Postpartum Care

Your newborn certainly merits your attention, but postpartum care is also important. What to expect after giving birth vaginally, from pain to bleeding.

There are many unexpected physical shifts that occur during pregnancy. And it continues after the baby is delivered. Here is a rundown of the physical and mental recovery time following a vaginal birth.

Vaginal soreness

1. A vaginal tear or an incision made by your doctor during delivery might cause discomfort for a few weeks after giving birth. Large tears may require more time to mend. In order to lessen the pain while you are healing:
2. Put an ice pack on the area, or sandwich a witch hazel pad between a sanitary napkin and the skin between your vaginal opening and your anus (perineum), to cool it down. As you urinate, squeeze some warm water into a container and pour it over your perineum. If you want to relax your buttocks and hips, try this: spend five minutes sitting in a warm bath. If you find cold water more relaxing, use that instead.
3. Get yourself some over-the-counter pain medication.
4. Obtain a numbing spray or cream from your doctor if you feel the necessity.
   If you want to avoid constipation, talk to your doctor about taking a stool softener or laxative.
5. If your pain is severe, ongoing, or getting worse, you should talk to your doctor. Possible indicator of an infectious process.

Vaginal discharge

The thin mucous membrane that lined your uterus throughout pregnancy will start to fall off shortly after giving birth. This membrane and blood will make up your vaginal discharge for weeks. For the first several days, you might expect a lot of blood in your discharge. Then it will gradually diminish, turn from pinkish brown to yellowish white as it becomes more and more watery.

If you experience significant vaginal bleeding (enough to wet a pad in less than an hour) and other symptoms like pelvic pain, fever, or tenderness, you should see a gynecologist.

Contractions

After giving birth, it is not uncommon to experience contractions, sometimes known as afterpains. These cramps, which are similar to those experienced during menstruation, serve to avoid excessive bleeding by constricting the uterine blood vessels. The hormone oxytocin that is released after nursing is a typical cause of after aches. Your doctor may suggest a nonprescription pain relief.