not returned, ovulation and pregnancy could occur, even if you are breastfeeding on demand.
Should we continue with nutritional supplements?
To recover after childbirth you have to eat a varied and healthy diet (it is not the time to diet) and when breastfeeding the baby we must take into account certain recommendations. The Spanish Association of Pediatrics recommends Iodine supplement for mothers and iron, calcium or omega-3s are also advisable in nursing mothers according to the WHO.
They are components that would take the vitamin supplement that you have taken during pregnancy, you can continue taking it after delivery while breastfeeding lasts if recommended by your doctor.
When will I recover the figure?
That this question does not assault you too often in the immediate postpartum period. Give yourself time, magazine postparts are not real, they are the exception, they are not even recommended. The body needs time, months, to regain its previous weight, and yet the same "forms" may never be fully recovered.
Let a few months pass and when you notice that you are ready, remember that to recover the figure after childbirth you have to combine a good diet (do not diet during breastfeeding) and the practice of physical exercise.
Will I be a good mother?
This is the million dollar question, because, What is being a good mother? Do all women have the same concept of "good mother" (and all parents of "good father")? So we have no answer for this last question, but surely if you ask it, you are worried about getting it.
The best recommendation, then, is that you follow your instincts, that you try to make your son or daughter happy, that you seek his well-being, that you accompany him when he needs you most. The rest will be shot ... and yes, for sure he or she will be the best mother in the world.
We hope you are Postpartum questions and their answers help you to face this stage more calmly and safely. Remember that you can count on the support of medical professionals and breastfeeding groups for any fear or doubt you still have. The support of the family is also essential in these delicate moments and to fully enjoy the arrival of the baby in your life.
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