Post Pregnancy Health Issues are less discussed mainly because everybody around you is busy with your young baby. It is important that the baby does get all the attention, however New Moms also need a lot of attention.
Tender from delivery, your body would need more attention – In India – that is the reason delivery is preferred at your moms’ place where you can be looked after too.
With the baby is born, your body will start changing both physically and emotionally. Here are few common post pregnancy health issues that can be expected by the new mothers.
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Vaginal Bleeding
After the birth of the baby, the blood and tissue inside the uterus must come out of the body and the body will try to expel it in the form of vaginal bleeding.
The discharge might be heavy for the first few weeks, it will gradually decrease over the next days and stops thereafter.
You need to mention to your gynecologist about this problem, even if you feel the bleeding is manageable, do make sure to have a check-up.
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After-birth Pains
As the perineum stretches during the labor, it might create soreness around that area after birth, especially for vaginal births. Doing Kegel exercises, sitting on a pillow, and putting cold pack will help with reducing the soreness.
You might also get pain in the abdomen as the uterus shrinks and gets back to its original size. This pain would last only for a few weeks.
For mothers who had a C-Section delivery, there would be tiredness due to loss of blood and the incision on the body will be painful until it heals. Pain medicines will help alleviate the pain.
Back pain is also one of the common problems after delivery.
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Sore Nipples
Sore nipples are caused due to the crack in nipples. This would subside in a few days if a cream for cracked nipples is applied in the affected area.
You can use butter or some other nipple creams; however I would go with butter or virgin coconut oil.
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Breast Engorgement
Breast engorgement is painful because the breasts start swelling as they are filled with milk. If the child is breastfed, then the pain will go away or it may last till the breasts stop producing milk.
For temporary relief, a warm shower might help. You can learn more about Home Remedies for Breast Engorgement Here
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Urinary problems
A common problem is that you might feel irritation or pain during urination. Drink lots of water and take a warm bath.
Few mothers can’t stop or control urinating. This is called urinary incontinence and can be rectified by making the pelvic muscles strong. This can be done by doing Kegel exercises.
- Weight Issues
It doesn’t matter how much you weighed before child birth. But it is a great time post pregnancy to lose all the baby weight. Though it may take several months to get back to your normal pre-pregnancy weight, be patient as you are breast feeding.
Taking a balanced diet with nutrition and milder form of exercises will help you get back to your form. In fact, breast feeding helps you lose weight easily.
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Constipation
Many mothers find difficulty in having a bowel movement after childbirth. This is very common and can sometimes be very painful.
In order to avoid this problem, food rich in fibre and lots of water need to be taken as part of the diet.
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Hair and Skin Problems
It is very common to lose hair after pregnancy. Your hair would look thin and dull. With proper nutrition and hair care, you can get your lustre back on your hair.
Stretch marks on several places in the body are unavoidable. Creams and lotions will help to manage the problem.
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Swollen Feet
The body would have retained some fluid to get you ready for the labour and child birth. Hence, water retention would be seen in the feet. This would go away gradually. Always wear loose clothing and lie down with the feet up to manage the swelling.
Whatever the issues are, your body will soon feel strong with proper diet, exercise and medication! Be positive and try to concentrate on the moment, everything else will follow suit.
