What ’s normal?

If you’ve had a vaginal birth, with or without an episiotomy, you’ll be feeling a little tender ”down there”.

This may last for a few days to a few weeks after the birth. This is understandable if you think about what’s happened to the vaginal and perineal tissues as they stretched over your baby’s head. If you tore slightly or if you were cut, then the stitches can sometimes prove to be more uncomfortable than the actual birth! Remember, the vagina is a muscle, and muscles stretch and can bounce back. Continue to do your Kegel exercises. If you have a caesarean, don’t think you’ll get off lightly. The caesar scar will most likely be tender, and when body gases move around under the wound, it could be really painful. It’s also normal to feel pain under the ribs after major abdominal surgery, so be prepared. This is due to trapped air in the thoracic area post-surgery. Keep a pillow handy, because when you cough, sneeze or laugh in those early days, it may feel like you could burst your sides if you don’t support yourself.

GOING TO THE LOO

Passing urine and having a bowel movement becomes a very important issue as far as the nursing staff are concerned, and you’ll be asked these most personal of questions until they’re satisfied that all your innards are working normally. This is the case for both vaginal and caesarean delivery. Retention of urine can occur and can occasionally require catheterisation to release the urine. About 50 percent of women will develop some urinary incontinence, and this usually takes the form of stress incontinence. Pelvic floor exercises are a must to regain tone. After a vaginal birth, the thought of having a bowel movement is enough to cause immediate constipation. You’re not sure if you want to sit on the bidet the entire day or to lie legs open with an infra-red, hot lamp on your perineum until you look like a prune. Haemorrhoids may be more painful after the birth than before. No heat here – only cold compresses. These normally disappear within a few weeks.

MOVING ABOUT

It’s important to get up (with help) and move around after a caesarean birth. Try not to ”hunch over” as you walk. Straighten up as much as you can, but take it slowly. And no heavy lifting for many weeks to come.

The effects of pregnancy may last as long as three to five months post birth. This means that your joint pain may not ease off immediately. It’s important to remember this when getting back to exercise or jogging. Carpal tunnel symptoms usually disappear very quickly as your swelling subsides, which is one of the first things you’ll notice. A lot of your weight loss will be the extra water you’ve been carrying around during your pregnancy.

You’ll also notice that you’re still hotter than most people and therefore more likely to perspire, especially when breastfeeding. Don’t be surprised to find yourself more thirsty than usual, and you’ll continue to pass copious amounts of urine for a while as well.

LOCHIA

Blood loss from the vagina, known as lochia, comes from the place where the placenta was attached to the uterus. This will happen whether you’ve had a vaginal birth or a caesarean. It’ll initially be heavy with blood clots, which gradually change colour and consistency, and then become less. Passing lochia, while bothersome, isn’t painful. What’s painful are the afterbirth contractions you’ll feel when you breastfeed. This

is how the uterus ”sweeps” itself clean and rids itself of any leftovers from the birth. This is what lochia consists of. The after-birth contractions will diminish and disappear altogether after about two weeks.

BREASTFEEDING

Breast discomfort may surprise you. Your nipples and breasts may have been sensitive during pregnancy. Now you will find that milk might leak readily from your breasts. As your milk comes in, your breasts may ”prickle”, and the skin may feel taut. Breastfeeding itself shouldn’t be painful, and if it is, your baby may be latched or positioned incorrectly. It’s vital that this be corrected immediately, otherwise it may lead to cracked and bleeding nipples and engorged breasts. If you’re not in a comfortable position when feeding, you’re likely to suffer mid- and upper-back pain. Make sure that you’re well supported when you’re feeding, and bring the baby up closer to the breast rather than leaning forward. Support the baby on pillows, and turn their body to face yours. In this way, you’ll alleviate any back strain.

SLEEPING WOES

Lack of sleep makes any difficult situation worse. Trying to cope with the demands of a new baby as well as recuperate from birth takes its toll if you’re not sleeping as much and as often as you can. The old saying, “sleep when your baby does” is something to abide by.

THE BABY BLUES

Physical adjustments aren’t the only thing that you have to deal with. Emotionally, the responsibility of caring for a brand new human being really hits home! It’s normal to experience a down period – the baby blues – a few days after birth as you get used to the idea, although not all women experience this.