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During the postpartum period, the mother requires specific physical and emotional care, including breastfeeding, care of episiotomy or cesarean stitches, monitoring bleeding, healthy habits, pelvic floor exercises, and emotional support. Early recognition of warning signs is essential to prevent complications.
Breast milk let-down may take 2 to 5 days after birth and the breasts may become swollen, hot, and may hurt. The best remedy is to breastfeed the baby to relieve symptoms and prevent breast engorgement or inflammation of the breasts. Mild discomfort is alleviated with a gentle self-massage towards the nipple, to facilitate emptying of the breast prior to breastfeeding. If the discomfort worsens and / or fever appears, you should consult the midwife or go to the emergency room.
If an episiotomy is performed or the perineum is torn, for the care of the stitches, the area should be washed with water and neutral soap once a day, keep the area dry, use cotton pads without plastic and change them frequently.
An episiotomy heals 7-10 days after delivery and the stitches usually fall out on their own. In case of caesarean section, there is no problem with showering, as long as the stitches are dried well. The wound will heal in 5 or 6 days (full healing will take a few more days) and the stitches or staples will be removed between the sixth and the seventh day by the midwife at the health centre.
Lochia is bleeding that occurs in the postpartum period and lasts 6 to 8 weeks after delivery. It changes colour and decreases in quantity over the days. The smell of this discharge is similar to that of menstrual flow. In the event that a bad odour occurs, it is recommended you visit the health centre or hospital to rule out the existence of an infection.
In the postpartum period, feelings of sadness and frequent mood changes (sadness, crying and euphoria) may occur. It is a normal adaptive reaction to changes and is known as maternity blues or postpartum depression.
It can occur between the 3rd and 5th day after delivery and disappears after approximately 15 days. If this situation lengthens over time or symptoms worsen, the midwife or the nearest qualified professional should be consulted.
The first postpartum review with the midwife is usually carried out around the seventh day after delivery. It is advisable to attend with your partner, in order to assess the adaptation and resolve any doubts or difficulties, and with the baby, to be able to assess breastfeeding.
After 6 or 8 weeks following delivery, another routine visit is carried out, where the general physical and psychological state of the mother and breastfeeding are assessed. It is a good time to consider contraception, and the condition of the pelvic floor and its musculature should be assessed.
It is necessary to attend the baby’s monitoring visits with your paediatrician and with the infirmary.
During "quarantine" it is recommended you avoid:
If the woman wants to have sex, this can be restarted during this period. It is recommended that a condom is used.
The first menstruation appears around 40 days after delivery in mothers who are not breastfeeding. Those who breastfeed their children do not generally resume their menstrual cycle until weaning, although they are not, even so, without risk of pregnancy.
It is recommended you find out about contraceptive methods from the midwife of the primary care centre. It must be customised in each case and take into account whether there is breastfeeding or artificial feeding, since this, along with other health history, will help define the most appropriate method. Emergency contraception is a valid option also for this period.
It is necessary to go to the emergency department or consult your midwife upon the occurrence during the postpartum of these warning signs:
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