Hey there!
Thanks for coming to my blog! Postpartum recovery is no joke... and there are also things that no-one tells you about!!! Like WHAT?!? Ok, maybe you were warned but maybe you just didn't remember!!!
I will tell you about a few things-postpartum bleeding, tears (both kinds of tears!!!) and losing the baby weight that nobody told me about, and walk you through what I did to get through it. As a new mom, any support you can get the better!!!
Postpartum Bleeding
Oh... didn't anyone tell you the bleeding can stop and then start up again?! Your body does tell you when you're probably doing too much- as in... vacuuming too many floors or running too many errands!
I also didn't realize your period could come and go very irregularly postpartum, and that it can be non-existent while breastfeeding too!
The bleeding postpartum should start out more bright red, and be heavy for up to a week or so as your uterus is shrinking back to normal size. Then it will start to turn darker red in color, and slowly taper to more light bleeding and lochia. (light pink colored discharge)
Now this is in most of the normal postpartum era. Some people have more troubles, some people have less.
Now this is in most of the normal postpartum era. Some people have more troubles, some people have less.
Watch out for big clots (like uhh bigger than a golf ball which then is usually associated with lots of bleeding)- seek help for those. You should typically only get bigger clots in the first few days to a week after delivery.
Blood clots often look like jelly... they can look like mucousy or have tissues inside of them. Know that small clots are normal. However- fragment pieces of the placenta can be left attached to the uterus, and as it shrinks back to pre-pregnancy size can cause clots and bleeding after they break off. Watch again for increased bleeding- soaking through a pad an hour for several hours would indicate a problem if your bleeding had already slowed down.
The biggest thing I learned is that bleeding will and can last up to 6 weeks postpartum, and can even come back when you start doing too much. Listen to your body and ease up when you start to notice an increase in bleeding.
Don't wear tampons... I'm sure you know this but you shouldn't insert anything into the vaginal area until after your doctor gives you the OK that everything is healed up around the six week mark. Make sure you are changing your pads frequently as not to get any infections.
Recovery from Tears (both the watery kind and the stitched up kind)
There is a very real thing called vaginal tearing!!! (or an episiotomy if your doctor performed that) This is when your perineum tears up to the FOURTH degree which means... you can tear up to the anus. Its a very real thing and I had no clue this was a thing before having a baby! Let alone knowing how to care for a tear after getting home! (Thankfully I only tore up to the second degree)
What can you do? Oh... make sure you take those anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (advil). Take that with tylenol alternating around the clock to keep pain and inflammation to a BARE minimum. :-)
You can pick up a doughnut pillow like this one: (tap the picture to bring you to the listing)
This is WONDERFUL as it's a cold pack too and a cushion. This will take the pressure off your bottom and also provide cooling relief.. because you ALSO need to be ICING your bottom, and NO not with cake icing. :-)
ICE ICE BABY!!! Make sure you are using an ice pack FREQUENTLY. For sure for the first 24-48 hours around the clock. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off and repeat!!! This will help tremendously.
Witch Hazel pads infused with Lavender. I make my own!!! I add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to alcohol free witch hazel. Swirl in a glass mason jar, then add a stack of cotton pads that you use for your face. Place in the fridge and use these with each pad change. AMAAAZZZING recovery results!!!
As for the stitches- they may be dissolvable most likely, but ask your doctor at your 6 week postpartum visit for sure. Watch for bright red blood that could indicate that it isn't healing.
As for the other REAL Tears... Think the watery ones that escape from your eyes, that's called "the baby blues" and that's also a real thing. Your hormones are changing so quickly and drastically after delivery and this should even out by 2-3 weeks postpartum. I go into a deeper dive into this in my e-course (Postpartum, Newborns, Breastfeeding & Beyond) if you want to learn more about hormones!!!
I also dive deeper into all of these topics, if you want to know more about it, sign up for The New Mama Blueprint and i'll be sure to let you know all about it!
I also dive deeper into all of these topics, if you want to know more about it, sign up for The New Mama Blueprint and i'll be sure to let you know all about it!
Postpartum Baby Blues are no joke. You'll be making yourself breakfast and burst into tears over nothing. Or you'll be looking out the window, and the baby blues will hit you like a ton of bricks, overwhelming you so quickly you had no idea that things could be so difficult! You might be feeling great, and then in the middle of the night you aren't feeling so great when you've been up a majority of it crying because you can't figure out why you're craving pizza. Yeah... those kinda things will happen!
To get through that, It's best to approach it in a way that you KNOW its going to happen, so ride the wave. It's okay to fall off the surfboard, but get back up. I have used a few high quality supplements to get me through this challenging time, Check out that blog post for more details HERE
If the baby blues lasts longer than 2-3 weeks, make sure you talk to your doctor at your postpartum visit. They should screen you for postpartum depression, so make sure they do.
SEEK HELP if you are feeling so overwhelmed you can't function. Postpartum anxiety and depression are REAL, and pretty common.
But know that this too shall pass, and soon your baby will be growing so fast. You'll wonder how you got through the postpartum era and be on the other side soon enough. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about your sweet baby you are holding, I LOVE BABIES!!!
Losing the Baby Weight
Baby weight... what is that??? Oh it's that weight you can't seem to just drop like a sack of rocks. But guess what? I'm going to tell you right now that... you are BEAUTIFUL just the way you are. It took 9 months to grow that sweet baby, give it 9 months before you really start to worry about your weight.
A few key tips is: don't think you have to get rid of the weight quickly after baby is born. If you are breastfeeding, this will help some in the long term. Going right into a rigorous workout routine can quickly overwhelm your body, so start out slow. Keep up walks daily, then gradually work up to your pre-pregnancy workouts.
I had someone poke my belly two weeks postpartum and tell me I should start working out. (insert baby blues) So just know it can take up to ONE YEAR or more to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight, if at all! I'm in the postpartum stage from our sixth baby, and I'm no-where near my pre-pregnancy weight, and it's ok.
Embrace your body, accept the change and let go of what was. I give you permisison. I can help you with a mama reset in my e-course for new mom's, it can be used for anything that might be overwhelming, frustrating or stressful. Member's Area Here
So anyway, I just want to let you know that you ARE superwoman, you ARE capable, and you ARE beautiful just the way you are.
Wrapping it Up
I hope you learned a few things that NO-ONE told you when you were expecting a baby about the postpartum "era". I would love to teach you all that I know about becoming a new mom, and hope to see you again!!!
I hope you learned a few things that NO-ONE told you when you were expecting a baby about the postpartum "era". I would love to teach you all that I know about becoming a new mom, and hope to see you again!!!
Want to hear more? Subscribe to the blog here
You got this mama!!!
Much Love,
Kara- The Mom Nurse
P.S. When you are ready, here are a few things that I can help you with:
~Join the Facebook Group Here. This is for you mama's who are looking for support in parenting, motherhood and hacks/tips.
~The Idea Cloud. It's what I created to keep your kids off the screen and busy doing things that I did as a kid! :-)
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