Maternal Wellness Series 4

 

Caring for You & Your Newborn - Getting Off to a Good Start Together

 

A new chapter

 

Congratulations! Your precious baby is finally in your arms. Have a good start to long-term physical and emotional health by taking especially good care of yourself and your little one.

 

After a routine vaginal birth

 

• At the hospital: You will be advised to rest in bed for a while after the exhaustion of childbirth. The nurses will then     ask you to get up and walk around as soon as possible to prevent blood clots from forming in your veins. Start     breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. Your blood pressure and pulse will be monitored regularly until you are     discharged.
• Before you leave the hospital: Talk to your doctor or nurse about:

• Recognizing the signs of infection.
• Any medications you may need.
• Cleaning and caring for your perineal area, if you have had a tear or episiotomy.
• How much rest you will need in the coming weeks.

• While at home: Take warm, shallow baths to help relieve soreness and hasten healing. It's important to change your     sanitary pads often so that you can observe the colour of the discharge, and tell your doctor if you notice anything     out of the ordinary.

 

As Your Uterus Returns To Normal

 

• Your womb will gradually shrink back to normal size. By the 14th day, your doctor will no longer be able to feel it from     the outside of your abdomen.
• You will have a bright red, bloody discharge from your vagina, which will gradually change to pale brown, then yellow     over the next 10-14 days.
• You may then have one of your normal periods.

 

After a caesarean delivery

 

• At the hospital: You will be fed intravenously and encouraged to walk as much as possible to prevent blood clots. If     you feel pain in the operation site, tell the doctor who may then offer you pain-killers.
• Before you leave the hospital: If there are no complications, you may be discharged as early as two days after     birth. Find out from your doctor or nurse:

• When to come back to have the stitches/clips removed (this does not apply if the doctor has used dissolving sutures).
• How to keep your body and operation site clean before the stitches come off.
• How to check that the wound is healing well.
• How to recognize signs of infection.
• Whether there are any medications that you may need.
• How much rest you will need in the coming weeks.

• While at home: You must not strain yourself while recovering from a Caesarean delivery. Get your family and friends     to help in the first few days after going home. Avoid abdominal exercises until your doctor says it is safe to do them.     Eat plenty of fiber to avoid straining when you visit the toilet.