With the baby’s arrival, you might think that your health is going to be okay. But postpartum health issues are very common for new mothers. After nine months of carrying a baby, your body needs to recover. You need to know what can be wrong with your body so that you can restore it into good condition. Here are some common conditions that you need to be aware of and some common treatments for them.
Postpartum Hemorrhage
When you gave birth, there was a lot of internal rearrangement happening. One of the results of that was bleeding. If you see bleeding after childbirth, don’t immediately worry. This hemorrhaging is pretty normal and you will experience it for a few weeks after the birth. Most of the bleeding should be done in the first few days, with darker, clotted blood being released near the end of it.
The problem is if the bleeding does not slow down. If after five days you are still bleeding too much or you see bright red blood again, then there is something wrong. Several issues can cause this. One is overexertion which means you should sit back and rest. But there can be internal issues that might be the culprit so you’ll need to get some professional help with this.
Chronic Pain
Carrying a child to full term is hard on the body and there is a lot of stress on it. The result is aches and pains all over as your muscles feel the strain. Chronic pain is going to your companion for some time until you fully recover. The most common type of pain is if you delivered naturally, this is when your perineum is still recovering from being stretched out. This should ease as your body recovers.
The other common type of pain is muscular pain. This is mostly because your body had to accommodate a baby and it made some changes. To get it back into its natural condition, you can wait for it or you can get some help. For example, a chiropractic treatment option for neck pain and back pain is common for new mothers. It realigns the spine so it can be in top condition.
Infection Issues
Your body was very vulnerable when you gave birth. The stress and the weakness it brought along made your immune system very susceptible to infection. Several types of infection can affect you. This is especially when the birth is difficult. For example, vaginal tearing can create a wound that you would need stitches for. Cesarean delivery will be much worse. The doctor would have to cut in to get your baby out, and they will need to apply stitches. These stitches can easily get infected. You need to clean them regularly.
It is not only wounds that can get infected. Other parts of your body could fall victim to a variety of infections. This includes your kidneys, bladder, and more. Consult with a doctor if you experience a fever or pain in parts of your body. These can be signs of an infection that needs treatment.
Breast Problems
Most mothers nowadays breastfeed their children. This is often great for the babies but it can cause problems if your breasts are not in the best condition. There are two main problems that you have to deal with. One is engorged breasts. This is when you produce too much milk and your breasts become sore. You can relieve this by doing some breastfeeding and expressing some milk for storage later. You can also apply some ice packs and get proper breast support.
A more serious problem is breast infections. Your breasts may become reddened and tender. While you can still breastfeed in this state, you will still need treatment. Symptoms like fever and vomiting are common for this condition so you need to get antibiotics as quickly as possible.
Depression
It is not just the physical problems that you face. Postpartum depression is a proven fact and is mostly because of changed hormone levels. To ensure that you can get back into the right mental space, you’ll want a solid support network to help you through this. If things get worse, you might need the help of a professional therapist.
Dealing with your postpartum health issues is very important if you want to be a good mother to your child. Consult with your doctor and get professional help so that you can get the treatment you need. You should also get help from your partner so that you can get back into the swing of things. When it’s done, you should be able to function normally again.
