A very important stage in a woman’s life is childbirth. The appearance of a child in the world cannot but affect the psychological and physiological state of mother.
Serious changes occur in her body after childbirth. Let’s see how a woman changes after the birth of a child, how recovery after childbirth occurs.
What does a woman feel after the baby is born? These feelings are rather difficult to describe in words, since they are twofold. On the one hand, one feels delight, because the child is finally born.
The condition in the first 3 days after birth
A good mood is explained by the release of endorphins into the blood, also called hormones of joy. On the other hand, a woman feels exhaustion, discomfort.
The following symptoms may occur on the first day after birth:
- spotting from the genitals;
- painful contractions of the uterus, indicating a return to the previous size of the body;
- pain in the perineum;
- difficulty urinating, bowel movement.
Regarding spotting from the vagina, it is worth noting that they resemble menstruation. Specialists call them Lochia. The only difference between Lochia and regular menstruation is that discharge after childbirth bothers a woman for a month, and sometimes longer. Allocations occur immediately after birth. During the first 2-3 days they are very plentiful. 5-6 postpartum pads have to be changed per day.
What changes are occurring in the mammary glands? In the mother, in the first 2–3 days, colostrum is released from the breast in a small amount – the first milk, which is invaluable in composition. Even a few drops are needed for the newborn. After about 3 days, the breasts are filled with milk. With the onset of lactation, the mammary glands become more sensitive.
The first few days after birth, the woman will have to be in the hospital. As a rule, they are prescribed 3-4 days after natural birth and a week after cesarean section. Doctors in the hospital monitor the condition of the child and mother, watch how the postpartum recovery proceeds.
The period from the 4th to the 14th day
Vaginal discharge (lochia) continues to appear. They become less plentiful. The color of the discharge gradually changes (from bright red to brownish and yellowish white). During this period, use sanitary napkins. Tampons can not be used, as they can provoke the occurrence of an inflammatory process.
If an episiotomy was performed during childbirth (dissection of the posterior wall of the vagina and perineum), then the woman needs to monitor the condition of the sutures. They will gradually overgrow, but ignoring the rules of hygiene can lead to the development of inflammation. The genitals are recommended to regularly wash with a decoction of eucalyptus, infusion of chamomile or calendula.
After delivery, problems with stool often occur. At first, constipation tormented. Their appearance is due to damage to the intestines during childbirth, weakening of the abdominal muscles. The stool is normalized, but not immediately, since the body does not recover as fast as we would like.
During the first week, discomfort is felt in the chest area. The mammary glands swell and the nipples become painful. By the second week after the birth, these symptoms of the body’s recovery disappear, and feeding does not cause negative emotions in the mother.
The period from the 2nd week to the 2nd month
By the end of the 2nd month after the birth of the child, the woman stops the lochia. The uterus, cervix, vagina acquire their previous sizes, which were observed before pregnancy. About 1.5 months after the birth of the crumbs, a woman will undergo a mandatory postpartum examination. The doctor will check the condition of the genitals, ask mom if she has strange discharge from the vagina or pain in the abdomen.
In a woman during this period, postpartum recovery is completed, all body functions return to normal. Mom becomes more active. She is no longer tormented by pain, discomfort does not distract her. The fair sex devotes all her time to the baby, because he needs constant care.
2 months later
A couple of months after delivery, the female body is fully restored. During this period, you can begin to engage in yourself – to restore the figure, chest. The mother’s body is ready for physical activity.
Women should pay special attention to their diet. You can’t limit yourself to food, but some dishes should still be excluded from your diet. This applies to fatty, fried, flour and sweet foods, which contribute to the deposition of fat. Proper nutrition will positively affect the condition of the mother and baby. The woman’s body will recover faster, and the baby will receive only healthy substances with his mother’s milk.
Menstruation
The onset of critical days some time after delivery is a signal that the woman’s body has fully recovered and has returned to the state that was before pregnancy. Do not confuse menstruation with lochia. Postpartum discharge is nothing more than a natural cleansing of the uterus and birth canal, lasting for several weeks. After Lochia menstruation can not come on for a very long time.
The restoration of the menstrual cycle is affected by breastfeeding. The longer the mother will feed her baby with her milk, the later her period will begin. Milk in the body of a woman is produced thanks to a special hormone – prolactin. It is he who prevents the onset of menstruation and ovulation.
As a rule, the first menstruation after childbirth begins after the introduction of complementary foods in the diet of the child. Mom every time feeds her baby less and less, and in her body the production of prolactin decreases. Sometimes the delay in menstruation is longer – the cycle is restored after complete weaning. Menstruation can occur 6-10 weeks after delivery, if the woman does not at all for some reason breastfeed her baby.
Recovery after childbirth may occur with abnormalities. In some situations, the help of a doctor is required.
A specialist should be contacted in the following cases:
- breastfeeding was discontinued 2-3 months ago, and menstruation never started;
- the color of menstrual blood seems suspicious (discharge of a bright red color may be a sign of bleeding that has begun);
- during menstruation, the state of health worsened (weakness is felt, dizziness began to occur, fainting occurs);
- there are large clots in the menstrual blood;
- menstruation is characterized by a sharp and unpleasant odor.
Figure recovery
Most women after the birth of crumbs can not boast of their figure. Nature stipulated that the future mother should have a fatty “reserve” during pregnancy. It is necessary so that in case of hunger the representative of the fair sex is able to breastfeed her baby, using “her own reserves”.
Quickly restore the figure will not work. It may take several months to get rid of extra pounds.
To restore a figure, you must:
- eat balanced;
- daily exercise;
- wear a postpartum bandage.
After childbirth, you can not go on a diet or overeat. It is recommended to eat food in small portions and at least 5 times a day, drink more liquid (still water, fruit and vegetable juices, fruit drinks, fruit drinks).
A couple of months after giving birth, you can begin daily exercise. Before starting classes, you should consult a gynecologist and make sure that the body has recovered and is ready for stress. Only serious sports are contraindicated.
After giving birth, you must wear a bandage. Thanks to him, the process of restoring the tone of the abdominal muscles is accelerated, the abdominal wall does not sag, internal organs are supported. Also, postpartum bandage reduces the load on the spine and pain in the back.
Breast recovery
How to recover quickly from childbirth is a question that many women ask when they experience a deterioration in the shape of their mammary glands. The chest is the most beautiful part of the female body. After childbirth, it increases by 1-2 sizes, as milk begins to arrive. However, after cessation of feeding, the breast sag. Its shape can be compared with a deflated ball. Returning to its former forms is a doable task.
In order for the breast to recover faster, a woman should:
- after childbirth, wear a comfortable pitted bra made of natural materials both night and day, (underwear supports the pectoral muscles and prevents skin stretching);
- carry out self-massage (slow, stroking movements in a clockwise direction improve blood circulation and restore skin elasticity);
- apply masks to the mammary glands using only natural products (for example, a kefir-based mask prepared from 100 ml of fermented milk product and 2 tbsp. honey can give a good effect);
- Perform physical exercises affecting the muscles of the chest.
Vaginal repair
During natural birth, the vagina has a very heavy load. At the time of the passage of the baby, it stretches. After childbirth, women feel pain in the intimate area, dryness, irritation. Due to overstretching of the vaginal muscles, the quality of sexual life is reduced. In some cases, women report urinary incontinence.
All of the above symptoms disappear a couple of months after birth. The vagina is independently restored.
To speed up this process, you can perform special exercises developed by the famous doctor Arnold Kegel:
- compression (for 5-10 seconds it is necessary to compress the muscles in the same way as when stopping urination, and then relax them);
- contractions (the essence of the exercise is tension and muscle relaxation at a fast pace);
- to push it out (you need to moderate for 30 seconds, and then relax for 30 seconds).
In conclusion, it is worth noting that recovery after childbirth is a laborious and rather lengthy process. You just need to gain strength and follow the advice of doctors. Then you can achieve the desired result much faster.
