POST-PARTUM BODY CHANGES

After delivering a baby, the body goes through many changes. Overcoming fatigue will be a big component as your body adjusts to its post-pregnant state. Other changes may include the following:

Wound Care
If you needed stitches after delivery, the doctor may instruct you to take sitz baths and emphasize special cleansing care after bowel movements. A sitz bath is about 3 inches of warm water used for soaking and the healing of the outer vaginal area. Vaginal lacerations need time to heal.

Vaginal Discharge and Menstruation
As your uterus returns to its normal size, you may feel abdominal cramping.

The vaginal discharge occurring after delivery is called lochia. The usual sequence is bright red blood for the first few days. The color of the discharge continues to change over the next three to four days, turning a yellowish-white color by the end of postpartum week two. The complete passage of lochia can take up to four weeks.

Usually, if a mother is not breastfeeding, the first menstrual period can begin within eight weeks after delivery. The menstrual flow can be heavier than normal, and slightly irregular. Subsequent menstrual periods become more regular in nature.

Breast Milk Production
Most women will decide before delivery whether they will breast feed their baby. If the decision is made to not breastfeed, discuss with the doctor methods to stop milk production.

Right after birth, the breasts produce a substance called colostrum or "pre-milk." Regular milk production occurs within the first few days, post-partum. These naturally produced substances pass immunity, properly balanced nourishment, and calories to the newborn.

Discuss these issues with your doctor.

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