A lot happens in the first few days after the arrival of your little one. You can expect physical and emotional changes. You’ll be feeding your baby a lot, but sleeping very little.
The wonderful sensation of being a new mum has just sunk in and your body has to recover from the stressful delivery. It is important to know the basics of wound care, be it episiotomy or c-section wound.
Do you know?
It takes up to 6 weeks for your body pregnancy changes to revert to normal state.
Water retention: You will experience increased urination immediately after delivery but it may take up to 4 weeks for the leg swelling to resolve.
Womb involution: It takes 6 weeks to return to its pre-pregnancy size.
Vaginal bleeding (lochia): Takes 4– 6 weeks to stop. During the first week, the bleeding can be quite heavy but will gradually decrease. It usually changes from bright red to pink or brown, and then finally yellow before stopping.
Episiotomy wound: Takes 1-2 weeks for the pain to diminish and heal.
C-section wound: Takes 6-8 weeks for full recovery.
Social and emotional support from family members and friends are important. By week 6, you should be fully recovered and resume normal activities. You should ask your obstetrician about exercise to regain abs muscle tone and Kegel pelvic floor exercises.
#1. When will menses resume if I am not breastfeeding?
Most women will have their first menses by 8 weeks if they are not breastfeeding.
#2. When will my menses resume if I am breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding can delay menses for one year or longer if you are exclusively breastfeeding. So don't worry.
Important: See your obstetrician or return to the hospital as soon as possible if you experience very heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, pus discharge from the wound or fever.