产后 修复 physical healing to prepregnant physiology is extremely slow and subtle. It takes six months to see significant change.
Getting plenty of rest, eating well and staying hydrated is key. With your doctor’s approval, start gentle workouts to tone those stretched-out abdominal muscles. If you have diastasis recti (overstretched separated abdominal muscles) try our 4th trimester core restore exercise program to heal and retrain your deepest abs.
1. Get Plenty of Rest
Fatigue is a common postpartum symptom, especially if you are breastfeeding. It is important to get plenty of sleep, even if your baby wakes up every two to three hours for feedings. If possible, sleep when your baby naps, and ask for help from family and friends to run errands or prepare meals.
You may also experience sore nipples and backaches, but these symptoms should improve with time. Breastfeeding often results in milk leakage, which can be irritating and uncomfortable. You can use a pillow to support your breasts while you sleep, and you can take over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain and discomfort.
In week three or four after delivery, you may have a period-like discharge called lochia. This is normal, and it is typically made of leftover blood, tissue from your uterus, and mucus. It usually peaks during the first few days after delivery, and then it will taper off to a brown or yellowish-white color. If you are bleeding more than one pad an hour or have large clots, contact your doctor.
2. Seek Help
Many new moms experience mood changes after delivery. These may be a normal part of your recovery and can result from hormone changes, sleep deprivation and adapting to a new lifestyle. If your feelings are severe and persist, talk to your doctor.
Your health care provider screens you for PPD at each postpartum checkup. If your screening reveals you might have PPD, she can help you get treatment. You’re at risk for PPD if you had depression or other mental health conditions during your pregnancy or have a family history of these problems, or if you experienced sexual assault or intimate partner violence.
It’s also important to seek help from friends and family during this time. Having extra hands around the house can give you much-needed rest and help with errands or babysitting so you can focus on your recovery. Your doctor will recommend that you avoid straining for your first bowel movement after delivery. This can up your risk for hemorrhoids and delay perineal healing. Instead, eat plenty of fiber-rich foods and drink fluids to aid in your digestion.
3. Ice Your Perineum
The area between your vagina and anus is called the perineum, and it stretches and sometimes tears during vaginal birth. Sometimes, a doctor will cut into the area to help your delivery; this is called an episiotomy. Persistent pain in the perineum can decrease a woman’s comfort levels, particularly when passing urine and stool.
Keeping the area cool can reduce the swelling and pain that many women experience in this area. Try placing a cold pack in the area every couple of hours for the first 24 hours after birth, then ice it every hour after that. Keep a padded pillow or ring in place when you sit, and use witch hazel pads to soothe the area. Using a peri rinse bottle filled with warm water to rinse your rectum and perineal area after each toilet visit can also help.
Some over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can also help with pain. You can also try doing Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles. If your perineal area continues to be sore, talk to your healthcare provider about other ways to ease the pain, including sitting in a warm sitz bath.
4. Try a Sitz Bath
A sitz bath is a shallow bath that helps ease vaginal and perineal pain following childbirth. It’s often recommended to treat hemorrhoids, bladder infections, vaginal or vulvar surgeries such as an episiotomy and even uterine cramping.
It’s a good idea to ask your healthcare provider before you use one, but they generally recommend using warm water to soothe the area and stimulate blood flow. They may also recommend a specific type of salt for sitz baths, such as magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), which is known to help reduce swelling and promote healing.
To take a sitz bath, fill a bathtub or a special sitz-bath bowl that sits over your toilet with 3 to 4 inches of warm water. Test the temperature of the water with your wrist before getting in and add any ingredients your doctor recommends, such as bath salts or witch hazel.
5. Care for Your C-Section Scar
The scars that are left from your cesarean section are a beautiful badge of honor for the way you brought your baby into the world. However, many women want to know if there is anything they can do to make their scars less noticeable.
Like all scars, C-section scars fade over time. Initially, they are usually puffy and pink or reddish. Eventually, they fade to lighter or whiter than your skin color. Some scars appear darker, particularly in women with richly-pigmented skin tones. If you have this type of scar, the doctor may prescribe medication to help control it.
During the remodeling phase of tissue healing, normally-healing scars become thinner, flatter, and less noticeable. Your six-week follow-up appointment will happen during this time, and your provider will be able to inspect the scar to see how well it’s healing. He or she will then give you the go-ahead to resume your normal activity based on how well it is recovering.