Postpartum care: Precautions you need to take after delivery

Postpartum care: Giving birth to a new life is not easy. Apart from going through labour pain, you have to adjust your life as per the requirements of the newborn. It might take years for some to adjust to the new lifestyle and get back to normal life. The body takes time to heal irrespective of the delivery whether vaginal birth or c-section birth. Read on to get complete information about postpartum care including physical and social tips and a few myths related to post-delivery. 

Physical tips to remember as a part of good postpartum care: 

Get enough rest: Pregnancy can take a toll on your health and hence, it is imperative to take good rest which can help you recover well. Especially, the first few weeks are important to get enough sleep and rest.  

Washing your hands: Wash your hands frequently even after doing small tasks to keep infection away. Wash your hands after visiting the bathroom, changing your baby’s diaper, or even after feeding the baby. 

Eat healthy meals: To promote healing, ensure you eat healthy food items. Increase your intake of proteins, grains, fruits and vegetables. If you are breastfeeding, it is important you increase your fluid intake. 

Seek help: Don’t hesitate to ask for help from friends or family as during this time you need enough rest. Your friends and family members can be of great help when preparing meals, running errands or taking care of your kids.  

Exercise: This does not mean doing high-intensity workouts. The best you can do is walk around the house to ensure your energy levels are high.  

Other tips to keep in mind as a part of postpartum care:

• Your post-pregnancy body needs time to heal and get back to normal. Hence, it is best to wait before you start having intercourse. You should first consult your healthcare provider and wait till the bleeding is minimal. 
• There are high chances of you getting pregnant if your period hasn’t returned to normal yet. Hence, discussing birth control options with your partner and healthcare provider is the best idea. 
• Avoid douching or using any tampons until the first few weeks after the baby’s delivery. 
• Continue taking the prescribed postnatal vitamins recommended by the doctor 
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol intake during this time 

Myths about Postpartum care 

Myth 1: Women should not consume a lot of water after delivery 

It is important for lactating women to consume at least 3-4 litres of water every day. Also, it is crucial for new mothers to keep the body hydrated as not doing so can lead to the formation of blood clots.  

Myth 2: Baby bump disappears immediately after birth 

The bump does not disappear easily as the uterus is still large and the skin and the muscles have expanded.  

Myth 3: Everyone goes through postpartum depression 

Postpartum blues and postpartum depression are completely different, and most women go through them. Feeling stress, and mood swings are signs of postpartum blues, however, if these go on for longer then it can be a sign of depression. 

Myth 4: Consume a lot of ghee to strengthen your muscles 

There is no scientific study that proves ghee is a must-have for new moms. Ghee has nothing to do with joint strength as your joints get back to normal after a period of time. 

Myth 5: Do not do any heavy lifting if you have had a c-section delivery 

You will be able to do your normal activities including lifting heavy objects as a few weeks after delivery you will regain your strength.