Rest is not some you do well.

You’re a let’s go get sh*t done, kinda gal, right?

And yes that serves us well in life, however, it can also become a huge issue when you have a new baby.

You’ve probably read a million times to slow down, relax, and sleep when your baby sleeps.

But what if that just isn’t you?

This guide is all about helping you to get that much needed postpartum rest and slowing down without feeling like you’re going crazy.

How much rest do you need after birth?

This will vary depending on the type of delivery and experience you’ve had.

You may be lucky and breeze through labor and have the lovely calming birth you always dreamed of.

Unfortunately, you may have a long road of physical or even mental recovery from your delivery.

Around 6 weeks postpartum is the textbook time your body will have recovered from your pregnancy.

But remember that doesn’t mean it will have completely recovered from your birth.

After birth, you’re going to feel pretty rough.

 Everything will hurt, you’ll be exhausted and all your baby will want to do is feed every few hours.

That’s why postpartum rest is vital to healing your body physically.

It’s no wonder that so many new moms end up with postpartum depression when they have no time to recover.

Postpartum Confinement

You’ve probably heard of your mom your grandma talking about ‘lying in’ when they had a baby.

This is a traditional practice when moms would have postnatal bed rest for around ten days to two months.

It’s something that quickly went out of fashion when women were needed for the workforce.

However, it also means the art of postpartum rest has long been forgotten.

Now I’m not saying you need to stay in bed for 2 months to recover from your birth.

Mainly because it’s a great way to go about getting yourself a DVT.

These tips should help get form postpartum rest after your birth.

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9 Postpartum Rest Tips

1. Prep for Postpartum

You’ve probably already got your birth bag packed, your birth plan written and know your route to the hospital for when your contractions start.

But are your stocked up for your postpartum recovery?

You can read my list of postpartum essentials here.

But in addition to all the creams and sprays that will keep you feeling normal after birth, I’d highly recommend my guide to postpartum bed prep.

Let’s just say you’re gonna want to buy one of these lifesavers now.

2. Try breastfeeding

If you’re still undecided about how you’ll feed your baby, then I’m going to tell you about an amazing benefit of breastfeeding.

Nursing your baby naturally helps you to slow down.

That right. When you start to breastfeed you release a hormone called prolactin which makes you feel super relaxed and sleepy.

Isn’t that amazing that your body already has systems in place to make you slow down.

The prolactin hormone also helps you to get a better quality of sleep during the night.

If you’re unsure where to start check out my guide on breastfeeding prep during pregnancy.

3. Block of your calendar

You’re a type A, I know you do everything by your calendar or diary.

If it helps you feel in control you don’t need to give it up.

What you do need to do is book in times of rest as you would any other appointment or visit.

Make it big and take whole days off.

You don’t need to sleep, however, there is a lot that can be gained from sitting or lying in a peaceful room.

Use this time to read, have skin to skin with baby, write or watch trashy daytime TV.

Have just one or two days where you want to get things done, like that newborn photoshoot you’ve booked.

It’s all about investing your time well now so you can do more soon.

4. The Mess can wait

A home that’s clean and tidy is great, but it’s not good for your postpartum recovery.

Your first go to should always be that this is where your partner should be helping you out.

Family and friends can also lend a hand if they are offering you help. Take it, don’t be proud.

If you can’t quite hand over the control of housework, put limits on yourself.

Set timer to only allow yourself to do 10-15 minutes a day to keep it light.

5. Avoid the Visitor Trap

Make it clear to your visitor that you need to rest, you are not there to be a servant for them.

Don’t be afraid to excuse yourself to go for a nap or just to have some alone time with your baby.

Lots of visitors during postpartum recovery can be overwhelming. Having boundaries in place for those who want to visit will save you a lot of stress from trying to people please.

6. Get quality sleep

Being told to ‘rest when baby rest’ is not the most helpful tip when you’re a new mom.

Knowing how to get a better quality sleep will do you the world of good for your recovery.

If you’re breastfeeding my number one tip would be to buy a side-car crib (Grab the Amazons Choice Crib now). That way you can feed your baby through the night without having to disturb your sleep too much.

They are also great if you have a C-section or a sore back from delivery as you won’t need to bend over to lift your baby.

Lavender oil is known to have amazing effects on your postpartum sleep, bonding with your baby and stabilising your moods.

Using an aromatherapy diffuser in your bedroom at night is a simple and natural way to get these benefits.

7. Don’t ignore the red flags

I know you’re that type of person that just gets on with it. But ignoring red flags of postpartum recovery is dangerous.

This includes:

• Bleeding
• Increasing pain
• Breathlessness
• Mood changes

If you or your partner have any concerns seek medical help straight away. Don’t put it off. Being reassured everything is ok is better than leaving it until it’s too late.

Your mood changes can be a huge setback and you may experience unexpected emotions like anger and resentment to your huge life change.

Please seek help or talk to a friend if you’re worried about how your feeling.

8. Eat, Drink and be merry

If your breastfeeding you’re going to be hungry and thirsty pretty much all the time.

You can prep for your postpartum rest by making freezer meals in pregnancy.

You can also ask family and friends if they can bring over a dish to help out and stop you from reaching for the takeaway menu.

Hydration wise, always keep a big water bottle beside you (I love this one). This will help reduce fluid retention and keep you well hydrated when nursing your baby.

Dehydration can make your postpartum brain fog and tiredness a thousand times worse.

9. Keep on moving

If you’re a bit of a gym bunny you might want to lay off the heavy lifting for a few weeks.

That doesn’t mean you have to stop altogether.

Gentle exercises such as yoga, Pilates, walking and swimming will help you remain active without putting too much strain on your body.

Talking your new baby on a gentle walk is great to get you both fresh air. There may even be some walking group in your area to meet other new moms.

The post Proven Postpartum Rest Secrets for Type A Moms appeared first on Stork Mama.

Who knew that buying underwear after you’ve had a baby would be so confusing?

So many choices: mesh underwear, disposable underwear, compression underwear.

And don’t even think about using your regular panties unless you want to have to replace them all.

Think about it, you probably have a separate set of underwear you use for period days, right?

And your postpartum underwear needs just as much consideration.

As your first layer of clothing, postpartum underwear will protect your tender tummy after birth and cope with your postpartum bleeding.

During those tender few days, you want your choice to be the right one.

What is the best postpartum underwear? First, check out this list of 5 top options that other moms rate.

ANY of the 5 Postpartum panties on the list are great options that you should be very happy with.

5 Best Postpartum Underwear Reviews

1. Fruit of the Loom Beyond Soft Panties

Pros: inexpensive, very comfortable, soft, durable, machine washable

Cons: big made, thin waistband

Our Verdict

The Fruit of the Loom Beyond Soft Briefs are a great inexpensive option for postpartum use. The cotton and polyester fabric is very soft and comfortable to wear.

The full brief style makes them sit very high up on your tummy. This is perfect for that first couple of weeks until your tummy shrinks back down.

We found them suitable for use after both natural and C-section births. They are easy to wash and are suitable for the machine.

For a great price, you get 6 pairs of panties in a range of nice modern colors. Beware as these pants do run large and they won’t shrink much in the wash.

2. Always Discreet, Incontinence Underwear

Pros: discreet, no need for pads, convenient, comfortable

Cons: scented, not eco-friendly

Our Verdict

The best disposable postpartum underwear has to be Always Discreet disposables. These act like underwear and a pad in one. No need to deal with leaks or stains panties, just dispose of them once you’re finished.

These postpartum panties are the best solution if you want convenience after having your baby. They’re great to wear in the hospital until you get home, so no need to bring home dirty underwear.

The material is non-woven so no need to worry about pulling your stitches. Plus, because they are thin, they are super discreet to wear, so won’t leave you feeling self-conscious about looking like you’re wearing a diaper.

We would highly recommend these, even just for night use, so you don’t leak any blood onto your bedsheets.

If you want more tips on how to save your bed sheets postpartum check out postpartum proof bed guide.

3. UpSpring Baby C-Panty

Pros: protects your scar, helps to heal, reduces swelling, comfortable

Cons: expensive, sizing

Our Verdict

If you have a c-section birth you’ll love the Upspring Baby c-Panty.  To heal quickly after a cesarean section you want to make sure you have good blood flow and reduce the swelling. This underwear will help you do that as they are made from compression-grade material. 

Protecting your incision site is a real worry with postpartum underwear. You don’t want anything that will irritate, rub or pull at your stitches. This underwear has an area of silicone gel lined right where your incision site will be to help your wound heal quickly.

Your whole tummy benefits from the compression as these are high-rise postpartum underwear. Not only does this design provide you with a bit of postpartum binding but it protects your wound by stopping your underwear from rolling or bunching.

Moms who have worn these post section swear by them. The biggest concern was the price tag, but they are worth investing in at least one pair.

4. Intimate Portal Maternity Under Bump Panties

Pros: low rise, breathable cotton, comfortable, easy wash

Cons: not suitable for C-section, sizes run small

Our Verdict

If you’re looking for an alternative to full coverage postpartum underwear then the  Intimate Portal Under the Bump Maternity Panties are a great option.

Unfortunately, the postpartum period is a time you need to wear panties and pads, even if you don’t normally do so. This can make you feel really uncomfortable.

These panties are a great compromise. You’ll have enough fabric to support a maternity pad, without all the excess fabric that can bunch and roll.

The band sits just under your hip line and is quite discreet under clothes. The breathable, cotton fabric makes them very soft and can aid the recovery of any perineal stitches.

I wouldn’t recommend these if you have a C-section as you’ll have no protection over your wound which can slow your healing.

5. Kindred Bravely High Waist Postpartum Underwear

Pros: breathable fabric, soft and comfortable for vaginal and C-section births

Cons: sizes run small

Our Verdict

The Kindred Bravely High Waist Postpartum Underwear is one of the best options for all types of delivery. The material is so soft and easy to wear, which is great for vaginal or abdominal stitches.

These panties offer a good level of coverage. Plus they are also pretty cute compared to other options on the best list.

The material is breathable so that you won’t get hot and sweaty with them on. That’s really important to let air circulate around any wounds to help them heal.

This underwear offers a good level of support without being too tight. The seams are well made and don’t dig in or roll down.

I do recommend opting for the size above your normal, as the leg hole fit is slightly smaller.

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Postpartum Underwear Basics

Types of Postpartum Underwear

Underwear comes in a range of styles each with its pros and cons. Let’s take a look at each type to find the one which suits you best.

Disposable Postpartum Underwear

As the name suggests these are single-use only underwear. You can buy them as a single mesh panty or as incontinence panties which double as maternity pads.

This style is very lightweight to wear and convenient for use in the hospital or nighttime.

You don’t need to worry about washing them or dealing with bloodstained underwear or linen.

This type is fine for short-term use, and we would recommend them for the first week after your baby arrives.

Full Brief Postpartum Underwear

A full brief panty can be work both when you are pregnant and once you’ve had your baby.

These pants are large and offer full coverage usually above your belly button. An elasticated fiber is a good feature as it allows the underwear to grow and shrink with you.

Full briefs offer support all over your tummy as well as protecting a C-section would without seams rubbing.

They also provide good support for maternity pads.

Compression Postpartum Underwear

This type has a strong and supportive fabric that compresses your abdomen.

These are similar to a postpartum girdle but with less compression. These can benefit you by improving your blood flow, helping your muscles to recover, and reduce swelling.

Compression underwear offers full-length coverage, reaching just underneath your breasts.

This can be used as shapewear to smooth out your lump and bumps to get back into your regular clothing.

Hipster Postpartum Underwear

No they don’t wear non-prescription glasses or have beards!

They are a low-rise style that sits on or below the hips. This type of panty gives minimal coverage.

For women who don’t want to wear underwear that cover their whole tummy, it provides enough fabric to hold a pad in place.

This style is discreet and lightweight to wear.

We don’t recommend this style for C-section recovery as the band may rub on your wound area irritation.

Best Postpartum Underwear Fabric

Cotton Postpartum Underwear

A common underwear fabric as it is soft and breathable. Cotton is a great option for preventing infection or caring for stitches. The downside of cotton it that it can stain easily.

Mesh Postpartum Underwear

Mesh underwear is very light and thin. It doesn’t offer much support, but it can be thrown away after use.

Spandex Postpartum Underwear

Also known as elastane, it’s a man-made poly fiber.  Elastane is well known for providing support and stretch to underwear. It is also known to be moisture resistant.

Microfibre Postpartum Underwear

This is often a polyester or nylon blend. It’s well known for being soft and naturally wicking for sweat. It’s a great durable alternative to cotton.

Read: Best Postpartum Girdle For New Moms

Postpartum Underwear Buying Guide

Underwear is the layer of clothing that will come into contact with your skin.

It needs to be comfortable, fit right and be practical.

After birth you’ll be failing more tender than usual, you may even have an incision, and you’ll have to deal with post-birth bleeding.

Fit

The fit of your underwear will depend on the size and style you have chosen. Ultimately you want the underwear to stay in the places you would like it to.

That means no riding up or rolling down, a common problem with plus-size underwear. 

A tighter fit can provide support but may also dig in and be uncomfortable. A loose fit can offer comfort but may not be very discreet under clothes.

Cleaning

This is important as you’ll need to keep your underwear free from blood or bacteria. 

You’ll want your underwear to withstand frequent washing and prevent staining. 

Underwear that is machine washable, stain-resistant, and odor-proof scores highly.

Support

Consider the areas where you would like to provide support.

You may want full abdominal support, especially for C-section to provide protection for your wound.

Support may also slim you down to help you fit back into your old clothes. Even perineal support can help stitches recover.

If you want minimal coverage, ensure the underwear provides enough support for a maternity pad.

Price

Like any underwear, you can get good performers for both budget and luxury price ranges.

If you plan to wear underwear through the end of pregnancy and postpartum, you should invest in a good pair.

If you want short-term use, then inexpensive underwear may be suitable.

Benefits of Good Postpartum Underwear

1. Support

Your underwear will provide support for your postpartum tummy or vagina. Women with cesarean or perineal stitches may fear them bursting open. Without good support, you will reduce that anxiety.

2. Protection

Coverage of your wound is important to prevent it from being bumped, or stitches snagged. If your wound is seeping, underwear can help to keep bandages or dressing clean and dry.

3. Cope with Postpartum Bleeding

You’ll need to wear pads to catch your postpartum bleeding regardless of your delivery.

Tampons are not recommended due to the risk of infection.

Thick or large pads are recommended to deal with the heavy flow for at least the first week. You’ll need underwear to accommodate using these, as unfortunately, a thong won’t cut it.

Check out our reviews on the best postpartum pads to use after birth.

4. Comfort

Postpartum panties are made from soft fibers and elasticated. This helps them to fit like a glove, a very comfortable glove.

Trust me; you don’t want to wear pants that dig into your most tender stomach or rub against your swollen crotch.

5. Save Your Lingerie

Do you use your nice lingerie when you’re on your period?

Good lingerie is expensive, and you don’t want to be using it to get stained with blood or mishappen from maternity pads.

Postpartum underwear will save your nice lingerie and you can even throw it away without feeling guilty.

5. Sweat Proof

Did you know that ‘Mom sweats’ are a thing after birth? You’ll sweat (and pee) profusely to get rid of all that extra water weight.

That may mean you get an extra sweaty crotch or bottom.

Sweat-wicking or breathable fabrics for your underwear can help to minimize any discomfort this will cause you.

6. Slimming

Postpartum compression or shaping underwear can help you pull in your tummy, waist, and hips.

These areas can be a little flabby after birth as you gain weight to support your pregnancy and breastfeeding.

By slimming them down, you can get back into your regular clothes and feel a little more human again after nine long months.

Postpartum Underwear FAQ

What is postpartum underwear?

You will wear postpartum underwear after birth. They are not regular panties. Postpartum underwear is will cope with:

• bleeding
• postpartum discomfort
• vaginal  or abdominal stitches
• support for your postpartum body

Regardless of what type of delivery you have, you’ll find a pair of postpartum underwear that will aid your recovery.

Do I need postpartum underwear?

No. That’s the simple answer.

You can use your regular underwear.

However, I strongly recommend you buy postpartum underwear to avoid your regular underwear getting stained and misshapen.

If you buy disposable postpartum panties, you avoid having to buy extra postpartum pads and trying to remove stains.

Think of how much your nice underwear would cost to replace if they get ruined.

The amount you’ll pay for postpartum underwear is a fraction of that price. It’s a bit of an upfront cost that will save you money in the long term.

Where to buy postpartum underwear?

You’ll probably find suitable postpartum panties in most big lingerie departments, pharmacies, or grocery stores.

I recommend you buy from Amazon.  They have a huge selection at the lowest prices, and it’s a discreet service.

Another big benefit to Amazon is they will let you return the underwear without issues, which other stores may not let you do.

The post 5 Best Postpartum Underwear Reviews appeared first on Stork Mama.

That pretty much sums up postpartum.

Regardless of the birth you have, you’ll be sore, tired and want to be as comfortable as possible.

I don’t want to scare you, because I know you’re at the stage of prepping for birth. And your focus is on what will happen during your labor. Or even making sure everything is ready for your little bundle of joy. But have you given any thought to your recovery after birth?

Let’s face it postpartum care is the forgotten ‘Cinderella’ period of pregnancy. Perhaps because you want to look forward to the positives, like an adorable new baby to squish and smell.

Mmmmmm ::new baby smell:: Sorry where were we?

Oh yeah, It’s all a bit taboo. Like periods. Nobody discusses it do they? I suppose it’s because most new moms are kinda embarrassed to talk about their leaky nips or swollen va-jay-jay.

Well, you’ve hit the jackpot because I’m a total pregnancy geek. And I love talking about postpartum. Actually, I most definitely overshare about postpartum and your bodily fluids.

I’m not gonna apologize for that. Because I think it’s essential for new moms.  I want you to know how you can prepare to make your postpartum easier. Nobody wants a slow postpartum recovery, right?

You need to know these things when you’re pregnant.

Why? Well, you’ll barely have a minute to yourself once your baby arrives. Make it a priority and prepare. Just like your birth plan or packing your hospital bag checklist.

I’ve gathered this list of items I think are pretty amazing for helping you to heal from birth.

Whether you are a first-time mom or a seasoned pro, I’ll prepare you for any postpartum leak, pain or surprises. Trust me you’ll learn something from this list you never knew happened after having your baby.

This guide is pretty awesome for new moms, so share the love and Pin it. That way you can come back to it later.

Let’s get started.

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25 Postpartum Care Essentials

For All Moms

These are essentials all new moms will benefit from. They take care of those postpartum issues you’ll need to deal with regardless of the type of birth you have.

1. Maternity Pads

Regardless of the type of birth you have, you will bleed after birth. It’s caused by the shedding of your womb as it shrinks back to normal size.

Maternity pads help you absorb and monitor your blood loss to ensure its normal. They also provide cushioning and protection for tender lady bits and stitches.

Check out my best postpartum pad reviews .

2. Postpartum Underwear

The underwear you choose for after delivery needs to handle your bleeding and protect your tender tummy and vagina.

Postpartum underwear offers comfort and support for perineal and C-section wounds (These ones are AMAZING!). For super convenience try disposable underwear, which doubles as a maternity pad and underwear.

Check out my favorite postpartum underwear reviews.

3. Pregnancy Vitamins

Nothing beats a healthy diet for helping your body to recover from birth. However, new moms are often so tired it’s easy to forget to eat or slip into a routine of ordering takeaway. Supplementing with pregnancy vitamins ensures your body is getting the right nutrients to recover and support breastfeeding.

Check out my top rated prenatal vitamin reviews.

4. Stool Softener

It’s common for a new mom not to have any bowel movement for up to four days after delivery. This temporary constipation is the result of weak tummy muscles, swelling, hemorrhoids or fear.

A high-fiber diet and plenty of fluids are your first port of call.

However, if that’s not cutting it a stool softener or mild laxative can help get things moving along, and reduce your ‘first poop’ anxiety.

5. Postpartum Girdle

A girdle may seem like something your grandma wears, but it works. A special postpartum girdle offers physical support for your back and tummy after birth.

Other benefits include helping with split tummy muscles, improving posture, reducing swelling and supporting stitches.

A posttpartum girdle can also help smooth out your lumps and bumps to get you back into your regular clothes.

Check out my best postpartum girdle reviews.

6. Bed Pad

Your postpartum recovery will leave you feeling like you leaking from every orifice. Bleeding, leaking nipples, excessive sweating.

That’s right. Excessive sweating. Bet no one told you about that treat!

Protect your mattress from any nasty stains or smells with a protective bed pad like this one.

They are available as disposable or reusable types, which absorb any leaks during the night. Plus it saves you needing to change bed linen every day.

Want to learn more about protecting your bed from postpartum leaks? Check out my fool-proof strategy here.

7. Compression Stockings

Excessive postpartum swelling is another joy you may experience. At worst compression stockings will reduce the discomfort in your legs and feet.

At best, they can prevent you developing a deadly blood clot after birth.

If you’re less mobile or had a forceps, ventouse or C-section, your doctor may advise you to wear these for up to six weeks after delivery.

8. Kegel Kit

Now let’s get done to the real nitty-gritty, embarrassing side of birth recovery: weak pelvic floor muscles.

These are the muscles which cause stress incontinence, painful sex, and prolapse in later life.

Strengthen these muscles with a weighted Kegel kit. You won’t be able to use it until six weeks after delivery, but we highly recommend this to improve your future gynae health.

Check out my top Kegel exerciser reviews for use after birth.

9. Painkillers

Don’t underestimate how sore you will be after birth. This may be from your C-section wound, vaginal stitches, perineal pain, muscle strain, after pains or breast pain.

Don’t assume your doctor will prescribe pain relief, have some available at home just in case.

For mild to moderate pain opt for paracetamol (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).

If you require stronger pain relief, you may need a prescription something like Percocet or Vicodin.

10. Water Bottle

Sometimes you need to remember to start with the basic to aid your recovery. This includes making sure you are drinking enough water at all times.

Make a large water bottle your best friend and it will pay off.

Keeping hydrated will improve your breast milk supply, reduce swelling, prevent headaches and improve your alertness even when tired.

Read: 9 Postpartum Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore

Postpartum Essentials for Vaginal Births

Natural, forceps and ventouse births are all classed as a vaginal delivery. Perineal care is a top priority as this is the most affected area.

You may also need to care for stitches due to tears or cuts. These items provide ease perineal discomfort and prevent wound infection.

11. Sitz Bath Soak

A Sitz bath is a shallow tub for the perineum (the piece of skin between your vagina and anus.

It offers many benefits, including improved hygiene, faster healing, and relief from pain, itching or irritation caused by stitches.

A postpartum sitz bath soak contains ingredients to reduce swelling and discomfort from delivery.

A shallow bath is suitable if the discomfort is mild. If the perineum cannot withstand your weight use it with a sitz bathtub on your toilet.

12. Donut Cushion

When your perineum is swollen and uncomfortable, it’s best to keep pressure off it.

A donut cushion helps you to sit down with any pressure on the perineum. This is a lifesaver if you have a tear or episiotomy stitches.

It also helps with relieving the discomfort of hemorrhoids causes the strain of pushing your baby out.

13. Cooling Spray

You’ll need to be prepared for when your bottom bits are hurting when you are out and about. Taking a sitz bath isn’t always convenient.

So try a cooling perineal spray to give your lady bits instant relief.

You may prefer a longer-lasting perineal balm however, they are best to use once swelling reduces as they can be uncomfortable to apply.

14. Numbing Spray

If a cooling spray just doesn’t cut it, then numbing spray is the way to go.

Numbing spray is a great option if your delivery has left you with perineal stitches or bad hemorrhoids. It helps to numb the area with a cooling sensation and also relieves the itchiness of stitches.

It works so well that some hospitals may even give you a can of this to take home with you.

15. Tucks Pads

All that fluid you have gained over nine months has to go somewhere, which means you’ll be peeing like a racehorse at first. The thought of having to wipe on such a tender, swollen and sensitive area may fill you with dread.

Witch hazel pads are a perfect alternative to harsh toilet roll.

They provide immediate relief from irritation and itching of stitches or hemorrhoids.

16. Peribottle

If you would rather use water rather than toilet roll or wipes to clean yourself, grab yourself a peribottle. Your hospital may provide you with a small, basic plastic bottle.

We recommend using a travel bidet type with a sprayer that can be directed at specific areas.

Use them when urinating to prevent your stitches or grazed areas stinging.

17. Perineal Cold Pack

Cold therapy is perfect for treating hot, swollen, tender areas on the body. Perineal cold packs are perfect for putting on top of a maternity pad.

They will instantly cool down the area and provide comfort and relief. They are available as single-use pads for short-term use, or reusable packs, which have washable covers.

18. Hemorrhoid Relief

Hemorrhoids usually develop in pregnancy and worsen with delivery. The strain of pushing causes blood vessels to dilate and piles to form.

Prepare for the worst with a hemorrhoid treatment. Popular treatments include creams, suppositories, and sprays.

If you want a more natural remedy try Butchers Broom.

Postpartum Essentials for C-Section Births

If you have a planned or emergency C-section, you will need post-surgery essentials. These items focus on wound care after delivery. These items will help heal your scar and prevent infection.

19. Scar Cream

It’s a given that your C-section wound will leave a scar on your tummy. The final appearance of the scar is down to your skin type and the surgeon’s skill.

However, a topical scar cream can be used, once the wound heals, to minimize the scar.

They work by hydrating the scar skin cells and encouraging new skin growth. This allows the old scar skin cells to shed and fresh skin to appear below.

20. Silicone Tape

The depth of a C-section wound can often cause the scar to become hypertrophic. This gives it a red, thick and raised appearance.

Good wound care can prevent this from happening. Studies have shown silicone tape  is very effective at reducing the appearance of scars.

This type of treatment is particularly good for preventing your scar widening over time.

Postpartum Essentials for Breast Care

Whether you choose to breast or bottle feed, your breasts will fill with milk after delivery. Breast care is essential to prevent any issues with breast discomfort or infections.

21. Nursing Pads

All new moms will leak breast milk a few days after birth. Nursing pads are like maternity pads for your breast, helping to absorb any leaks.

If you plan to formula feed, you only need a small supply, and if you breastfeed, you’ll need them until you stop.

Check out my guide to deciding between disposable or washable nursing pads.

22. Nipple Cream

It will take a few days for your nipple to ‘toughen up’ to baby’s constant feeding.

A nipple cream helps to create a moisture barrier for your tender nipple.

Good breastfeeding support  and nipple cream will help you speed up the healing of sore or cracked nipples caused by poor attachment or positioning.

Check out this guide to choosing the best nipple cream for breastfeeding.

23. Breast Therapy

Engorgement is one of those postpartum ailments all new moms have to deal with. Your breast will fill with milk if you choose to breastfeed or not.

Breast therapy pads can give you relief from engorgement. Heat them to encourage milk flow, or cool them to provide pain relief.

Click here for a guide to buying the best breast therapy pads.

24. Sleep Bra

As your breast fills with milk, it can make it uncomfortable to sleep. While you’re leaking, you will need to wear nursing pads overnight to prevent getting milk on your bed.

A nursing sleep bra is what you need. They are soft and comfortable with easy access to the breast for your baby if you are breastfeeding.

25. Handheld Massager

Breastfeeding engorgement is a real problem for all postpartum moms. Whether you choose to breastfeed or not, you’re gonna have engorged breasts at some point.

The best way to tackle engorgement is regular feeding. However, a good ol’ breast massage is a great way to keep those clogged ducts at bay.

The problem is that massage can hurt your fingers after a few minutes. This means your less likely to massage at the firm pressure your breasts need. That’s where a hand-held massager comes in handy.

A small hand massager , like this one, is fantastic for unclogging those ducts. You can even use it before a feed or pumping to get as much milk as possible for your baby.

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The post 25 Postpartum Care Essentials: Ultimate Moms Recovery Guide appeared first on Stork Mama.

Where you’re still pregnant or have a planned C-section booked, it’s best to prepare before?

Even with the best intentions of a vaginal birth, you may end up needing an emergency cesarean.

Now I don’t really need to tell you how little time you’re gonna have with a new baby right?

That means less time to browse the internet for awesome articles like this. Plus pretty much neglecting yourself to care for your little bundle of joy.

This guide is for all pregnant moms, to prepare for a C-section postpartum. You can also check out my guide to caring for vaginal stitches after birth.

First, we’ll talk about caring for your wound, products you should stock up on and any questions you may have.

Ready? Let’s do this.

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C-Section Scar Healing Care Guide

1. Personal Hygiene

Hand Washing

This one is a ‘basic’ step, but one which that’s easy for you to forget. Baby brain and all that!

I can’t stress how important hand washing is after birth. Your body is so exposed to infection, especially after surgery.

Plus you’ll be dealing with lots of baby poop, vomit and warm milk, which bacteria love. Your hands get dirty pretty quickly as a new mom.

Simple, regular handwashing is a must. Alcohol hand sanitizers are a great way to keep your hands sanitary too.

Wound Hygiene

Caring for your C-section car can be daunting, especially when it’s new. Check out these tips to help your C-section wound to heal fast.

Washing

Once the nurses remove your wound dressing, you’ll need to wash your scar daily.

It’s normal to have a postpartum belly overhang, which rests directly on your c-section wound. That creates a crevice that gets warm and sweaty and idea for bacteria.

I’d highly recommend using a mild soap or salted water until your scar heals.

The wound doesn’t need scrubbed, mainly since it will be tender. Try to use a soft facecloth which is only for your C-section wound to prevent the spread of bacteria.

You should also consider freshening up your wound through the day. This is important if you find the wound gets sweaty between washes.

Drying

After you wash, you need to make sure your wound is dry. Any damp skin is prone to bacteria.

It’s best to pat dry your wound with a soft towel. Rubbing hard will irritate your wound, and the fabric may catch on your stitches or staples.

A clean cotton t-shirt can be ideal for drying your wound. If your wound is too tender, dry it with a cold blast from your hairdryer.

After drying, try to give your wound time to air dry to promote healing.

Wound Treatments

There are lots of treatments that can be used to promote wound healing.

Honestly, I’d wait at least a week after birth to start using these types of products.

You need to give your body time to heal the wound naturally. Putting products directly on your wound in the early days may irritate and slow the healing process.

Once your wound appears to be healing well you can start to use home remedies to reduce scarring. Aloe Vera gel and Vitamin E capsules applied over your scar are great natural options.

Wound Pads

Your wound will be covered by a sterile dressing up to a week. Once this is removed your wound is then left to heal alone.

If you struggle to keep your wound dry or protected when the dressing is off I recommend using wound pads. Preferably sterile wound pads that you change regularly.

You simply place them over your scar for protection, comfort, and hygiene.

2. Comfort

Underwear

The first thing you need to do is opt for underwear that’s suitable for c-sections.

You can opt for big pants that cover over the top of your scar. The other option is low cut panties that cradle under your scar.

The best choice is down you your personal preference for underwear. Remember the underwear you choose must be suitable to hold a maternity pad for a few weeks.

Clothing

Remember I said to let your wound air dry as much as possible? Well, when you do have to wear clothes its best to make them ideal for your wound.

Opt for loose-fitting clothes that don’t put pressure on your wound and allow air to circulate to your wound. These will help you keep cool and dry, especially if you suffer from the dreaded postpartum sweats.

Smooth materials such as jersey or cotton are ideal to prevent your stitches or staple form snagging on the material.

A nightgown may be more suitable for bedtime, to prevent pajama bottoms from rubbing over your wound as you sleep.

Movement

Movement after a C-section can be a big issue. You’re sore and to put it bluntly feel like your inside are about to fall out. These tips will help your C-section recovery as a new mom.

Rest

It’s essential you get regular rest after your C-section. More so if you labored a long time before an emergency cesarean. Your body needs to recover and heal your wound.

Mobility

Moving around with your C-section wound can be scary and sore. Try to move around as soon as possible after delivery. Staying in bed too long can make you feel stiff and sore.

Movement is especially important after surgery to improve your circulation and prevent you from getting a blood clot.

Caring for baby

A section can make caring for your baby so much harder. Ask for help with lifting heavy equipment such as strollers or baby tubs.

There are two products I recommend for C-section moms to recover better. The first is a co-sleeping crib for easier night feeds without lots of bending. The second is a nursing pillow to protect your wound as you feed your baby, whether your breast or bottle feeding.

Travel

You will not be able to drive your car for 6 weeks after a C-section, due to insurance reasons. When you do travel via car take care when using a seat belt. The belt will cover over your scar area. Any sudden stops can make the belt dig into your tummy.

I recommend using a folded hand towel over the lap belt to provide a small area of cushioning. That way if you do get into an accident the towel won’t affect the function of the seat belt.

Exercise

It’s best to wait until your postnatal check up to resume any pre-pregnancy levels of exercise. Gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga is recommended once your scar heals.

Remember to stop and seek advice if you notice any pain or scar concerns while exercising.

You can start to do pelvic floor exercises as soon as you feel ready after delivery.

READ: 17 C-Section Recovery Essentials

3. Relief

Although they’re common, it’s easy to forget that a C-section is major surgery for you. These C-section scar healing tips will help you get some relief during your postpartum recovery.

Medication

Your doctor should prescribe you strong painkillers for pain relief after your C-section. My advice is to take them regularly in the first few days.

Yes, there will be times feel ok without them. But all it takes is a few hours of doing more to bring you severe discomfort.

If you can take it, I’d advise regular Advil to keep swelling down.

Homeopathic

If you prefer to go a more natural route for recovery, homeopathic remedies may help. Just make sure they do not interfere with any prescribed medication.

Some great homeopathic C-section remedies include:

Arnica

A common homeopathic remedy used for bruising and wound healing. You can take these as capsules or use in gel form and rub over your C-section scar.

I’d advise you to wait to use this after you’ve finished any course of anti-clotting medication as they may interact.

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera Gel is a great remedy to prevent itchy and swelling. Just like arnica, it can be used to rub over the scar wound.

Staphysagria

Staphysagria capsules are excellent for surgical healing. It may also help with postpartum depression caused by birth trauma.

Calendula

Calendula is perfect for C-section recovery as it’s antiseptic and promotes wound healing. It’s ideal if you want to prevent wound infection.

Thermal Therapy

Using thermal therapy is an age-old remedy to promote recovery and healing. The best way to do it after a C-section is with a thermal pad. This is how it can help you:

Cold

Cold therapy can be great for those first few days after a C-section. The cold helps to reduce swelling over your wound and provide relief from itchy wound healing.

Cold can also help reduce your postpartum sweats and prevent bacteria from growing near your wound.

Heat

Heat therapy can be great for long-term aches and pains from your C-section. Once the initial pain subsides, you may start to notice more muscular aches from delivery.

A warm pad or bath can encourage blood flow to your wound and promote healing.

4. Seeking Advice

Your caregiver should give your wound care advice and a follow-up plan before you go home with your baby.

Observe

Once your wound dressing is off, it best to check your C-section scar daily. You can do this as you wash it down. Try to have a look in good light and use a mirror if it’s difficult to see.

Sign to look out for on your wound are:

• Severe redness, heat or swelling
• Oozing pus
• Areas extremely painful to touch
• Offensive smells
• Unhealed areas or ‘gaps.’

Also, monitor how you are feeling physically. Flu-like symptoms indicate you have an infection. Check my article for postpartum warning signs to keep you safe.

If you do notice any of these signs get a medical review immediately. It’s likely your wound needs to be examined and treated for infection with antibiotics.

Don’t put this off as postpartum infection can make you severely ill within a short period.

Follow up

It’s important you attend any postpartum follow up after birth.

Depending on the type of closure you had, this may be a few days after birth to remove stitches or staples.

You can discuss any ongoing issues with your C-section scar with your doctor.

It’s an ACOG recommendation for you to have a check-up at 3 weeks postpartum with a further check-up at 12 weeks post delivery

8 C-section care products

These are products I recommend you stock up on to promote good C-section scar healing postpartum.  These postpartum products will help keep you comfortable and help your recovery.

Underwear

Protecting your C-section scar is essential after your wound dressing is removed. The aim of the game is to keep your underwear line off your C-section wound.

The problem is most regular underwear sits right where your C-section wound will be.

You have two options: the big panties that go over your wound, or the smaller panties that go under your wound.

You want good quality underwear that will handle maternity pads and won’t pull on your stitches.

Tummy Pads

Once your baby is born your belly will look a little like a deflated balloon.

As your skin goes back to normal, it can create a little mom pooch. The excess skin hand over your C-section wound. Mix that in with the postpartum sweats, and it can be difficult to keep your wound dry.

I highly recommend sterile tummy pads. They also protect your wound if you’re nervous about anything banging your tummy as it heals.

These are great if you’re overweight or have a lot of loose skin from previous pregnancies or weight loss.

Wash cloth

Preventing infection in your C-section wound is essential for fast healing.

I always recommend C-section moms have a soft face cloth which is used only for wound cleaning. Trust me you’ll use it a few times a day in the first weeks.

That means no sharing with the family or using on using it on the rest of your body.

It cuts sown on your risk of passing bacteria into your wound. Plus a nice soft washcloth, like these ones, will prevent your stitches being irritated, pulled or snagged when you wash.

Thermal pack

Your C-section can leave you feeling swollen, bruised and achey.

I’ve discussed the benefits of thermal therapy for C-section recovery above. Having a thermal pack to hand is a great natural way to help your healing.

You’ll more than get your money’s worth with these thermal packs. They’re a great addition to your first aid kit as a new parent.

Vitamins

Not only will you be recovering from birth but also surgery too. The best way to aid you healing is to eat a healthy diet.

But let’s be realistic, you’re a new parent, and you’ll probably grab a few cookies between your 20^th cup of coffee each day.

A good vitamin supplement can help you to get your recommend daily nutrients. You know for those days you choose a 20-minute nap over cooking a meal.

Scar cream

The appearance of your C-section scar will depend on your genetics and the surgeon’s skill.

Once your wound has healed you may want to aid the appearance with a scar cream.

These creams can provide moisture to your healing skin layers, to reduce the appearance of your scar.

Nursing pillow

Feeing your baby can be a bit of a nightmare when you have a C-section wound.

Your tummy is so tender, and you need to rest your baby on top of it.

I recommended all C-section moms get a nursing pillow, whether you choose to breastfeed or formula feed.

The pillow will cover a cushioned area over your tummy to support your baby and protect your wound.

Postpartum girdle

A favourite of C-section moms is a postpartum girdle.

These can provide a lot of support for your tummy muscles that feel like your insides will fall out weak.

I wouldn’t recommend using one until your scar has healed to allow for airing and good circulation to your wound.

C-section Scar Healing FAQ

How long will it take my C-section scar to heal?

You C-section wound should be fully healed by 6 weeks after birth.

Usually, stitches or staples can be removed from 5 days after birth. Your wound should remain closed after they are removed.

Unfortunately, some moms may never have a fully healed wound and may suffer ongoing wound issues.

If you feel your wound isn’t feeling well discuss this with your doctor. You may be referred for further treatment to heal your C-section wound.

Why is My C-section scar itchy?

It’s common for surgery wounds to itch as they begin to heal. It’s caused by cut nerve endings and your body forming the scar.

Pubic shaving before the surgery can result in irritation as the hair grows back.

Make sure it’s not your clothes, detergent or toiletries that are irritating. Keep a close eye on your wound for signs of bacterial or thrush infection.

To ease the discomfort try using ice packs, soap-free body wash or a hypoallergenic moisturizer.

Try not to itch the wound as this can lead to slow healing.

My C-section scar is smelly, is that normal?

Your wound area may smell a little sweaty (like a tummy button smell) if you don’t wash it regularly.

If you are sweating a lot, you may need to wash it more than once a day. A quick wipe with mild soap and water will do.

If your wound smells really foul, it needs to be checked by medical staff immediately. This is a sign of infection, and most likely you’ll need to be treated with antibiotics.

My C-section scar feels Numb

Unfortunately, the numb scar feeling is normal after a C-section. Your nerve ending in this area are cut during the surgery causing this sensation.

You may eventually regain the sensation around your scar. However, you may also suffer permanent sensation loss around your wound.

If you are worried about your healing process discuss it with your doctor during your postpartum review.

What will my C-section scar look like when it heals?

This will depend on the type of incision your surgeon makes during delivery.

The most common is a lower uterine C-section. This will leave a thin scar around 6 inches long. The scar will be just on your bikini line where your underwear band rests.

A vertical scar will leave a thin scar around 4-6 along. The scar will go from below your belly button to your bikini line.

Rarely a combination of the both will be required. This will leave an inverted T shape scar on your lower tummy.

You may want to discuss what your doctor’s surgical preference is during one of your visits. That way you’ll know what to expect should your require a cesarean birth.

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Summary

Birth recovery is hard, never mind throwing surgical recovery into the mix.

Being prepared to look after a C-section scar can speed up your postpartum recovery.

This guide will help equip you with the knowledge to speed up your C-section scar healing.

Follow this advice, and you’ll give your body the best start to motherhood.

The post C-Section Scar Healing Care Guide appeared first on Stork Mama.

If you’re a first-time mom, probably not.

What I want to know is why the postpartum sweats are such a big fricking secret.

Seriously, no-one tells you about these bad boys.

Perhaps it’s the taboo, icky, sweaty grossness that nobody wants to admit to.

Well, not me.

It’s my mission in life to tell unsuspecting pregnant moms about the postpartum night sweats.

Why?

Because they can make you totally miserable after you’ve giving birth.

That’s right, I’m saying you’re gonna get as little sleep as possible with a new baby. And the sleep you do get, you’ll wake up drenched in sweat!

Postpartum sweats are the worst.

But know that you don’t have to deal with this issue alone.

I created this guide for you to learn about the postpartum sweats, and how to cope with them.

Remember and pin it, so you can come back to it later. You know like when you wake up soaked during the night!

Let’s do this.

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9 Ways to Cope with Postpartum Night Sweats

1. The right Pajamas

You might consider sleeping in the nude to keep cool, but that’s not the best solution during postpartum.

The problem is you’ll be bleeding and probably leaking breast milk.  You ’ll, At least, need underwear and a sleep bra.

If you wear pajamas, you’re gonna want to opt for a sweat-wicking fabric. Usually, you think of cotton as the first natural option, but I think bamboo fabric is a better choice. It’s super soft and very comfortable to sleep in.

I love this set by Pajama Heaven. They don’t look like your grandmas nightwear and the cami top is easy to breastfeed in.

2. Cooling Bed sheets

As with your bed clothing, your sheets are a layer that’s gonna cover you during the night. You want to opt for natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo sheets. I love these ones.

Try to avoid using synthetic fibers or microfibers. They don’t allow the air to circulate and cause you to heat up during the night.

Keep your bedding as light as possible. You may want to keep any extra pillows or blankets off your side of the bed during the night.

3. Use a Bed Pad

I’d highly recommend getting a bed pad to protect your mattress during postpartum. Not only does it stop those nasty yellow sweat stains, but prevents staining from your bleeding or breast milk leaks.

Now, you can use an old towel, and although it will keep you dry, it isn’t waterproof for your sheets and mattress. Using disposable chux are another option, but I found these made my night sweats so much worse.

My favourite postpartum item of all time was my quilted bed pad. These are amazing for keeping you cool and dealing with the sweat drench. I’d even recommend getting more than one so you can use one while the other is washed.

4. Get a Mattress Topper

Do you have a memory foam mattress? Well, it could be making your night sweats worse. This type of mattress can cause a rise in your temperature. The way it works is by using your body heat to mold the mattress into your shape.

Now you don’t need to get a new mattress just for a few weeks of discomfort. What I’d suggest is to buy a mattress topper as a buffer to the memory foam. This is a great inexpensive option.

5. Drink water

It may sound silly to recommend drinking water when your body is trying to get rid of fluid. The truth is that you need to keep hydrated, especially if you are breastfeeding.

If you don’t drink your body holds onto fluids for longer because it’s unsure if it will be replaced. That means you’ll cause your night sweats to last longer.

If your urine is dark yellow before bed or first thing in the morning, you are dehydrated. Make sure you drink more during the day. Try drinking a glass or two more than you normally would and see how it makes a difference at night.

6. Keep cool

Keep your sleeping environment as cool as possible before you go to bed and as you sleep. You can do this by

• Opening up a window
• Turning up the AC
• Using a fan in your room

This can be quite tricky as you need to make sure the room is warm enough for your baby. Oh yeah and maybe your partner too. Or feel free to tell him to suck it as your suffering after delivering his beautiful offspring.

The sweating can make it hard for you to judge the room temperature. Is it actually hot or really cold? A room thermometer like the GroEgg is a great way to make sure you’re following safe sleep advice for your baby.

If you’re able to splash the cash, consider using a bed cooling system like the BedJet. If you live in a hot climate it’s a good investment to get a better night’s sleep.

7. Use powder

Do you remember your Grandma using talc powder when you were younger?

That’s probably because it helped her control help menopausal sweating and stopped chafing.

Old ladies have got sweating tricks down. Using powder makes you much more comfortable during the night.

Now I’d recommend you don’t use a talc powder as these are found to be harmful, especially around your baby.

Look for a good modern ‘dusting powder’ like this one from Ora’s Amazing Herbal. I love the lavender scent one as it makes you feel even more relaxed during the night. Plus the lavender and clary sage is known to help night sweats.

A light dusting over your body before bed can help you feel much more comfortable during the night.

8. Avoid triggers

Be aware of certain trigger that can worsen your night sweats.

Common causes include:

• Spicy foods
• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Alcohol
• Excessive Stress

Try to cut down on these and see if it reduces the sweating overnight. If you notice a particularity bad night, you might want to keep a note of what you ate that day. You may start to notice a trend with particular foods.

9. Use a Spray

If you need instant relief, use a cooling spray. You can keep a can at your bedside and use it when you overheat during the night.

Another option is to make your own spray with essential oils. Popular choices are clary sage, lavender, and peppermint mixed with witch hazel as a carrier.

You can even spritz your homemade spray over our bed sheets to benefit from the oils overnight.

Read: Prepare Your Bed For Postpartum Leaks

Postpartum Night Sweats FAQ

What are the Postpartum Night Sweats?

If you’ve just had your baby and find yourself sweating excessively in bed at night. You gots a bad case of the postpartum sweats.

For some reason, this sweating happens more as your sleep, hence the ‘night sweats’ title.

It’s important not to get the night sweats confused with a postpartum infection.

If you are sweating during the night, feeling slightly unwell and have a temperature, get help immediately. Postpartum infection is very common but needs urgent treatment. Don’t hang about.

What Causes the Postpartum Sweats?

Your pesky pregnancy hormones are the reason you sweat so much after you’ve had your baby. They have the task of getting rid of all the extra fluid you were carrying during pregnancy.

If you had a lot of IV Fluids during labor you may have it hard for the first few days. Plus you’ll be peeing like a racehorse.

Although we can’t give hormones all of the blame other causes of postpartum night sweats may be:

• Overheating in bed
• Existing medical conditions
• Current medications
• Using a memory foam mattress

How Long do postpartum Night Sweats Last?

Postpartum sweats can start as soon as your baby is born and last up to 4-6 weeks. After this time, your hormones should return to normal pre-pregnancy levels.

As your body gets rid of the fluid the sweats should lessen each night.

When Should I see a Doctor?

Postpartum night sweats are common and affect most women. You don’t need to see a doctor unless you notice any concerning symptoms.

You can read my guide to postpartum warning signs. Be vigilant, don’t fob all symptoms off as being hormone changes. If you have niggling doubts, get a check-up.

If you’re postpartum sweats last longer than 6 weeks you should tell your doctor at your postnatal check-up. The night sweats may be caused by medication or undiagnosed medical conditions such as thyroid disorders, diabetes or postpartum depression.

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Summary

Postpartum night sweats are difficult to deal with.

You’re already sleep deprived and your healing body is making your sleep quality a whole lot worse.

It should only last a few weeks after birth. However, there are things you can do to make yourself more comfortable.

Follow my 9 tips for a more comfortable night’s sleep. I promise you’ll start to feel like yourself soon.

And until then, you’ve got this Mama.

The post Postpartum Night Sweats: New Moms Guide To Coping appeared first on Stork Mama.

Yes, I know that’s one of the most random questions someone’s asked you during this pregnancy.

Trust me, a week into your postpartum you’re gonna thank me.

I’m gonna tell you about how to set up your bed to protect it during your postpartum.

And if that seems a little OCD to you, it won’t after I tell you about the one thing your body does A LOT during postpartum.

Leaking. Yes, I did say leaking. Urgh, What?

Your body leaks from pretty much every orifice during postpartum.

Never trust those lovely photos of postpartum moms dressed top to toe in white, with white bed sheets. Err yeah, that just doesn’t happen.

Let’s look at what body fluids love to escape from you during postpartum.

Types of Postpartum Leaks

Bleeding

You should probably know by now that you’re gonna bleed for a few weeks after you have your baby. All moms do, whether you have a vaginal or a C-section birth.

Yep, you enjoy those nine period-free months, and now you gotsta pay back your dues.

The bleeding comes from the area where your placenta separates inside. Your womb will then shrink back to its normal size. The flow will be pretty heavy for a week or so, then starts to get less.

Breast milk

Now you’ve got your baby; your body wants to feed them. Whether you choose to breastfeed or not, you’re gonna make breast milk.

Around 3-4 days after birth, your boobs will fill with mature breast milk, and it’s gonna want to escape. Get prepared for the tell-tale wet patches on your tops.

If you don’t breastfeed, it will pass in a day or two. But if you are breastfeeding, your boobs are gonna leak randomly until your supply establishes. This leaking can last for around 6-12 weeks. And even after that, the leaking suddenly reappears when your baby has a growth spurt.

Night Sweats

I find it to be my mission to tell unsuspecting moms-to-be about the postpartum sweats.

Why does no one ever tell you about the all the frickin sweating!

I was so unprepared for this one. Sometimes at night, I’d wake up soaked. The blood I could deal with, but the sweats had me beat.

And the worst news is they can last for up to 6 weeks postpartum.

Incontinence

Your new baby is a darling, but their birth can do some real damage to your body.

Birth plays havoc with your pelvic floor muscles. And those are the ones that control your bladder.

It’s common to experience some bladder control issues after birth. That means you may dribble a little bit of urine if you don’t anything strenuous like coughing, sneezing, or heavy lifting.

You need to start looking after your pelvic floor. That means doing your Kegels regularly. It can take 3 to 6 months to recover these muscles after birth.

Related: How to Cope With Your Postpartum Night Sweats

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6 Ways to Prep Your Bed for Postpartum Leaks

You’ll see that Mother Nature wants you to get very familiar with bodily fluids when you have a baby. You know, it’s as if she thinks constantly cleaning up dirty diapers and baby vomit all day isn’t enough.

Learn from my mistakes; I was so not prepared for any of this. My mattress and sheets were unfortunate victims during this time. But I’m gonna share my strategy from my second and third babies, to save your bed.

Give me high five, for not having to change your bed sheets daily, or scrubbing gross yellow sweat stains out your mattress.

1. Mesh Pants

The bleeding is gonna be your biggest battle. It’s heavy and bright red, and it will make the most mess.

The battle plan is to arm yourself with those huge mesh panties for the first week. Your hospital may provide you with some, so fill your bag with them before you go home.

If you need to get your own supply, I recommend these, they are good value and work really well.

Now I know wearing an adult diaper is not something you thought you’d be dong at this age. But hear me out.

Mesh pants take care of two postpartum issues. First off they deal with your heavy bleeding and prevent leaks. Second, they are disposable, so you can chuck them away and save your nice underwear.

Once your bleeding changes from red to pink, you can use cheap underwear and maternity pads instead.

2. Nursing pads

The first layer of protection against the boob leakage is to use nursing pads.

These are small circles of fabric you put into your bra to absorb leaking breast milk. They are available as disposable and reusable pads. If you’re unsure which ones to get, check out my guide to nursing pads here.

I’d recommend using them with a sleep nursing bra during the night. A good sleep bra is clasp-free and comfortable to sleep in. Plus it holds to pads and allows easy access for feeding your baby overnight.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you won’t need nursing pads. Your breasts fill up when you go for longer stretches overnight. And the slightest touch or your baby crying will make you leak.

Imagine these small leaks like you pouring a capful of milk onto your mattress every day.  Gross right? Milk is sweet, sticky and goes sour. Plus bacteria love to live in milk.

Your nursing pads will stop all those little leaks even reaching your mattress when your asleep and unaware it’s happening.

3. Chux Pads

When you have your baby, you’ll see maternity staff using lots of those disposable incontinence pads they call Chux.

Nurses and Midwives love these because they deal with all manner of postpartum leaks. Plus you can use them for diaper changes too.

Before you leave the hospital take a few home with you. They are great for using at home in those first few days when you’re bleeding heavily.

You can simply chuck them away and don’t need to worry about washing anything. That’s right; you don’t need to do laundry, that’s words every postpartum mom wants to hear.

If you can’t get any from hospital stock up on some before your baby arrives. That way they’ll be ready for you when you get home.

Read: The Best Postpartum Underwear Reviews

4. Quilted Bed Pad

This is my secret weapon for postpartum. The quilted bed pad.

Now I love Chux. They are awesome for dealing with the initial heavy bleeding. However, my biggest problem with them was the plastic backing made my night sweat so much worse.

As I was breastfeeding, I needed along term bed pad, but I couldn’t stand using the Chux for more than a few days. I tried using a towel to sleep on instead, but the material was too thick and bunched up.

Enter the quilted bed pad. Seriously, this pad changed my postpartum life.

I got better sleep because I wasn’t so worried about leaking all over the place during the night. Because it’s absorbent, I wasn’t sleeping in a wet patch and waking up uncomfortable. Then if it got stained, I chucked it in the wash, rather than needing to strip my whole bed sheets.

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

5. Dark Bed Sheets

Do you want to be sleeping on your expensive, high thread count sheets when you’re leaking everywhere? Nope, didn’t think so.

I’d recommend changing your bed linen to an older set if you have one. That way if it gets ruined you can just chuck it out.

If you have white or light colored sheets, consider buying a cheap set of dark, cotton bedsheets until postpartum passes.

It will save you having to scrub out stubborn stains, and once you’re done, you can pack them away for your next pregnancy.

Be sure to try and get cotton sheets as mixed blends can cause you to overheat and make your night sweats worse.

For a good quality and budget-friendly set check out this one from Amazon Basics. Now that one is cheap, but it’s made from polyester.

If you want to keep cool, go for cotton. I’d recommend this reasonably price set from Cottington Lane.

6. Detergent

If you don’t want to opt for any of my suggestions above, at least have a good detergent on hand.

If you get blood onto your sheets, you’re gonna need to act fast to stop it staining your linen.

I personally love the 3-in-1 Tide Pods for getting blood stains out easily.

I recommend using a biological detergent (one with enzymes), so it breaks down the blood well. Just be careful if you have really sensitive skin as a biological detergent will irritate you. The alternative is to use a non-bio detergent, but it may not clean the stain so well.

Remember the blood may have leaked through onto your mattress, and you’ll need to scrub that too.

Use 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Spritz it over the stained area and then rub it with a dry towel. Repeat this until the stain is gone. Then, leave the mattress to air dry before you put your bedlinen back on. Your mattress will be as good as new.

Now seriously, all that sounds like waaaay too much unnecessary work for a new mom. So don’t let it get to that stage and follow my prevention steps before then! To buy the items I’ve suggested click the photos below.

Summary

Postpartum brings with it a few problems you have to deal with. Mainly all the leaking!

Blood, milk, sweats, and probably a few tears too!

By preparing your bed before baby arrives, you’ll save yourself a lot of work.

Protect yourself and your bed from the leaks, and you won’t need to scrub, wash or replace expensive bed linen.

Plus you’ll get a more comfortable nights sleeps even when the night sweats are in full force.

Now get yourself prepared Mama, you’ve got this.

Want to remember these tips? Then Pin it to your baby Pinterest board now.

The post 6 Ways to Prep Your Bed for Postpartum Leaks appeared first on Stork Mama.

What essential products do you need for a  c-section recovery?

If you have a cesarean birth planned, it’s essential you prepare for the recovery. As with any major abdominal surgery, you’ll take a while to recover.

After a C-section, you have to think about wound care as well as general postnatal recovery.

Preparation is the key to a quick recovery. If you have things on hand for the post-op period, you’ll breeze through it.

I’ve put together this list of C-section recovery items to aid you post-op healing. Pin it, so you have a handy list when packing your hospital bag.

Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, you can prepare for anything your postnatal recovery will throw at you.

Pin For Later – C-Section Recovery Essentials

17 Post C-Section Recovery Essentials

C-Section Body Care Esssentials

These are the essentials you need to take care of your body after delivery. We’ll tackle the basic items essential for both postnatal and post-op care.

1. Maternity Pads

Even if you have a cesarean, you will bleed after delivery. Lots of first moms think that having a cesarean means avoiding the dreaded postnatal bleeding.

You bleed to shed the lining you’re your womb has used to grow your baby over the last 9 months. The bleeding should be like a heavy period for a week or two post-delivery.

You’ll need heavy duty maternity pads, to cope with the heavy flow. They will help you to observe the bleeding and check for signs of infection after your surgery.

Want to make dealing with the bleeding even easier? Grab yourself mesh panties, like these, instead. Then you can forget dealing with stained underwear or leaking pads. Easy peasy.

2. Nursing Pads

Your body will make breast milk if you plan to breastfeed or not. Around 3-5 days after delivery you will start to leak milk. This is the time your mature milk comes in.

Nursing pads are like sanitary towels for your nipples. They catch all those pesky leaks and keep your tops wet-patch free.

If you plan to formula feed, you’ll only need a small supply until your milk dries up in a few days.

If you plan to breastfeed, you can choose from disposable or reusable breast pads.

3. Tummy Pads

You’ll notice the theme of leaking body fluids, which pretty much sums up postpartum.

After birth, your tummy will sort of deflate, and the loose skin can cause a tummy overhang. This apron can be a problem with a c-section for keeping the area dry as it heals.

Now you can discover the the magic of using absorbant tummy pads for the first week after your caregiver removes your wound dressing. Place the pad on top of your wound to keep it dry from the dreaded postpartum sweats.

These are particularly useful if you are overweight or have a lot of loose skin or muscles from previous pregnancies.

4. Compression Stockings

You will probably be given medical-grade compression stockings to wear after your c-section. This is to prevent you from developing a blood clot (DVT) after surgery due to being immobile.

Six weeks is the suggested length of time to wear them until your body returns to its pre-pregnancy state.

Hospital issue stockings are usually ugly white ones that get dirty easily. I suggest buying your own set for at home, if you love socks with fun patterns you’ll love these ones. You can also get ones that look like pantyhose to wear with regular outfits, and in between washes.

Just so you know you’ll need the 20-30mmHg gradient. These are medical grade and most suitable for post-surgery use, anything less is not effective to prevent postpartum blood clots.

Read: C-Section Wound Healing Guide

5. Big Underwear

Bridget Jones size underwear is essential after a cesarean. Wearing full briefs will keep the elastic of the underwear from rubbing on your caesarean wound.

Preventing irritation or pulling of the stitches promotes healing until your caregiver removes them, or they dissolve.

If big underwear isn’t your usual style, try using disposable maternity underwear, which combines large underwear with a maternity pad.

Find out what postpartum underwear I recommend here.

6. Bed Pad

The postnatal period consists of fluid coming out of every possible area of your body. You’ll bleed, sweat and leak breast milk for the next six weeks.

The leaking won’t stop a bedtime, so you’ll want to protect your mattress and bedsheets.

Using a protective bed pad keeps your sleep area clean and hygienic enough to prevent infection in your wound.

You can buy disposable or reusable pads depending on your budget and need for convenience.

Want to know more about how to protect your sheets and mattress form postpartum leaks? Check out my strategy here.

7. Soft Washcloth

Wound hygiene is essential to prevent an infection from forming in the area.

Use a dedicated washcloth for your wound only and not all over the body. A soft and smooth washcloth, like this one, will prevent pulling your stitches/staples, or irritating your wound.

It’s common to have a tummy overhang after delivery, which harbors sweat and bacteria. Use the facecloth to freshen up the wound area during the day.

Remember to rinse and dry the cloth between uses.

Related: Postpartum Recovery Essentials For All Births

C-Section Side-effects

A cesarean will leave you feeling tender and sore for at least a week after delivery. Keep on top of any issues with these items to battle common post-surgery issues.

8. Pain Relief

You will be giving regular pain relief from the hospital after your surgery. This medicine is usually a cocktail of mild and strong painkillers such as Percocet and Advil.

You are likely to be given a supply of this medication home with you. Make sure you have a good supply, so you don’t run out when you need it most.

9. Peppermint Oil Capsules

A common side effect of a C-section is severe trapped wind. This sensation can be extremely uncomfortable and painful.

My top tip is to stock up on peppermint oil capsules now. Heathers Tummy Tamers are amazing for getting rid of trapped wind, bloating and discomfort.

Another natural alternative is to drink peppermint tea. It helps you increase your fluid intake and ease trapped gas.

Regular use of peppermint extract is known to reduce breastmilk supply, so be careful if you struggle with low milk levels. However, you will only need a few doses to shift the trapped wind.

10. Stool Softeners

After your surgery, you may feel like your insides will fall out with the slightest movement. The thought of taking your first poo after delivery fills you with dread.

It’s normal not to go for the first 4-5 days after delivery. I recommend eating a good diet rich in fibre, lots of water and stool softeners to prevent constipation.

11. Thermal Pack

Any surgery can lead to swelling and bruises at the wound site. You may even feel a slight burning sensation of your wound.

Using a cold pack can help to reduce the swelling and any bruising during the first day or two after surgery.

Switching to heat therapy can help your wound to recover by reducing the pain and improving the blood flow to heal the area quickly.

Related: 9 Postpartum Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore

Long-term C-Section Recovery

Once the initial few days are over, you’ll probably start looking forward to recovering from your C-section. Getting your body back to its non-pregnant state will take time.

These items can give you a helping hand.

12. Vitamins

The best way to recover from your surgery is to eat a healthy diet. However, let’s be realistic; you’ll be exhausted and barely remember to eat some days.

Using a vitamin supplement will help to top up your diet and ensure you get those essential vitamins for recovery and breastfeeding.

Your caregiver will inform you if you need to take any additional supplements such as iron before you go home.

13. Scar Cream

Once your stitches are removed, and your wound is closed, you can aid the healing.

The final appearance of your scar will depend on your body type and the surgeon’s skill.

However, you can give your scar a helping hand by regularly moisturizing with an amazing scar cream or oil.

The ingredients help to minimize the skin layers below and minimize hardened scar tissue, which can be uncomfortable and unsightly.

READ: Postpartum Rest Secrets for Type A moms

14. Nursing Pillow

Most moms find lying down a great position for breastfeeding after a cesarean. However, if you don’t like this position, or you’re planning to formula feed, you should feed sitting upright.

Holding your baby on your tummy during a feed can be painful on your wound.

Use a sturdy nursing pillow to support baby and take the pressure away from your tummy.

15. Co-sleeper Crib

Getting in and out of bed to tend to your baby a few times a night can be painful. Even bending over a crib can hurt your wound.

A co-sleeping crib is an ideal for having your baby right by your side with no need to bend or sit upright. I love that your baby will have their own safe space to sleep in when you finish a night feed.

Honestly, a co-sleeping crib was the number one reason I was able to breastfeed so long, and still feel refreshed after lots of night feeds.

Some great options are the Arms Reach Range or the Halo Bassinest.

Check out my huge guide to co-sleeping cribs here.

16. Postpartum Girdle

Support for your tummy is a godsend after your C-section. A slight cough, sneeze or laugh will make you think your insides are falling out.

A postpartum girdle is a great way to provide support for your weakened muscles.

They also help your bleeding, swelling and can smooth out your tummy so you can get in your pre-pregnancy clothes.

17. Pelvic Floor Exerciser

Pelvic floor exercises are still necessary after a cesarean.

You may think they are only for a vaginal delivery. However, you need to reverse the strain your pregnancy put on your pelvic floor. Likewise, you may also experience bladder problems after your section.

Using a kegel kit will help you strengthen your pelvic floor and prevent future health problems with a prolapse or incontinence.

Want To Remember these C-Section Recovery Essentials? Pin It To Your Postpartum Pinterest Board Now.

The post 17 C-Section Recovery Essentials You Need To Heal Fast appeared first on Stork Mama.

As your body changes back to its non-pregnant state, it can throw a few curve balls. Most changes are minor or due to hormone changes, but others can be fatal if ignored.

In the US 30% of maternal deaths occur postpartum. The worrying thing is this number is rising each year.

Your body will show symptoms that you need help. Your caregivers will monitor you in the hospital for these postpartum warning signs. However, do you know what to look out for when you get home?

When you get home from the hospital, you are often focusing on your new baby. Your health usually gets pushed to the side. Often new moms can put tell-tale postpartum warning signs down to being a new mom.

I’ve haven’t written this article to scare you. However, it’s essential you know what postpartum changes are normal for your body and those that are not.

You need to look out for your health postpartum and what to do if you are concerned.

This guide is quite long, so I highly recommend you Pin it or bookmark it for later. That way you can read it over your pregnancy without becoming overwhelmed.

Pin for later

9 Postpartum Warning Signs to Look Out For After Birth

1. Emotional state

After birth, you’ll experience feeling a bit low, tearful and anxious. These emotions are all completely normal for new moms.

A sudden change in hormones and lack of sleep cause these intense feelings. These symptoms usually start three days after birth and continue for around two weeks.

You’ll hear people refer to this as the ‘baby blues.’

If you experience these feelings for longer or more than these symptoms, it could be the sign of two further conditions.

Postpartum depression

It can be quite tricky to diagnose postpartum depression as it’s often gradual. You may not even realize you are suffering postpartum depression. You are more likely to develop postpartum depression if you have existing mental health issues, poor support or a recent stressful life event.

It’s difficult to predict who will suffer postpartum depression, as the change to motherhood can be the trigger.

The typical symptoms of postpartum depression are:

• constant feelings of sadness or low mood
• being unable to enjoy life or your baby
• fatigue and low energy
• difficulty bonding with baby
• sleep problems
• loss of appetite
• becoming withdrawn
• poor concentration or decision making

If you feel like you are suffering from postpartum depression, it’s important to seek help and support. Speak to your partner and family or friends for support. Also, inform your doctor, they may prescribe therapy or medication.

Your baby will not be taken away from you if you have postpartum depression. Your caregiver will want to support you and give your family the best start in life.

Postpartum Psychosis

A lesser known mental health condition is postpartum psychosis. It’s very rare, but when it happens, it’s a medical emergency.

Symptoms usually present within a few days up to 2 weeks but may present later than this.

Again you are at higher risk if you have existing severe mental health conditions or strong family history. Half of all women who suffer postpartum psychosis don’t have any risk factors.

Classic postpartum psychosis symptoms include:

• hallucinations and delusions
• extreme high and low moods
• confusion
• extreme paranoia
• depression symptoms (see above)
• out of character behavior
• thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Postpartum psychosis is an emergency situation and requires urgent medical attention. You’ll likely be admitted to a psychiatric ward.

You’ll need medication such as antidepressants, antipsychotics or mood stabilizers. Psychiatric therapy will be required. Recovery usually takes 2-12 weeks but may take up to a year.

Your caregivers will put support systems in place during your recovery. After one episode, you are 50% more likely to experience postpartum psychosis in a future pregnancy.

2. Heavy Bleeding

Regardless of the type of birth you have, you should expect to bleed after delivery. It will start as soon as your baby is born and will last for up to six weeks. This bleeding should initially be no more than the heaviest day of your period.

The flow should then begin to settle to a minimal discharge after a week or two. For more detail on what to expect postpartum check out my postpartum bleeding guide.

Heavy bleeding is a warning sign that you are having a postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). A PPH is Continuous bleeding that won’t stop. Depending on how much you lose it may be a minor or major PPH.

There are many risk factors for PPH, so your caregiver should inform you of this before birth, or give let you know that you are at higher risk due to your delivery.

Straight after birth, you will bleed as your placenta detaches from your womb. You may even be given an injection to control how much blood you lose and to help your placenta deliver.

The causes of heavy postpartum bleeding are:

• Your womb is not contacting well
• You have some placenta, membrane or clots preventing the womb contracting
• Bleeding from a cut or tear
• You have a rare anti-clotting blood condition

The blood loss may happen suddenly, or slowly over a few hours. Without treatment, the bleeding will not stop, and you will go into shock (see signs at the end of this guide).

There are two types of PPH.

Primary PPH

A primary PPh will happen within the first 24hrs of delivery. The most common cause is that your womb is too weak from labor to contract well. This type of bleeding will usually happen in the presence of a caregiver. They may not be with you at the time you start to feel ill. It’s important to call for help immediately if you feel unwell or notice your bleeding is heavy.

A PPH is an emergency situation so expect a lot of people to come into your room to deal with the situation. They may give you medication, IV fluids, take blood, massaging your uterus and insert a catheter.

Secondary PPH

A secondary PPH is Any heavy bleeding from day two up to six weeks postpartum. The most common cause is a small piece of placenta or membranes left in the womb.

This type of bleeding is rarer and more likely to happen when you are at home with your baby. If you are soaking more than one maternity pad an hour or passing egg size clots, get urgent help.

A Secondary PPH usually occurs over a few days but becomes dangerous as it doesn’t stop. You are more likely to experience stomach cramps, pain, offensive bleeding and large clots with a secondary PPH.

If you think you are having a PPH at home call 911 immediately, especially if you have signs of shock.

3. Pain

Pain is a common postpartum problem.  Most women will experience muscular aches and pains after birth. A C-section delivery will result in higher levels of post-surgical pain. Normal postpartum pain can be treated with rest and mild painkillers

Let’s look at a few causes of pain.

Afterpains

After birth, your uterus contracts to return to its original size. This contraction causes a cramping sensation known as ‘after pains.’ You’ll notice these more with future pregnancies. It’s also common for them to be stronger when you breastfeed.

Afterpains are normal and can be relieved by heat pads, or mild painkillers, just like period pains. They should begin to settle after a few days to a week.

Backache

A sore back is common postpartum, as you begin to reuse muscle weakened by pregnancy.  You may also experience this from poor breastfeeding posture.  Heavy lifting of baby products such as strollers and tubs can cause repetitive strain on your recovering body.

If you have ongoing back issues after an epidural, you need to contact your doctor. They can have you reviewed by an anesthetist or a physiotherapist for exercises.

Headache

A spinal or epidural during birth can cause a severe headache post birth. This headache is so severe you’ll struggle to sit up or move around. Its caused by leaking of your spinal fluid from the needle site. Although not an emergency you need an urgent review from an anesthetist.

First line treatment for post-dural headaches is pain relief and bedrest. Some may require a procedure known as a blood patch. This procedure involves injecting a little bit of your blood over the affected area to block the leak.

Another cause of postpartum headaches is a condition known as pre-eclampsia. There are other symptoms involved with this condition which I’ll discuss below.

Constipation

It can take a few days to open your bowels after delivery. If your poop becomes impacted, it can become excruciating and cause severe stomach cramps. You may find my guide on constipation useful for tips and, medication to help you go.

Infection

Endometriosis is an infection of the womb which is common after birth. Infection is more common if your waters have broken for a long time before birth, or you had a C-section delivery.

Tummy pain accompanied by common signs of infection:

• fever
• pain
• offensive bleeding
• heavy bleeding
• feeling unwell (cold or flu-like)

You will need to be treated with antibiotics to treat the infection. Depending on how severe the infection is this may be oral antibiotics or require a hospital stay for IV antibiotics.

Read: 25 Postpartum Essentials for a Quick Recovery

4. Wound issues

If you had a C-section, forceps, episiotomy or tear, then you will have to care for a wound postpartum. Signs of poor wound healing include:

• Inflammation
• tenderness around the wound
• redness
• deep wound pain
• gaping areas
• green pus discharge
• offensive smell
• feeling unwell

Let’s discuss the two types of postpartum wounds.

Perineal wound

A perineal wound is caused by having an episiotomy or a tear during a vaginal delivery. A perineal wound can be tender, swollen and painful to sit on.

Try using painkillers, sitz baths, and ice therapy to soothe your perineum as it heals. It can take up to six weeks for your perineum to heal.

It’s essential to avoid infection in this area as it can come into contact with bacteria from poo. If you notice any of the signs of poor wound healing (above), seek help for antibiotic treatment. Your wound may also need re-sutured.

If your perineum is excruciatingly painful, you may have a hematoma.  It’s a sizeable blood-filled blister which forms inside the tissues. These can fill with a significant amount of blood and causes the same symptoms of shock seen in a PPH.

Seek help immediately as a hematoma requires draining in a theatre environment with re-suturing of the wound.

Read: Caring for Vaginal Stitches after Birth to Prevent Infection

C-section Wounds

You will have an abdominal wound after a C-section delivery. Healing of this wound is essential as it leads directly to your womb. Your wound may be tender to touch and movement for up to 6 weeks post-surgery.

If the wound gets infected, you are likely to contract endometriosis (discussed in the pain section).

You may be given a dose of antibiotics during your C-section to prevent this happening. Your dressing is usually removed in 2 days post-surgery.  Airing the wound promotes healing and prevents infection.

Keeping the wound clean and dry will prevent infection. If you have a skin fold covering the wound, a dry dressing can keep the area free from moisture.

Observe the signs of infection above. Again these need to be treated with antibiotics to help the wound heal.

A Hematoma (blood filled lump) or abscess (pus-filled lump) can also develop on a C-section wound. These are rarely drained from a C-section wound unless excessive and causing you severe pain.

Seek a medical review if you have pain or sign of infection and feel a hard lump near your wound.

Read: 17 C-section Recovery Essentials To Heal Fast

5. Anemia

Postpartum anemia is a condition caused by low iron levels in your blood. A significant blood loss after delivery is the most common cause of anemia after birth.

Routine blood work will detect if you have low iron levels. It’s easy to treat anemia with iron supplements or an IV iron infusion.

The trouble is that anemia can go undetected as symptoms can be put down to being a new mom. Untreated anemia can put a lot of stress on your body as it prevents vital oxygen being carried around in your blood.

Anemia can also make you more susceptible to postpartum infection and low milk supply when breastfeeding.

Signs of anemia include

• severe fatigue/lack of energy
• rapid heartbeat
• breathlessness (with activity)
• pale skin
• dizziness/fainting
• poor sleep
• leg cramps

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor for blood tests to check for low iron levels.

Read: 11 Tips to Recover from Postpartum Anemia

6. Postpartum Preeclampsia

You’ve probably heard of preeclampsia in pregnancy, but it can still appear postpartum. Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes dangerously high blood pressure and protein in your urine.

Symptoms develop over a few days or weeks. Left untreated it will cause seizures and other life-threatening complications.

Symptoms to look out for are:

• High blood pressure
• protein in your urine
• a headache (usually frontal) that don’t resolve with painkillers
• vision changes- blurry, flashes or spots, light sensitivity
• severe swelling – especially face, hands and feet
• Pain under your right ribs
• nausea or vomiting
• poor urine output

These symptoms will usually present within 48hrs of delivery. This means you are likely to still be in the hospital if it happens. However, it but can even present up to six weeks postpartum. Although it’s rare, you can develop postpartum pre-eclampsia without having any symptoms during pregnancy.

If you are at home when you experience any of these symptoms, contact your caregiver for an urgent review. Unless you have a blood pressure monitor at home, you won’t know if your blood pressure is high until you get checked.

If you have ongoing blood pressure issues or a stong family history of pre-eclampsia, consider buying a home monitor. Wrist blood pressure cuffs, like this one, are fairly inexpensive although it is best to use an arm cuff monitor.

If your blood pressure is over 140/90, you will need to give blood and urine samples for diagnosis. You may need to be admitted for further observation and bed rest. The first line of treatment will be blood pressure medications. You may also be given a drip to prevent seizures.

7. Thrombosis (Blood Clots)

This condition is when blood clots develop in your blood vessels. They slow or stop the flow of blood. If the clot dislodges and travels to your lungs, it can become fatal.

During postpartum is the time thrombosis is most likely to occur. Your body is designed to clot well after birth to stop your losing lots of blood. Unfortunately, this means you are at higher risk of developing blood clots.

Lack of movement due to C-sections, traumatic births or bed rest can cause slowed blood flow. If you are at higher risk of developing clots, your doctor will prescribe blood thinning injections and compression socks. These will help improve your blood flow and prevent clots.

A DVT can develop up to 6 weeks postpartum. There are three main areas they are likely to develop: leg, pelvis or lungs.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

A DVT is most likely to appear on your leg. With postpartum women, this is often your left leg. However, it may develop in your right leg.

Common symptoms to look out for on your legs are:

• swelling (one leg looks bigger than the other)
• pain (especially when flexing your toes to your shin)
• tender to touch
• warm, red spot on the leg (usually at the back below the knee)

A DVT may also appear in your pelvis, although this is a lot rarer. The symptoms of a pelvic DVT are often mild and often passed off as postpartum aches and pains.

Look out for:

• Pain in your pelvis (mild or severe)
• Ongoing lower back pain on one side
• Enlarged veins near the pelvis
• Heavy aching on one side of your pelvis

If you think you have symptoms of a DVT contact your doctor for an urgent review. Try not to be overly active until you see a doctor as it may dislodge the clot.

You’ll have blood tests and scans performed to diagnose a DVT. Treatment will be ongoing treatment with blood thinners as well as keeping mobile and hydrated to improve blood flow.

Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

A pulmonary embolism is a condition that can develop if you have a DVT that is left untreated. A PE means you have a blood clot in your lung. Usually, this blood clot has detached from a leg or pelvic DVT and traveled to the lungs.

A pulmonary embolism can be fatal if left untreated.

Common symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• shortness of breath
• signs of shock
• collapse

If you start to experience symptoms of a PE, call 911 immediately. Inform your partner or family to do this if you have DVT symptoms as your condition may change quickly.

Once diagnosed you will be admitted to hospital. You may be given medications to dissolve the clot. Other treatments include surgery to physically remove the clot.

8. Breast problems

Breast problems can occur whether you choose to breastfeed or not. Your breasts will fill with milk for your baby until you signal you don’t need it. If baby does not empty the milk from the breast, it can cause painful breast conditions.

These conditions are more likely to happen if you do breastfeed, as your breast continue to fill and empty.

Let’s discuss the common breast problems during postpartum.

Engorgement

One your mature milk comes in your breasts fill with milk. Until your or baby empty them, they continue to swell and become hard to touch.

You’ll experience this around day 3-4 whether you breastfeed or not. Your chest will feel massive, heavy and warm.

You’ll likely leak milk at the slightest touch or even if your baby is crying. The pain and leaking is your body signaling to feed your baby.

If you choose not to breastfeed, keep your breasts cool, supported and take mild painkillers. Don’t express milk off; it signals to the body your baby needs it, and you’ll make more.

If you are breastfeeding put baby to the breast often. Your breast should start to feel soft after a few minutes. You might even hand express off a few drops until the breast softens.

If you experience regular engorgement even with regular feeds, seek help from your midwife or a lactation expert. The problem may be that your baby is not draining your breast during a feed.

Blocked Ducts

The inside of your breast is made of ducts, similar to orange segments. These ducts can become blocked if the milk isn’t draining correctly during a feed. You will feel this as a triangle shaped lump on your breast.

A blocked duct may be caused by a tight-fitting bra digging into your breast tissue. Make sure you have a good supporting nursing bra which doesn’t dig in.

To resolve a blocked duct, try massaging that area of the breast. Then latch baby onto the breast for a feed. You can continue the massage as baby feeds.

Once the ducts unblock, the pain will stop. Seek help from a lactation specialist if you continue to have issues with blocked ducts.

Mastitis

If engorgement or blocked ducts are left untreated, it can lead to mastitis. As your breast fill the trapped milk is forced out of the ducts into the breast tissue. Mastitis can occur in one or both breasts.

You’ll notice mastitis on your breasts with these symptoms:

• Pain
• swelling
• redness
• hot hard and tender to touch
•  fever
• feeling unwell (flu-like symptoms)

It’s best to continue breastfeeding your baby with mastitis as stopping can make the problem worse.

If you don’t feel feverish, get a lactation specialist to make a feeding assessment. They will help resolve the problem and prevent it returning after the mastitis resolves.

If you begin to feel feverish, seek help from your doctor for a review. It’s likely you’ll need antibiotics to clear up the mastitis.

If you do require antibiotics, I recommend seeing a lactation specialist to ensure the problem doesn’t return.

Read: 7 Essential Maternity Bras You Need

Breast Abscess

Without treatment for mastitis, it can turn into a breast abscess. This is a pocket of pus which fills in the breast. An abscess can also develop if your body doesn’t respond to treatment for mastitis.

A breast abscess gives the same symptoms as mastitis. You will probably be able to feel the abbess inside your breast.

If you think you have a breast abscess you need to seek urgent help from your doctor.

Your breast will be scanned to diagnose an abscess.

A breast abscess is treated by draining the pus with a needle or making a small cut into the breast tissue. A doctor will do this procedure as a day case under local anesthetic. You will them start on a further does of antibiotics to clear up the infection.

Breast Thrush

If you have cracked or damaged nipples, you may develop breast thrush. It’s a fungus that thrives in warm, sugary environments. You may pass the thrush onto your baby who will show symptoms in their mouth.

Breast thrush symptoms include:

• Shooting pain in your nipples
• itching or burning nipples
• red or shiny nipples
• deep breast pain

Also check your baby for symptoms including:

• white patches in the mouth (not milk)
• fussiness at the breast
• red, bumpy diaper rash

You are more likely to suffer from breast thrush if you are taking antibiotics while breastfeeding.

To treat thrush, you’ll need medicated ointment for both you and your baby. If you get treatment for one but not the other, you will continue to pass the thrush back and forth when feeding.

Your doctor will be able to prescribe nystatin or miconazole for your baby’s mouth and your nipples.

9. Toilet trouble

Going to the bathroom after delivery can be scary. You’re sore and probably have stitches which you’re worried about.

The worst thing you can do is avoid eating and drinking well to hold off going to the toilet. This delay can lead to a few problems which you don’t want to have to add to your recovery.

UTI

It can be common to develop a urinary infection after birth. Lack of fluids can lead to a build-up of bacteria, especially if you have a wound from stitches.

Common urinary infection symptoms include:

• Burning sensation passing urine
• a small amount of urine
• dull ache in your lower abdomen
• offensive or cloudy urine
• feeling unwell

If left untreated, a bladder infection can spread to your kidneys. Without getting oral antibiotics to clear the infection you are likely you become so unwell you’ll be admitted to hospital.

Urinary Retention

If you are entirely unable to pass urine after birth, you may have urinary retention. This is a severe condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Its more common postpartum as pushing, birth damage or catheter use can cause issues with the bladder emptying.

You’ll need a bladder scan to show that you are not retaining urine even after peeing. If you still have urine remaining you may need an indwelling catheter to rest your bladder.

You’ll also require follow up from a physiotherapist to make sure your bladder function returns to normal.

Loss of sensation

A loss of the urge to pee requires attention. You may even lose the feeling when you are peeing, resulting in leaking.

Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause the loss of sensation. However, this symptom can signal damage to your bladder during birth.  Begin doing your Kegel exercises after birth, and make an appointment to discuss any leakage with your doctor at your postpartum follow up.

Your doctor may refer you to a physiotherapist or a gynecology specialist for further treatment.

Read: How to make your Pelvic Floor Stronger After Birth

Hemorrhoids

Piles are a common condition to develop postpartum. Pushing during delivery causes stress on the rectum, leaving to the swollen blood vessels that cause piles.

Piles can be extremely painful, and also cause rectal bleeding. Although this can be alarming it’s not an emergency situation.  Increasing your fluid intake and using a hemorrhoid treatment like Dr. Butlers ointment will reduce them over a few days.

If any problems continue to seek a review from your doctor.

Getting help

If you don’t feel right, your instincts are often right. Not all the conditions in this guide require emergency help but may do if left untreated. Use the infographic below to know how soon to get help. If you start to experience a few of these signs of shocks call 911 immediately:

• Feeling clammy or cold
• Pale skin
• Confusion
• A racing heart
• Dizziness or fainting
• Nausea or vomiting

Remember to tell any caregiver that you have had a baby recently and what symptoms you are experiencing. This will help them to treat you quickly should you deteriorate further.

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The post 9 Postpartum Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore appeared first on Stork Mama.

What?! There is more come after baby is born?

Let’s simplify it by saying that once your baby is out, your body is going to go through a lot of changes, very quickly. The reality is, you will be feeling like a hot mess.

The first 24 hours after your baby is born, will be a whirlwind. Quite frankly, your body will throw everything at you. However, if you know what to expect, it won’t be such a big shock when it happens. Keep reading to find out common things that happen after birth that new moms don’t expect.

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What to Prepare For After Birth

1. Bleeding

The thought of bleeding after baby is born can be really scary. Your body will actually prepare you for this when you are pregnant. By the time you delivery you’ll have 50% more blood in your system. This means that your body will cope better with any bleeding after baby is born.

If you are at higher risk of losing a lot of blood after birth, your caregiver will be well prepared. Hemorrhages are handled very quickly by birth professionals, as they deal with them all the time.

You will continue to bleed for 2-6 weeks after your baby is born. Postpartum bleeding will happen even if you have a cesarean section. It’s similar to a period and caused by your womb returning to normal size.

It’s important to monitor your blood loss until it settles. You may be losing too much, have leftover parts of placenta or an infection. This is why it’s important to wear sanitary towels (I  love these) so you and your caregivers can see your blood loss.

Want to skip ruining your underwear, gross laundry when you get home or leaking during the night? Opt for mesh underwear, like these. They are comfortable to wear, and you can just throw them away after use.

2. Cramps

Remember we discussed your womb returning to its normal size? When you aren’t pregnant your womb is tucked inside your hip bones. After you have your baby it will sit just above your belly button.

Your body needs to work hard to get it back down to its regular size. It’s a process call ‘involution’.

Your body will continue to make your womb contact until it’s back to normal. These contractions cause a cramping sensation known as after pains.

For first time moms they are usually really mild, and most don’t notice them. If you’ve had a baby before, these pains are a lot more noticeable.

In fact, moms often compare them to the contractions you’ll feel during labor. This is because your womb loses more tone with each baby to have.

You’ll also notice them more if you are breastfeeding your baby. That’s because a suckling baby will release oxytocin (yep that again!) which aids contractions.

Although after pains totally suck, they are your body’s way of controlling any bleeding. Your womb is usually back to normal within a week after birth.

I recommend dealing with them the same way you would with period pains. Using heat pad, like these, gentle massage or mild painkillers will give you relief.

3. First Breast Milk

Whether you choose to breastfeed or not, your body will produce breast milk. Straight after birth the first type of milk is known as colostrum.

This won’t look like the white, watery milk you are used to. It’s thick, sticky and cream or yellow coloured. You may produce a lot or very little, and leak milk inbetween feeds. It’s always best to be prepared with some nursing pads – these ones are hands down the best.

Most moms don’t notice colostrum as it’s made in very small volumes. This means your breast will still feel soft to touch. Some moms find hand expressing a good technique to learn, and it helps you see your milk.

Even if you don’t plan to breastfeed, consider giving colostrum until your ‘mature milk’ come in around 3 – 4 days after birth. Colostrum is jam-packed with antibodies. These will protect your vulnerable baby from infection before their immune system gets stronger.

4. The First Pee

You’ll probably be nervous about your first pee after your baby is born. More so if you’ve had stitches. After a vaginal delivery, everything is swollen and sore.

A lot of moms are scared to pee, so they drink less. This makes urine more concentrated, and the more it stings. It’s a vicious cycle. Keeping hydrated will make your urine really weak and prevent stinging.

A great way to ease the sting is to pour water over your vagina as you pee. You can use a jug or a peri-bottle to target specific areas. This will also help to keep the area clean and prevent infection in stitches or a UTI.

Your pelvic floor muscles are put through paces in pregnancy and labour.  C-section Mamas this includes you, as a catheter can cause bladder control issues. You may notice small dribbles of urine when you laugh, sneeze or cough.

It’s really important to start doing your Kegels as soon as you feel ready. This will prevent any future issues with incontinence.

READ: 25 Postpartum Recovery Essentials

5. The First Poo

Similar to doing a pee, the thought of your first poo probably fills you with dread. The good news is that it usually takes about 3 days to happen.

It’s best not to over think it. You may feel like you’re going to poo shards of glass, or your inside will fall out. Again, keep hydrated and maintain a healthy diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and fiber.

You may want to consider using a stool softener (this brand are highly recommended) to put you at ease. Your healthcare provider can prescribe you some, especially if you have stitches.

If you’ve developed haemorrhoids from pushing, you should use a topical treatment. This Dr Butlers cream is ah-mazing! This will reduce the swelling and pain from that area and make it easier for you to go.

My top tip is to wait until you feel the urge. Using a maternity pad, hold it against your vagina and gently push up, to give you a feeling of support. Don’t strain, just take your time. The more you relax the quicker it will happen.

Once you get past the hurdle of the first one, you’ll feel an overwhelming sense of relief.

6. Sweating

This is one of those postpartum issues that no-one ever tells you about.  As long as you don’t have a fever or feel unwell, it’s completely normal to sweat a lot after birth.

When you are pregnant, you gain a lot of fluid (remember to cope with bleeding at delivery). Once baby is born your body needs to lose this fluid.  The easiest way to get rid of the fluid is by peeing and sweating it out.

You may actually get really swollen. Don’t cut back on your fluids. Your kidneys are working really hard to get your body ‘back to normal’. Making yourself dehydrated just stresses them more.

Wear lightweight, breathable fabrics to keep your body cool and aired. The sweating often gets worse at night. I highly recommend getting a bed pad to protect your mattress from sweat stains (and bleeding).

It can take around 8 weeks for the sweating to slow down. If you don’t notice any signs of improvement, your doctor may want to assess you for a hormone imbalance.

7. Getting Stitches

Once your placenta is out, your caregiver will want to inspect your vagina for any damage. This may be a tear, or if they performed an episiotomy (cut) before baby was born.

There are lots of different areas you can tear from. That means they will need a good look, to ensure you don’t need any stitches.

Some tears may heal on their own without any stitches. Deep tears may need you to go to theatre to be repaired. This often needs done quickly as it can be the main cause of heavy blood loss.

I have two excellent guides for stitches: how to prevent them and how to look after them. Go check them out (or pin for later).

• Tearing During Birth – What Other Moms Won’t Tell You
• Vaginal Stitches after Birth – Ultimate Care Guide

8. Uncontrollable Shaking

This one may take you by surprise. After your baby is born your body can start to shake uncontrollably. It doesn’t cause any harm other than giving you a fright. You may be scared to hold your baby for fear you will drop them. Make sure your birth parent is close by to offer physical support.

A sudden change in hormones is the main cause. Plus you’ll have a big drop in body temperature as your baby delivers.

It won’t last long, however, can continue for a few minutes. As long as your vital signs are normal, it’s best just to make sure that you are warm enough. Keep yourself wrapped in a blanket and skin-to skin with baby will really help.

If you have IV fluids or ongoing pain relief, such as an epidural, this can cause issues with lowering your body temperature or blood pressure. Your health care provider may be able to adjust these to make you more comfortable.

9. The Placenta

It never ceases to amaze me that women forget that birth isn’t over when your baby is out.

You’ll still need to deliver the placenta (or afterbirth). This is known as the third stage of labour.

You may be offered an injection of hormones to encourage your placenta to deliver quickly. This will also help to control heavy bleeding and prevent you from losing too much blood (haemorrhaging).

A lot of first-time moms think the placenta delivers with the baby, but this rarely happens. It can take anything from a few minutes to an hour for the placenta to come out.

You’ll feel a full sensation in your vagina. A gentle push will help the placenta deliver. Your caregiver may use a gently pulling technique known as controlled cord traction. Most women don’t find this painful, more like a feeling of relief.

Occasionally the placenta will become ‘stuck’ to the inside of the womb. This is known as a retained placenta. If this happens, you’ll need to have the placenta removed in a hospital theatre by medical staff.

10. Still Looking Pregnant

Regardless of your pre-pregnancy size, you will still look pregnant after your baby is born. Forget how quickly the celebrities snap back to a size 0, this isn’t typical. I remember going to a store a few days after my second child was born and the cashier asking when I was due. Cue a hormonal mess as I explained I just had my baby.

Straight after birth, your tummy will feel really weird. It will be soft a squishy. Plus you’ll weirdly miss all those kicks, and rib jabs that gave you sleepless nights.

Remember, your womb needs to go back down to size. Plus you still have extra weight and fluid you’ve gained over 9 months of pregnancy. Don’t be harsh on yourself and expect it to disappear quickly.

Breastfeeding is a great way to burn up extra calories as well as eating a healthy diet. Once you feel ready add some gentle activity into your daily routine, such as walking with your new baby.

11. Vomiting

It’s common to feel really queasy after delivery. This is more likely to happen if you received an injection to deliver your placenta; you’ve had an epidural or a c-section.

A change in your blood pressure or hormones is the main cause.

If all your vitals are normal, and you’re not bleeding, your caregiver won’t be concerned. They will be able to give you some medicine to prevent the sickness for a few hours.

If you continue to feel sick after any medication has worn off, this is a greater cause for concern. You need to report any sudden onset of vomiting to your caregiver as it can be a sign you have an infection.

12.Mixed Emotions

Everyone talks about how amazing it is to see their baby for the first time. Don’t feel bad if you don’t feel an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness at delivery.

Having a baby is hugely overwhelming. The reality you are now responsible for a tiny bundle can leave you feeling a bit emotionally paralysed. Coupled with the sheer mental and physical exhaustion of giving birth.

This can often leave moms worried they won’t bond with their baby. The truth is most moms are like ‘WTF just happened?!’ after their baby is born. It passes quickly.

Once you’ve had something to eat, a shower and a nap, you’ll feel like a new woman. You’ll soon be cooing over your little ones every breath.

If you feel concerned or overwhelmed about your feelings, talk to someone you trust. It’s important to have support in place if your mood continues to be low.

The post 12 Surprising Things To Prepare For After Birth appeared first on Stork Mama.

If so, you’re probably now dealing with postpartum anemia.

This caused by low iron levels that’s making you feel exhausted, irritable and downright rubbish.

As if we don’t already have the short end of the stick with sleepless nights, constant feeds, poor diet and a household to run.

If your iron levels are low it can affect your life beyond your health. Let’s look at ways you can deal with postpartum anemia. These are great tips if you’ve just given birth or you’ve had a big blood loss in a previous pregnancy.

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11 Ways to Cope with Postpartum Anemia

1. Take Supplements

Depending on how low your iron levels are you should start to take iron supplements. You can opt for capsules, liquid or chewable forms. You’ll need to take around 2-3 tablets a day to get your levels back to normal.

Finding a good iron supplement for you can be a bit hit or miss. Certain types of iron can give you a really upset tummy or make you feel sick. Look out for brands which are labeled as non-constipating or slow release.

Our favorites are the Ferro-Sequels one a day, or check out our other top iron supplements here.

2. Eat Iron Rich Food

Even if you are already taking supplements, you have to remember they are a diet aid. That means you should still change your diet to include iron-rich foods. The best sources of iron come from animal protein such as meat, poultry or fish.

You can also get iron from vegetables, fortified cereals and whole grains. Plant-based iron doesn’t absorb as well into the body but can still boost your daily intake.

3. Get Follow Up

Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with postpartum anemia or you feel rubbish at home. See your caregiver if you continue to feel run down and symptomatic of anemia.

It may mean you need to change the brand of supplements you are using, or that further bloods are needed. If your iron levels continue to drop you may need an iron IV drip, injections or a blood transfusion.

Your caregiver may also be able to monitor your diet to ensure you are getting the right amount of iron and where you can make changes.

4. Cut down on the Tea

Or coffee for that matter. Both contain an ingredient known as tannin, which can slow the absorption of iron.

If you also drink a lot of milk, then the calcium can slow your absorption of iron from your food.

We recommend cutting down your daily intake or preferably stopping until your iron levels increase. If you can’t go without, try only drinking your tea or coffee in between taking your iron supplements.

5. Get Rest

You should try to get as much rest as possible to help your body recover. If your partner has parental leave then let him do the bulk of the work.

Try not to be superwoman, you’ll end up out of action for longer. Rope in family and friends to help out too. They will be around a lot in those early day. Don’t let them leave you to act as a host.

If possible get them to bring around a meal do a chore, or look after baby whilst you have a nap.

6. Watch Your Mood

You’ve probably heard of postnatal depression. Studies have shown that there is a definite link between being anemic and developing postpartum depression.

Anemia causes fatigue and low milk supply when breastfeeding. These can both leave you feeling overwhelmed. Especially if your baby is not settling and you are feeling exhausted.

If you’re feeling low then discuss your moods with your caregiver. They will help give you more advice, medication or support groups to attend.

7. Go Natural

If you are not keen on taking supplements for anemia then try a natural cure. Blackstrap molasses has been used for centuries to improve anemia symptoms. It’s really rich in iron and can help to boost your iron levels quickly. It’s suitable for a diabetic as it has a low glycaemic index, unlike refined sugar. Its sweet taste means you can use it in your diet as a sweetener.

Another alternative is to use a Lucky Iron Fish when you are cooking. It’s a cast iron fish you add to your cooking pot or mug of hot drink. It releases iron into your food and drinks so you get an easy dose. Plus it’s reusable so you can buy the device for around the same amount as a bottle of iron supplements.

These are great options if you simply can’t tolerate any iron supplements. Also if you are vegetarian or vegan and want to avoid using any animal-based products or fillers.

8. Vitamin C

Fill up on Vitamin C rich food to boost your iron absorption. This includes fruits such as oranges and strawberries. Some people like to take their iron supplement with orange juice to boost the amount absorbed.

The Vitron-C iron supplements combine an iron with vitamin C, so you only need to take the one tablet.

9. Drink More Fluids

The health benefits of a regular water intake after birth are amazing. If you’ve lost a lot of blood it’s important to keep your circulation flowing. If you become dehydrated you put yourself at risk of developing a blood clot.

Water can also increase your energy levels and prevent UTI’s which are common with anemia. Iron supplements can make you constipated, which you can tackle with regular fluids.

Don’t go excessive with the water as this can dilute your blood too much and make you feel worse. Aim to drink around 2 liters (half a gallon) of fluid a day.

10. Stool Softener

If regular fluids aren’t tackling your constipation problem then try a stool softener. You probably won’t poo for around 4 days after delivery.

If you are bunged up longer than this you may need a little help. Stool softeners are great for getting things moving along. We’d recommend the Colace capsules. They work well and you get them for a great price on Amazon.

If you’re brave you can even opt for some prune juice to get more nutrients and increase your fluids at the same time.

11. Monitor Infection

Anemia can increase your risk of getting an infection. Your immune system is lowered and has less chance of fighting off any nasty infections. Tears, C-sections wounds and milky breasts are all heavenly places for bacteria to breed quickly.

If you start to feel unwell, have a fever, shivering or see signs of infection then contact your doctor or midwife.

These are usually quickly cleared up with antibiotics, however, can make you seriously unwell if left untreated.

The post 11 Ways to Cope with Postpartum Anemia appeared first on Stork Mama.