You are now the proud owner of a new mom’s body! The body that nurtured your baby for nine months is changing again.
Mom’s New Body
It takes time for your body to recover from the birth, and if you are breastfeeding, you experience more changes. It’s important for you to rest when you can and to eat well. Click on the image below to see some of the physical changes you can expect.
Call Your Health Provider If:
Breasts:
If your breasts become hard, red and painful and if you have a fever (over 38°C) with chills, or if you have a fever over 38°C for more than 2 days.
After pains:
Nothing seems to lessen your pain. Or your pain feels worse or is bad and/or your abdomen is tender to touch.
Normal Bleeding:
- You pass a clot larger than 2cm and have heavy blood flow (soaking 1 pad in less than 1 hour in the first 3 days, or soaking 1 pad in less than 3 hours on day 3 or more)
- Your flow is not getting lighter
- Your flow goes back to bright or dark red and you are bleeding heavily after it has changed to brownish/pink or yellowish white
- You have pain in your abdomen (sharp and stabbing)
- You have a fever over 38°C with chills or aches, or if you have a fever over 30°C without chills or aches for more than 2 days
Call 911 or go to emergency if you have heavy, rapid (or steady) vaginal flow of very large amounts of blood. The blood may overflow your pad, run down your leg or form a large pool.
Perineum:
Call your healthcare provider if, instead of feeling better, you have increased soreness in your perineum
Hemorrhoids:
- You feel your hemorrhoids are preventing you from having a bowel movement
- Your hemorrhoids are very painful and hard
- You are bleeding from your rectum (different from vaginal bleeding)
Swollen Ankles:
- One foot, ankle or calf is more swollen than the other
- The swelling gets worse
- You have a red, painful and/or hot lump in your lower leg
After a Cesarean Birth
It usually takes about four to six weeks for your incision to heal completely, but most women feel very well before this time. Until you are healed, it’s important to:
Take it easy. During your recovery, avoid housework, and do not lift anything heavier than your baby. Have everything that you and your baby might need close to you, so you will not have to go up and down stairs.
Support your abdomen. Use good posture when standing and walking. Hold your abdomen near the incision during sudden movements caused by coughing, sneezing or laughing. Hold a pillow to your abdomen when you stand up or move in bed. To get up from lying, first roll on your side, then push up into a sitting position.
Limit company for the first few weeks. Make sure any visitors give you some help. Too many visitors will keep you from getting the rest you need to recover and care for your newborn.
Stay hydrated. Drink lots of fluids. You will likely need extra fluids to replace those lost in delivery and breastfeeding. Also, empty your bladder frequently to help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
Avoid driving. Ask your doctor when you can start driving. Before you take the car and baby out together, make sure you can manage the baby’s car seat without hurting yourself. This may take up to 6 weeks.
Severe pain in your abdomen or redness, fever of more than 38°C, swelling and oozing pus at your incision site may mean you have an infection. Contact your caregiver, healthcare provider or Health Link Alberta (811) immediately.