Postpartum care guidelines for healthy physically and mentally

After passing the childbirth phase, the mother still needs to take care of her breastfeeding baby. Postpartum care, especially normal delivery, can be done by the mother in any way that suits her comfort.

So, how to take care of the body or body after childbirth that new mothers can do?

What are the treatments that can be done after giving birth?

Both women who give birth by normal vaginal delivery or by cesarean section need postnatal care.

Post-caesarean section care usually includes the treatment of cesarean section and caesarean section scars.

However, here will be explored in more about the care after (post) normal delivery.

Maternal self-care after (post) normal delivery can include self-recovery, managing rest periods, to managing mood (mood).

Here are various treatments that mothers can do after giving birth:

1. Pay attention to the condition of the vagina

The mother may experience changes in the vagina after a normal delivery.

This can occur because of childbirth scars, so it can take several weeks for the vagina to completely heal.

Usually, the vagina will feel dry after giving birth. Mother does not need to worry because this condition is normal.

The cause of vaginal dryness after childbirth is due to decreased levels of the hormone estrogen in the body.

In addition, the bladder usually fills more quickly with fluid from the kidneys.

That is why it is important to urinate immediately as one of the efforts to care for the mother after (post) normal delivery.

Avoid delaying the urge to urinate after childbirth.

Because if it is delayed, a catheter may be placed in your body to help drain urine from the bladder.

If vaginal dryness does not improve for more than 12 weeks, you should talk to your doctor further.

2. Postpartum blood care after normal delivery

The postpartum period is an advanced phase that the mother must go through after giving birth.

During this period, the mother usually experiences puerperal bleeding or what is commonly known as lochia.

In contrast to postpartum hemorrhage, lochia or postpartum blood is considered normal for postpartum mothers.

Lokia usually occurs for about 40 days or about 6 weeks with the color of postpartum blood that varies from the first to the last day.

Launching from the Mayo Clinic page, lochia contains blood and membranes left over from labor.

3. Treatment of vaginal pain after childbirth

A normal delivery process leaves an incision scar in the vaginal area.

Like most wounds, these incisions may cause pain in the vagina for some time.

Treatments that mothers can do regarding vaginal incisions after (post) normal delivery include:

Sit on a soft pillow.
Compress the vaginal area with ice cubes wrapped in a towel or sit on a pillow filled with coolant placed in the area between the vagina and anus (perineum).
If available, bathe in a bathtub filled with warm water for a few minutes.
If you are more comfortable using cold water, you can choose cold water instead of warm water for bathing.
Take pain relievers according to your doctor's advice.

4. Get enough rest

Taking care of a newborn baby can be very tiring. If you are not good at managing time, you may often experience sleep deprivation.

Therefore, one of the mother's care after (post) normal delivery that mothers can do at home is adequate rest

Here are some tips for rest as maternal care after (post) normal delivery:

Go to sleep when your baby is asleep

Try to rest when your little one is asleep while still making sure the baby feels safe and comfortable.

Even though on the other hand you are tempted to do various other household chores that are no less important, resting yourself for some time is much more beneficial.

By the way, don't you fall for the myth that states that mothers after giving birth should not take a nap. The reason is, taking a nap after giving birth is fine.

In fact, it is highly recommended if your baby is also asleep at these hours.

This is because sleep helps restore stamina thereby speeding up the recovery process after giving birth.

Understand your baby's sleep patterns

The phase when your baby wakes up several times a night will not last forever.

As babies get older, their sleep duration usually takes longer.

Find out more about how ideal your baby's bedtime is to help you regulate your bedtime.

Sleep early

Try to get into the habit of going to bed early, for example during the week after giving birth.

If you can't close your eyes when you are ready to go to sleep, do whatever you can to relax your body and mind.

That way, it will make it easier for you to go to sleep earlier.

Some things you can do such as soaking in hot water a few hours before bed or listening to your favorite music.

Share tasks with husband

Don't hesitate to ask for help from other people, including your partner, when you really need their help.

You can share tasks with your husband, such as who will change the baby's diaper or carry him when the baby cries at night.

In addition, you can also ask for help from your closest relatives to clean up the house so you can rest longer.

5. Apply a comfortable sleeping position

After giving birth, certain body parts will feel painful and uncomfortable, whether it's around the vagina, breasts, and stomach.

If you sleep on your stomach, you can feel more aches and pains.

The best sleeping position after childbirth is one that does not increase pressure and does not cause muscle tension.

So you should, identify a good sleeping position as a form of maternal care after (post) childbirth.

Some sleeping positions after giving birth, both normal and caesarean sections that you can try, include:

Sleep on your back

Sleeping on your back for the first few days or weeks after childbirth is the most comfortable sleeping position.

There is no more pressure on the abdomen, vagina, or abdominal incision from the surgery, so the pain will be less.

If bleeding still occurs, you can place a pillow under the knee.

Unfortunately this position makes it a little difficult for you to get out of bed or sit up.

If you have a cesarean delivery, the abdomen will be put under pressure when you wake up.

To avoid putting pressure on your stomach when you get up or sit down, first take the pillow that you put under your knees.

Then, lean back slightly while supporting your lower back with a pillow.

Sleep on your side

Apart from sleeping on your back, you can also sleep on your side. However, the position of the back and buttocks must remain straight.

Do not lean back too much, as this can bend the front of your stomach. You can prop a pillow behind your body to support your back.

The hands that you use as a cushion for your head or rest on your chest can make it easier to get up.

You can combine sleeping positions on your side and on your back so that your body doesn't get sore and you stay comfortable.

Sleep on high pillows

Sleeping with high pillows piled high can increase the comfort of the mother after giving birth.

This position, which is almost like a sitting person, can help you sleep better and breathe more smoothly.

In order not to get sore, you can also support your lower back with a thin pillow.

Compared to other positions, this sleeping position makes it easier for you to get up.

6. Eat nutritious foods

One of the after (post) treatments that cannot be missed is to meet the nutritional needs of the mother.

Yes, getting the right nutrients after childbirth is very important.

This is because the need for adequate nutrition in the mother's body is needed for the next phase, namely breastfeeding.

So, make sure your food intake after giving birth to pay close attention and know which ones are recommended and not recommended for consumption.

7. Manage emotions as a normal postnatal care

Treatment after (post) normal delivery does not only cover the physical health of the mother.

Your mental state also needs to be considered postpartum.

This is because mothers can experience postpartum emotional changes. In fact, many new mothers have experienced it baby blues after giving birth.

This condition can affect hormones, anxiety when caring for a baby, and also sleep time.

If allowed to drag on until experiencing sadness for more than 2 prolonged weeks, this condition can make a mother experience postpartum depression.

Immediately consult a doctor if this happens.

8. Massage after delivery

Good news for mothers who have just given birth, how to care for their body or body after giving birth can be done with massage.

There are various benefits of massage after childbirth, citing the American Pregnancy Association.

The benefits of massage as a traditional postpartum treatment are actually not much different from other types of massage, namely:

Stretch the muscles of the body, especially in the abdomen, lower back, and hips.
Smooth oxygen flow throughout the body.
Stimulates the production of endorphins which are useful for relieving body aches.
Trigger the production of the hormone oxytocin to launch breast milk while breastfeeding.
Boosts the immune system.
Overcoming baby blues syndrome and postpartum depression.

Massage is one of several ways to treat the body or body after childbirth that can help speed up recovery after childbirth.

It is important to note that massage, as a traditional form of postnatal care, is performed by a certified and experienced therapist.

If you have recently had a cesarean delivery, it is best to wait until your scar is dry and healed before starting to massage.

Avoid massaging the area around the scar on the abdomen to prevent infection.

It's best to just aim at your feet, head, arms and back, which are also prone to aches after giving birth.