What Happens to Mum After Birth: A Full Guide
When you are pregnant, your focus is on the labor and birth, as well as how the baby will be born – vaginal birth, c-section, water birth? What happens after Bub arrives and everything is fine with her?
What to Expect During The First Few Hours Following Your Baby’s Birth.
First Contact
After a vaginal delivery, your baby will be placed on your chest to allow you to meet her. This is also known as kangaroo care. It is a great way to bond with your baby and also to expose her to the microbes on your skin (tiny bacteria cells).
Afterbirth
If you haven’t done so already, the next step is to deliver your placenta. While you are at work, a midwife will take your baby to be cleaned and weighed while the umbilical cord is cut. You don’t need to worry, the placenta, or afterbirth, is often pushed out much faster than the baby. It can take only a few minutes. It is important to take this step, because medical complications may arise if you don’t deliver or remove the placenta after birth.
The Stitch Up
It’s now time to repair. It’s important to note that not all women need a lot in this area. Most women experience minor grazes and tears, which heal faster if left alone. If you had a large tear, or if an Episiotomy was performed to help with delivery, you may need stitches. You’ll get some pain relief if you don’t receive an epidural in labor. Depending on the circumstances, you might be able to hold your baby as you’re stitched. You will be asked to monitor your blood pressure, pulse, vaginal bleeding, and the firmness of your top uterus.
It’s Time to Feed The Baby.
The midwives can help you place your baby on one of the breasts to encourage breastfeeding. You will not have milk at this stage, but colostrum. This is a thick early form of breast milk that contains nutrients and helps establish your baby’s digestive system. The midwife can help you hand-express your colostrum to a syringe if your baby has trouble latching onto your nipples. If you experience pain in your uterus or bleeding from your vagina, (also called lochia), don’t worry. This is normal. It is an indication that your uterus will shrink back to its original size.
The Hospital Room
You’ll be taken to your hospital room if you haven’t already left the birthing suite. Here, you and your baby will receive more checks, more injections, more rest, more food, more visitors, and more during your stay.
Congratulations, you’ve made it through the hardest part of motherhood, but your journey is just beginning!
What About a C-section?
Some of the procedures that follow a cesarean (whether it was elective or an emergency) are different from those following vaginal delivery. You won’t know when your placenta has been removed and will have to wait for a while until the doctor sews up the uterus and abdominal area. Your baby will be placed in your chest and then removed while the surgery is being completed.
Some women also opt to have vaginal seeds (in which bacteria from the vagina are wiped onto the baby with a swab) done. After the surgery, once you are in your room you can start to breastfeed and have skin-to-skin with your baby.
Take Care of Yourself After Birth: The New Mother.
Postpartum begins when you deliver your baby, and ends once your body is almost back to its pre-pregnancy state. This period usually lasts between 6 and 8 weeks.
You will experience many changes during the postpartum period, both physically and emotionally. As a new mom, you are learning to cope with the many changes that come with it. You and your partner will also learn how to take care of your newborn, and how to function together as a new family unit.
Take care of yourself and rebuild your strength. During the first couple of weeks, you will need to rest, eat well, and get help.
Rest
New parents quickly learn that babies’ clocks are different from adults’. A newborn typically wakes up every three hours, needs to be changed and comforted, and is fed. You and your partner may feel exhausted, especially if it is your first child. For several months, you may not sleep 8 hours a night. Here are some ideas to help get you more sleep:
- You should let someone else handle all your responsibilities in the first couple of weeks. This includes feeding your child and taking care of yourself.
- Sleep when your baby is asleep. It may only be a few moments of rest, but they can add up.
- Time and steps can be saved. You can feed your baby at night by placing the bed of your infant near you.
- You don’t have to entertain your guests. It’s great to receive visitors from family and friends, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to do so. You can take a break to nap or feed your child.
- Spend a few moments each day outside. Your healthcare provider may recommend that you start exercising after giving birth.
Nutrition
During pregnancy and delivery, your body has gone through many changes. You need to take time off. You need to take time to recover.
Weight gain during pregnancy is stored for recovery and breastfeeding. You need to maintain a balanced and healthy diet after delivery to be able to take care of your child and remain active.
Many lactation specialists recommend eating when you’re hungry. Many mothers are so tired or busy that they forget to eat. Plan simple, healthy dishes that incorporate all the groups recommended by MyPlate.
MyPlate can help you to eat healthy. MyPlate helps you to eat the right foods and get the correct amount of fat and calories. To help, the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services prepared this guide.
MyPlate has 5 Categories of Food Groups:
- Grains. Grain products are foods made of wheat, rice, or other cereal grains. Whole wheat, brown, and oatmeal are examples.
- Vegetables.Vegetables. Choose vegetables that are dark green, orange, or red. Also, choose legumes, such as peas and beans, and starchy vegetables.
- Fruits. All fruits or 100% fruit juices are included in the fruit group. Fruits can be canned, dried, frozen, or fresh. They may also be cut up or pureed.
- Dairy. Dairy products, including milk and other dairy foods, are included in this group. Concentrate on low-fat or fat-free products and those high in calcium.
- Lean protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Select low-fat meats or poultry. Change up your routine for protein. Pick more nuts, seeds, and peas.
Oils do not constitute a food group. However, some oils like nut oils contain important nutrients. Include them in your diet. Other oils, such as animal fats, are solid. These oils should not be included in your diet.
Include physical activity and exercise in your daily diet.
MyPlate is a great place to learn more about the Dietary Guidelines of Americans 2015. You can also find out the best diet for you based on your age, gender, and level of physical activity.
If you are nursing, extreme weight loss, and dieting can be harmful to you and your child. You may need several months to lose all the weight gained during your pregnancy. This goal can be achieved by avoiding high-fat snacks. Concentrate on eating a balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Exercise helps to burn calories, and tone muscles and limbs.
You should also drink more fluids while breastfeeding. While your baby is breastfeeding, you may become extremely thirsty. Both water and milk are healthy options. Keep a pitcher with water or healthy snacks near your bed, breastfeeding chair, or crib.
If you’re interested in learning more about postpartum nutritional issues, talk to your healthcare provider or registered dietitian. Lactation consultants are also available to provide advice on nutrition for breastfeeding.
New Parents: Help and Advice
Both new and experienced parents quickly realize that babies require a lot of work. It takes time and effort to meet the constant demands of a baby. This can take you away from your other duties at home.
Your partner and you will probably be fine, but having another person to help with household chores can make the transition easier. Your partner and you can concentrate on your own needs and those of your child, instead of worrying about the dirty dishes or laundry.
Family, friends, or paid home care providers can help. Family members, such as the grandmother or aunt of the newborn baby, may be able to come to help for a few weeks or more. The services offered by home care providers are varied. They offer a variety of services, including nursing care for the mother and her baby as well as housekeeping and childcare of other children.
You should make it clear to your helpers what you expect of them. Communication is key to preventing hurt emotions or misunderstandings during these fragile first weeks. You can ask your helpers to do chores like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and shopping for groceries. You will be able to take better care of yourself and spend more time with your child.
What Happens Immediately After Birth?
While you are pregnant, it’s normal to be focused on the birth of your child. It’s important to know what to do after labor.
Skin-to-skin contact is a great way to bond. You should lift your baby onto you immediately after birth before the cord has been cut. This will allow you to be together as soon as possible.
Your baby will either be dried before or after the cord has been clamped. Then, a towel will cover them to prevent them from getting cold. While this is being done, you can continue to cuddle and hold your baby.
Vernix is a greasy, white substance that covers your baby’s skin while in the womb.
You can also ask your midwife to wrap your baby in a blanket and dry them before you cuddle.
Your baby may need to have mucus removed from their nose and mouth.
Some babies require a little help to breathe properly.
You may have to move your baby to a different part of the room for oxygen. You’ll get them back as soon as you can.
A midwife, neonatal, or pediatrician will examine your baby, weigh and possibly measure it, and give you a wristband or anklet with your name.
You will be helped to wash and freshen up by your midwife or maternity worker before going to the postnatal unit.
Vitamin K for Newborns
Your baby will be given an injection of Vitamin K. This prevents a rare bleeding condition called hemorrhagic disease of the newborn.
You should have been informed about the injection by your midwife while you were still pregnant.
You can give your baby vitamin K orally instead of an injection. However, you will need to continue giving them the doses.
